Key Issue: Will women be able to select a mate or will all women be forced to carry someone elses baby to term within a decade ?
Title: The pyramid is a fat guy. This is the “bent pyramid’s” head.
Pharaoh Sneferu (reign c. 2613-2589 BCE) was one of ancient Egypt's most ambitious and successful pyramid builders, launching three massive construction projects that revolutionized architecture: the failed Meidum Pyramid, the Bent Pyramid, and the Red Pyramid, earning him the title "The Greatest Builder" among ancient Egyptian kings. As founder of the Fourth Dynasty of Egypt, Sneferu established a golden age of the Old Kingdom, overseeing a period of peace and prosperity that allowed him to launch over 40 major building projects, develop sophisticated architectural techniques, and conduct military campaigns into Libya and Nubia that secured valuable resources like gold, cedar wood, and copper. Historical records suggest he was a relatively benevolent ruler who was worshipped as a god even centuries after his death, with ancient documents describing him as a fair and just king who would casually converse with common people and take pleasure in boat rides with his harem. Archaeological evidence indicates his reign marked a critical transition in pyramid construction technology, moving from step pyramids to true smooth-sided pyramids, while simultaneously developing the organizational capacity to mobilize and sustain massive labor forces through an efficient administrative system that would later enable his son Khufu to build the Great Pyramid of Giza.
Builder/Commissioner:
Built under Pharaoh Sneferu (also spelled Snefru), founder of the 4th Dynasty
He was father of Khufu (who later built the Great Pyramid of Giza)
Construction Period:
Around 2600 BCE
Estimated to have taken 12-14 years to complete
Materials:
Primarily built with limestone blocks
Exterior casing made of fine white Tura limestone
Internal cedar beams used for structural support
One of few pyramids that still retains most of its smooth outer casing stones
Construction Method:
Built from the ground up in horizontal layers
Started at a 54-degree angle
Changed to a 43-degree angle partway up due to structural issues
Used copper and bronze tools for cutting and shaping stones
Blocks transported via the Nile during flood season
Used ramps and levers for lifting stones
Workforce:
Estimated 5,000-8,000 workers (not slaves, but paid laborers)
Included skilled craftsmen, architects, and general laborers
Workers lived in a nearby purpose-built town during construction
Location:
Located in Dahshur, Egypt
About 25 miles (40 km) south of modern-day Cairo
Nearest modern major city is Cairo
Part of the Dahshur necropolis/pyramid field
Located near the fertile Nile Valley