Scope: This lecture will present a portrait of the founder of the “Fabulous Fourth” Dynasty, Sneferu. We will see how a pharaoh became king—by marrying the right woman! Sneferu’s reign saw three major innovations: (1) by trial and error, true pyramid construction began; (2) Egypt became an international power; and (3) artistic standards were established that would last for thousands of years.
Outline
I. Sneferu (2613-2589 BC) built several pyramids, a great architectural achievement. He was the first pharaoh we know of who carved his name in a cartouche.
A. Meidum is the first attempt at a true pyramid. It looks more like a tower than a pyramid.
1. A stepped pyramid was first built, the steps later filled in with limestone. But the limestone casing wasn't stable, and the pyramid seems to have been abandoned.
2. There was a temple next to the pyramid.
3. The pyramid’s burial chamber, which had a vaulted ceiling, was the first to be built above ground.
4. A corbelled ceiling in the chamber prevented collapse by distributing the weight of the huge stones in the pyramid.
5. Two uninscribed stelae nearby, however, suggest that the pyramid was never used. Some graffiti for Sneferu can still be seen in the mortuary temple, the only hard evidence we have that it is his pyramid.
B. The Bent Pyramid of Dahshur was Sneferu’s second pyramid.
1. Why the bend? It starts out like Meidum at 54 degrees. The corners of the pyramid were built on unstable ground, so structural changes were necessary.
2. The burial chamber was probably the greatest room in the world, with a spectacular vaulted ceiling that was 55 feet high.
3. But there were problems—cracks formed because the pyramid was not stable at the corners. Cedar beams were used to brace the collapsing walls. The pyramid was quickly finished with a “bend” in the angle.
4. This pyramid, nearly as large as the Great Pyramid at Giza, also had to be abandoned.
5. A Valley Temple and causeway completed the complex.
A. The Red Pyramid of Dahshur, a third pyramid, is Sneferu’s burial place. Fully complete, it is the first large true pyramid.
II. Sneferu’s international policies took him beyond the borders of Egypt.
A. Cedars of Lebanon, obtained through trade, were needed for ships and temple doors.
1. Wood was a scarce commodity in Egypt; thus, stone buildings were common.
2. From river boats to sacred barques, ships were central to Egypt. But Egyptians were not good sailors, spoiled as they were by the prevailing winds when sailing up the Nile or the current when sailing down it. They called the Mediterranean “the great green.” A trip to Lebanon for cedars was a big matter.
B. Sneferu sent expeditions to Sinai to mine turquoise, an exotic commodity for jewelry.
1. Inscriptions call Sneferu “Smiter of Barbarians” in the foreign territory. He had a large army to get what he wanted in the Sinai.
2. There were many difficulties in mining: the organization for such a trip was considerable in itself, not to mention the demands made by the terrible summer heat.
3. The Temple of Serabit el-Khadim was built like a mine on top of a mountain dedicated to Hathor, “Our Lady of Turquoise.” Flinders Petrie excavated the temple and found a small sphinx, which he later buried for protection without ever marking where he put it.
III. The art of Sneferu’s reign set standards for centuries to come.
A. His wife had beautiful inlaid turquoise jewelry.
B. The first great life-size portrait statues were sculpted during his reign.
1. Those of Rahotep (high priest of Memphis) and Nofret are masterpieces.
2. Hemiunu, a pyramid architect and son of Sneferu, is depicted as fat, a sign of prosperity.
IV. Papyrus Westcar, in Berlin, contains the first personal anecdote about a king.
A. The papyrus shows the first use of exotic fishnet clothing—young ladies in fishnet attire are described rowing Sneferu.
B. One rowing girl loses her turquoise fish amulet.
C. Sneferu calls a magician who parts the waters for him—centuries before Moses—and the king retrieves the amulet for the girl.
D. The story is fictional but an indication nonetheless that he was an approachable pharaoh.
V. Sneferu established a family tradition, perhaps his greatest legacy of all.
A. He built the largest building in the history of the world to that time, the Bent Pyramid.
B. But Sneferu wasn’t deterred by failure, showing his people by example how to build a true pyramid.
C. He showed Egypt how to be an international power and established artistic conventions.
D. Khufu (Cheops), his son, who would build the Great Pyramid of Giza, was perhaps his most important legacy of all.
Essential Reading:
I. E. S. Edwards, The Pyramids of Egypt, Chapters 2 and 3.
Questions to Consider:
1. What were the stages in the development of the true pyramid?
2. Other than pyramids, what were Sneferu’s achievements?