The pharaoh who changed pyramid architecture: Who is Sneferu?
Sneferu well known under his Hellenized name Soris, was the founding pharaoh of the Fourth Dynasty of Egypt during the Old Kingdom. He built at least three pyramids that survive to this day and introduced major innovations in the design and construction of pyramids.
Sneferu, (also spelled Snefru or Snofru), Hellenized name Soris, was a pharaoh who founded the Fourth Dynasty of Egypt during the Old Kingdom. Estimates of the length of his reign vary, for example, according to The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt he had a reign of 24 years between 2613 and 2589 BC, according to Rolf Krauss a reign of 30 years, and according to Rainer Stadelmann a reign of 48 years. He built at least three pyramids that survive to this day and introduced major innovations in the design and construction of pyramids.
Sneferu well known under his Hellenized name Soris, was the founding pharaoh of the Fourth Dynasty of Egypt during the Old Kingdom. Estimates of his reign vary, with for instance The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt suggesting a reign from around 2613 to 2589 BC, a reign of 24 years, while Rolf Krauss suggests a 30-year reign, and Rainer Stadelmann a 48-year reign. He built at least three pyramids that survive to this day and introduced major innovations in the design and construction of pyramids.
Sneferu or Snofru was the pharaoh who built the first true pyramid in ancient Egypt.
Snofru was possibly the son of Meresankh I, Pharaoh Huni's successor and one of his younger wives.
Egypt is thought to be carrying out military operations to secure its borders and to protect and control trade in commodities, especially in the south.
During his reign, the straight-sided shape of the pyramid was perfected. Snofru's first pyramid was a step pyramid at Meidum. As the building grew larger, cracks appeared – so the angle of inclination for the upper parts of the construction was reduced. This gave him an origin formula in pyramid architecture. This formula was the model for Egypt's first true pyramid and on which the more famous structures at Giza were based.
July 2029
Egypt opened King Sneferu's 4,600-year-old "twisted" pyramid to the public.
Located in the Dahshur royal cemetery just south of Cairo, the 101-meter-tall pyramid is one of two structures built for Sneferu, the pharaoh who founded the Fourth Dynasty.
The pyramid has an unusual appearance. The structure was built at a steep 54-degree angle for its first 49 meters before tapering at the top, largely preserving its smooth limestone frame.