Beyond the great three pyramids Egypt is known for, thousands of others that are still being discovered. With each new discovery, pharaohs prove that the legacy they left Egypt is the furthest from coming to an end. A new granite pyramidion was discovered in Sakkara necropolis, during an excavation works carried out by a Swiss-French archaeological Mission from Geneva University.
In a press release, the Ministry of Antiquities announced that the pyramidion is 1.3 m high and 1.1 m long on its sides. The condition it was found upon indicates that it was left unfinished or has been reused.
“The upper part of the pyramidion is partly destroyed, but it shows that it was covered by a foil of metal (whether gold or copper), and the lower part of the pyramidion has an unclean surface which indicated it has been either reused or left unfinished” explains Mostafa Waziri, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities.
Meanwhile, the face under the pyramidion is clearly smooth, and shows the usual mortise that permits the fixation of the pyramidion on the pyramid, he added.
The ancient Egyptians used to insert a pyramidion on top of pyramids. It’s believed that that it belongs to Queen Ankhnespepy II.
Philippe Collombert, the Head of the Swiss-French Archaeological Mission said that the pyramidion was found at the northern side of King Pepi l’s pyramid and near the place where we should expect the satellite pyramid of Queen Ankhnespepy II, the mother of King Pepy II, one of the 6th dynasty’s kings.
He added that until now, nothing has yet been found concerning such satellite pyramid expect this pyramidion.
This comes after the mission has found last week the upper part of a granite obelisk of the same queen. The obelisk is 2.5 meters tall
The Head of the Ancient Egyptian Sector at Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities, Ayman Ashmawy, told state media portal, Ahram Online, that “the mission is progressing well this archaeological season, and that the new discovery suggests the team will soon locate the queen’s complete funerary complex”.
