Welcome to my Pyramid-Building Blog

Hey all Egyptians, it's your king Snefru here. As my predecessors before me started to do, I am embarking on the journey of building my first pyramid! I chose the site of Meidum, which is on the west bank of the Nile, with the fertile Faiyum to the south, and the delta to the north. Inspired by Djoser, I have decided to create a seven-step pyramid. As the king of the greatest land in the universe, I must show off the capabilities of my men, as well as ensure a monumental resting place for my body and soul for all of eternity. I took a trip to Djoser's pyramid and was slightly unimpressed with its scale. Only six steps??? Well, I'm going to out-do him. He also had to make modifications to his pyramid, but I'm going to have my pyramid done correctly the first try. One of my most trusted elites was able to find me Djoser's plan for his pyramid.

Djoser started with a small four step pyramid, and then expanded and added two more steps. 

In one sense, I do respect Djoser for realizing his monument wasn't good enough and trying to make it better. But, a true king gets everything right on the first try, and I want to make the most monumental pyramid ever created! Unfortunately, I don't have Imhotep as my architect, because if I had him, we would have made a most magnificent pyramid together!

As a little secret between my blog readers and me, I'll give you a sneak peak at my pyramid plan!

A 7 step pyramid! 

I've already let out too many secrets. So, it's time for me to go now and meet with my pyramid architect team to make sure that everything is ready for the starting of my eternal resting place!

King out -- Snefru 

My Dream Inspiration

Last night, the sun god Ra came to me in a magnificent dream, telling me that 7 steps for my pyramid is too few. I need to add more! The more steps I have, the closer I am to the great divine.

Immediately, in the dead of the night, I sent word to my architects. We must not settle for anything less than the absolute best. I would not want to upset the gods, who I will join in the divine world in my afterlife. I made this sketch to send to my architects working away at Meidum. What do you all think?

My new plan, with 8 steps instead of 7! I am eternally grateful for Ra coming to me and telling me to keep building upwards

I sent this plan to Meidum and hopefully the gods allow it to get there quickly so that I can ensure that my pyramid is improved as soon as possible. Once the 8th step is added, I am going to go down to Meidum and check it out again!

King out -- Snefru

Interior Design

I'm writing to you all tonight from Meidum, where I have just arrived after hearing word that the 8th step has finally been completed. I realize that I have only talked about the shape of the pyramid thus far. I haven't told you anything else about it! My bad!

Not only is the outside of the pyramid a work of art, but so is the inside. The pyramid was built with accretion layers, which lean inwards. My pyramid has a descending passageway that begins in the north, and this passage leads to the chambers. There is a vertical shaft that leads to my eternal resting place, which is located in the lower part of the pyramid. My architects have come up with an innovative new design of a corbelled ceiling, which has successively higher courses of stone angled inwards that close the ceiling. Once I am laid to rest, my pyramid will allow me to ascend to the everlasting stars, which are located in the North sky and never go out of view. There, I shall meet up with the sun god. 


Thus, the northern descending passageway, and shape of the corridors of my pyramid, along with the shape of the actual pyramid that rises up into the sky, I will be able to reach divinity in my afterlife. As of right now, only the pyramid is done. The workers still have to finish constructing my subsidiary pyramid, chapel, causeway, mastabas, and valley temple. I need mastabas so that I can have my loved ones near me for all of eternity. 

I am very pleased with what my architects have done. At first, I thought that the power of the king was shown through perfection on the first try. But I still feel like there is more that I can do, even though this pyramid was already altered to be better. I'm a decade and change into my reign, and I feel well enough to rule for 100 more years. So, why should I stop here? I still am unsure of what to do, and for now I am having my architects and workers continue working here. But, I think that there are more options than just this site...

King out -- Snefru

My Wife

Silly me! I forgot to mention that I have an extraordinary wife, Hetepheres, who gave birth to my great son, Khufu. Her father is Huni, my predecessor. Oh how I love my beautiful wife! I love her so much that I have ordered magnificent pieces of art to be made for her eternal resting place. Here's a sneak peak, but don't tell my wife!

