DAHSHUR

ancient pyramid site just south of Saqqarah, northern Egypt, on the west bank of the Nile River. Dahshur and other ruins in the area of ancient MemphisAbu Sir, Saqqarah, Abu Ruwaysh, and the Pyramids of Gizawere collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979. Two of its five extant pyramids date from the 4th dynasty (c. 2575c. 2465 BC) and were built by King Snefru (257551). The earlier one, because of its peculiar double slope, is variously called the Blunted, Bent, False, or Rhomboidal Pyramid; it represents the first attempt to build a true pyramid, but the initial angle of slope (52) was found to be too steep; the top portion of the pyramid was thereupon reduced to 43.5. The best-preserved of the five, it is the only Old Kingdom pyramid with two entrances. The second of Snefru's pyramids at Dahshur, the North Stone Pyramid (Red Pyramid), was built at the lower slope angle of 43 and is therefore shorter. The three remaining extant pyramids belong to the 12th dynasty (1938c. 1756 BC) and are not well preserved. The ruins do indicate, however, that the old plan of a pyramid entrance on the north side was abandoned for security reasons in favour of an entrance at a point outside the body of the pyramid. The tombs of the royal families built near the 12th-dynasty pyramids contained a remarkable collection of jewelry and personal accoutrementsa collection considered by some scholars to represent the highest stage of development in Egyptian metalworking and lapidary art.