Lisht or el-Lisht () is an Egyptian village located south of Cairo. It is the site of Middle Kingdom royal and elite burials, including two built by Amenemhat I and Senusret I. The two main pyramids were surrounded by smaller pyramids of members of the royal family, and many mastaba tombs of high officials and their family members. They were constructed throughout the Twelfth and Thirteenth Dynasties. The site is also known for the tomb of Senebtisi, found undisturbed and from which a set of jewelry has been recovered. The pyramid complex of Senusret I is the best preserved from this period. The coffins in the tomb of Sesenebnef present the earliest versions of the Book of the Dead.
The Eleventh Dynasty’s capital was located at the city of Thebes. The first king of the Twelfth Dynasty, Amenemhet I, moved the capital from Thebes to a city near el-Lisht called Itj-tawy, because it was close to the mouth of the Fayyum, and well situated to control the 'Two Lands' of Upper and Lower Egypt. Another motive suggested is land reclamation and desire to increase the agricultural output for the region. The ruins of Itj-Tawy have never been conclusively identified, and the only locational evidence discovered consists of pieces of pottery in the area it is believed to be in. However, Twelfth Dynasty rulers built pyramids at el-Lisht which are known to researchers.
El-Lisht is the necropolis of the first two rulers of Dynasty XII, Amenemhet I and his son and successor Senusret I. These pyramids would have been visible to those traveling to Itj-Tawy from the south. The more famous of the two monumental complexes, that of Amenemhat I, featured an offering hall with a granite altar, carved with depictions of representatives of the nomes (provinces) bringing offerings to the pharaoh. However, the pyramid itself is in a ruined state, rising approximately above ground level.
El-Lisht is notable for its commissioners' 'cannibalization' of earlier monuments, which is thought to symbolize the restoration of Egypt to its Old Kingdom glory. The change in relief carving styles in the Twelfth Dynasty is also apparent in the two pyramids at this site.
Subsequent excavations uncovered plans for a pyramid much larger than the building constructed. One theory is that the terrain of the site was unsuitable for the structure due to poor sloping topography. Alternatively, it has been suggested that the pharaoh's health could have been declining and he did not think he would live to see it finished in time, yet did not want to be buried in an unfinished tomb. A third theory holds that Amenemhat I had already died after designing the tomb, and his son and successor rushed through his father's memorial so that he could start construction on his own.
The pyramid's true entrance is found on its north side. From here, a hallway lined with pink granite leads to a small room at the core of the pyramid, from where a shaft connects to the burial chamber. The chamber has been filled with Nile seepage water over the years, making new discoveries difficult. Attempts have been made to keep water out but pumping has not worked. No full statues of Amenemhat I were unearthed during archaeological expeditions. However, a limestone statuette's head, thought to belong to an image of the pharaoh, has been discovered.
The pyramid of Senusret I was much larger than that of Amenemhet I. Its base was 105 meters wide, with a height that once reached 61.25 meters tall. Although he followed a similar plan to that of his father, architects used a new technique. In theory, this new technique was supposed to make the pyramid stronger. The architects built outward from a core of coarse limestone blocks filled in with mudbrick and debris, then revetted the central structure with heavy blocks and surrounded it with a smooth casing of white limestone from Tureh. This technique continued to be used for much of the Middle Kingdom.
The unroofed causeway leading to the pyramid was punctuated with alcoves in which stood large limestone statues of Senusret I- some of these are now on show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and at the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Cairo. The causeway was also flanked by mudbrick buildings for the use of the priests who would perform rituals for the deceased monarch. The north side of the pyramid was fronted by a small chapel with an alabaster false door stela, decorated with pictures of offerings being presented. The funerary temple lay to the east, at the head of the valley causeway leading to the pyramid, and was similar in style to that of Pepi II, a Sixth Dynasty pharaoh. The central passage within the pyramid led to a burial chamber containing sculpted lion heads that would sprout water out which would flow away through a drain.
While some of the inner framework of Senusret's pyramid has been preserved, the pyramid itself is almost all rubble. The burial chamber is flooded by Nile seepage water, and many of the pyramid's treasures were stolen in antiquity. According to the excavations, the tomb was robbed shortly after being sealed. Besides the central tomb passage, another tunnel has been found, its use being to transport funerary materials to the chambers. Maspero concluded that the transporting tunnel was used by thieves to rob the pyramid because this is where funerary goods from the king’s chambers were found.
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