Silver Bracelets meant for my wife. She must have the most beautiful jewelry in all of the land! 

A part of the funerary equipment, which shows my names! She is taking me to the afterlife with her!

Cartouche

I thought I would post my cartouche so that if any of you see it when you are out and about, you will know that it belongs to me! The cartouche is a sign of kingship, and I have put it on all of my monuments!

www,timetrips.co.uk

Onward and Upward

I have finally made my decision. It is year 15 of my reign and I have decided to leave Meidum. Although the pyramid and complex are nearly complete, I do not think that this place is adequate enough to be my final resting place. Not only do I think that I can make an even better pyramid, one that is slanted with NO steps, but moving to a new residence and pyramid further north, at Dahshur, has many perks.

In Dashur I will have more control over the colonization of the delta and trade routes, a road to the Sinai to the east, and a wadi that leads to oases in the west, as well at the Faiyum. Even more conveniently, there are places to quarry limestone on both sides of the Nile! I'm not sure why I chose Medium in the first place when Dahshur has to much more to offer.

I have a new mission for my architects: I want a pyramid that has slanted sides and towers in the sky at 150 meters. I know that this seems unrealistic, but through the grace of the gods, I know that my architects and workers will make this dream possible for me. And, the sun god Ra will be eternally grateful that my pyramid reaches even higher into the sky! I know that this is a short update, but I have to go get to work planning my pyramid with my architects... Gotta run!

King out -- Snefru

Marvels at Dahshur

We are now well under way in the building of my pyramid at Dahshur! I am so excited that my architects and I took this opportunity to be as innovative as possible in the building of this pyramid.

Since this will be my final resting place, and since we abandoned Meidum because it wasn't enough for me, I must make sure that nothing goes wrong and that this pyramid is a true masterpiece. I don't just want innovation of the shape. I want innovation of the internal structure of the pyramid as well. For this reason, my architects are adding a second entrance that is east-west oriented in the pyramid, as well as subterranean chambers and antechambers that are larger than ever before.

The lowest of the three chambers has been cut deep in the rock so that I can be associated with the underworld and Osiris. Also, my tomb corridor must always be rising, so that I can ascend into the everlasting stars.

My portcullis system is innovative because the twin blocks operate diagonally now, rather than horizontally/vertically. I also have two chambers now that will be completely filled in, which when combined with all the other new aspects, creates an innovative design and complexity that has never before been seen!

As for the form of the pyramid, we are using a 55 degree angle for the sides of the pyramid, and are using a layering system like a step pyramid, and adding the smooth sides later on. To show you our progress thus far, I'm going to show you all the plan for what we have up right now! This is exclusive!

  

However, I am getting a little nervous because my architects came to me this morning and told me that some funky things are going on with the construction of the pyramid. They said they didn't want to bother me with the details because they said they have it under control. I trust them, and know that they will make me a perfect pyramid. 

I am leaving the site tomorrow morning to go back to my palace, and although I'm sure my architects have everything figured out, I'm impatient because I am getting older and I need to have a perfect resting place. I abandoned a nearly done site at Meidum in order to make the best pyramid Egypt has ever seen. If something goes wrong I will be devastated. Tonight I will be praying to the gods, especially Ra, to look over my pyramid and make sure that it is completed to perfection. 

King out -- Snefru

Statue of My Son

One of my sons and his wife, Rahotep and Neferet, have been working on their Mastaba at Meidum, where my first pyramid is. He just sent me this magnificent statue to see!

Isn't it remarkable?! Rahotep is honored with being the high priest of Ra at Heliopolis, as well as the chief of my construction projects! 

These statues are made of plastered limestone, and are so detailed and life-like. I am so proud to say that the artisans of my royal court produced such a magnificent piece of art that will represent my son for all of eternity. 

They will be placed in their mastaba, and be a place where their souls can preside, as well as accept offerings. I love being able to take care of the people of my court and make sure that they also have a place for their eternal rest.

King out -- Snefru 

Horrible News

Woe is me! I have received the worst possible news that any king could receive. My architects just sent word to me that they couldn't fix the underlying problems with the structure of the pyramid at Dahshur without changing the angle of incline! If they change the angle of incline, then it will no longer be a true, perfect pyramid! It will be...bent.

Is such a pyramid worthy of your supreme ruler?

Perhaps so. Do the gods hate me and this is just their way of showing their disdain?  Although I was completely raged when I found this news out, I went to the site to try to understand what went wrong with my pyramid. As they were adding on to the pyramid, cracks began to grow in the three chambers and corridors. When my architects came to me last time, they said that they had it under control. They tried to fix these cracks by by using fillings.

Despite their best attempts, there was too much damage that couldn't be fixed. My builders even tried giving up the lower chamber of the pyramid. But to no avail. Years of work are on the verge of self-destruction!

My architects believe that the only way they can try to save the project is to reduce the angle of incline of the pyramid. The damage probably came from the high angle of the inside layers,  which slope at 60 degrees at the bottom, and thus created an unstable structure. Now, my architects plan to change the building method to building by horizontally laying courses of the blocks of stone, at a less steep angle of 44 degrees.

I appreciate that my architects are going to try to salvage this project for me, but I can never have a deformed, not true pyramid, as my final resting place. This pyramid was meant to be an innovative and ground breaking design. Instead, it literally broke the ground... chambers. Okay failed attempt of a joke, but hey I'm the king, being funny isn't a requirement. I want to see how the project ends up, but I'm thinking maybe the third time is the charm...

King out -- Snefru

A New Dawn

I can't believe I've build two pyramids but still have no final resting place!!! This is a disaster! My architects have finished the pyramid, and were unable to make it a true pyramid due to all of the unforeseen problems that arose. My pyramid is bent! Although I had my architects finish the project, there is no way that this can be my final resting place.

 

Even though I am disappointed and now pressed for time, I do appreciate that my architects tried to be innovative and experimental. I have complete faith that they will be able to build a true pyramid because their work with my 'Bent' Pyramid taught them how the stresses of building true pyramids work... I wonder if the name 'Bent' Pyramid will stick?

For these reasons I have decided to leave this project, and allow my architects one more chance on getting it right. We are going to stay at Dahshur due to all of the natural advantages I have previously detailed, but we are moving to a site a short distance away. 

I have also decided to have some workers go back to my abandoned Meidum pyramid and alter it to be a true pyramid. Although I believe this next pyramid will be my final resting place, I need to ensure that if something were to happen to me before it is finished, I would have a suitable place to be buried. I'm too old to have to deal with all of this! Tonight I will be praying to Ra to keep me alive and well until my third and final pyramid is complete. My architects are making sketches for it now. I told them that absolutely EVERYTHING has to be perfect, so I have a feeling they will be playing it safe for this pyramid...

King out -- Snefru

Prayers for Long Life

My architects are well into the the construction of my last pyramid. Thirty years into my reign and I decide to build another pyramid. Am I crazy?

Although I have always wanted to have the most innovative pyramid to date, at this point, I think making the most sturdy pyramid to date would be triumphant. There is complexity in the pyramid due to the two antechambers and a main chamber, which are all build close to the ground. But, to ensure that this pyramid is successful and completed in a timely manner, we have decided not to have an ascending corridor or a second entrance, and no new, unique portcullis system.

I am very worried about completing this project, and I have my architects in a frenzy to make a stable and complete true pyramid that will stand the test of time. My architects were so innovative at my other pyramid at Dahshur. I regret making them tone it down, but this project NEEDS to go perfectly. I have no other choices. If something happens, I will have to live eternally in an imperfect pyramid. I can't do that to my soul in the afterlife.

Lucky you, I have decided to also include the plan of my final pyramid! Although it may be much simpler than my other Dahshur pyramid, I am very pleased with what my architects are doing. The base is 220 meters long on each side, with an angle of incline of 45 degrees. We are building this pyramid using horizontal courses of stone, and its chambers are simple but well done. 

Overall, I just want my architects to get this done for me because I am pressed for time. Life isn't eternal, but the afterlife is. I do not want to be known for all of eternity as the king who couldn't get one pyramid right. 

King out -- Snefru

Keep it Simple, Snefru

I really am not feeling well. No longer am I a young and optimistic king. I have accomplished a lot in my reign, but it will all be in vain until my pyramid is finally done to perfection. I am proud of what my architects have accomplished in innovating tunneling techniques, the transport of stone, and engineering. Many expeditions and increased trade were necessary in order to obtain the stones, wood, and precious materials I have needed to build my pyramids. Nubia and the Sinai have been critical to the success.

I am disappointed in myself for not getting everything right the first try. But, through the endless construction during my reign, I have learned that it's not all about the final product. It is all about what you learned on the way to the final product. Although my first two pyramids weren't exactly what I imagined, the gods must have wanted me to make mistakes and practice with pyramid building in order for me to eventually get it right.

Also, the gods allowed me to have a miraculously long reign, in which I had the time and resources to make mistakes and start over again. Other kings will not have this same privilege. Thus, I am thankful to the gods for making me the pyramid building experimenter, who figured out how to and how to not make a perfect pyramid. I can serve as an example to my successors, so that they can get their pyramids done perfectly using what I have learned. They might not be blessed with long reigns like I have been blessed with.

Unfortunately, I think I am nearing the end of my time here on Earth. The builders are hastily finishing up my mortuary temple and putting the finishing touches on my complex. I am excited to see what the afterlife and the world of the divine offers me. I can't wait to join eternity, where I don't have to worry about time constrictions, expenses, and construction crises. More than anything, I can't wait to see what my son does in his building projects, because I have shared with him all of my secrets and challenged him to make a perfect pyramid on his first try. A little father-son competition, healthy right?

King out -- Snefru

The Glorious Red Pyramid, My Final Resting Place

This is King Snefru, coming at you from the afterlife! I am so relieved to be eternally resting in the Red Pyramid, which was completed in time for my trip into the afterlife, after 20 years of building.

I have been a little worried about looters coming into my pyramid though... I joined the gods and other past kings in the afterlife. Some of their resting places have already been looted!!! I am worried that by making my pyramid plan so simple, looters will find me to be an easy target. If anyone is to touch my tomb, they will find that all hell will come down on them from the gods and they will face imminent death.

The afterlife is a blast! There have been a few boat trips, lots of eating and drinking, and lots of celebrating with the gods. Who knew that being dead could be so great???

Even though I'm loving the afterlife, I have had my eyes on my son, Khufu, down on Earth, because he is working on a magnificent pyramid. It is supposed to be the largest one ever built! I went to Khufu in a dream and told him to use all of his tricks and make the biggest pyramid imaginable. I also warned him of the mistakes I made. I have been looking over his project to make sure everything is going smoothly. He really has taken this project by storm. I am so pleased with the progress he has made.

Khufu chose the site of Giza because it has limestone bedrock, which is perfect to support a project of this size. He is planning on using 1,300,000 blocks of stone, covering a base of 5.3 hectares! That's crazy! As it is right now, the pyramid is expected to be so accurate that at most it will have a 4.4 cm deviation on the sides, and the level of the base only deviates from accuracy by 2.3 cm.

Since his architect, Hemiunu, made such a perfect form of the pyramid, the inside also is increasingly complex. I won't bore you with all of the specifics, but I am so beyond proud of my son for accomplishing such an amazing feat (I mean I did bore you with the specifics of my pyramids, so I'm sure you all are over hearing about the internal structure... ). I like to think that my experimenting and innovations led to the perfection that he reached. I mean, I can't let him have all the credit...

So, I've decided to log off and enjoy my afterlife stress free of making posts and having to check the grammar over 467 times! Who knew that what started out as a step pyramid, led to where my son is now?! I've got a party with the gods to get to now, but I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who stuck with my Pyramid Chronicles! It's been a heck of a journey. Now I'll  just continue on my journey in the afterlife!

King out -- for the last time -- Snefru