The Pyramid of Menkaure
The Pyramid of Menkaure is the smallest of the major pyramids on the Giza plateau. Built for Pharaoh Menkaure of the 4th dynasty in the 26th century BC, it still stands an impressive 65 m tall and it has even withstood a destruction attempt in 1196 when the son of Saladin, Al-Aziz Uthman, wanted them gone. The dismantling task proved too hard and it was fortunately given up – although there still remains a large vertical scar on the Pyramids northern face. South of the pyramid are the three smaller Queens’ Pyramids for the Pharaohs wives/sisters.
To solve this earth cache you will need to consider the construction of this pyramid.
The stones of Egypt
There are three general categories of rocks – sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic, and these are further subdivided according to their textures and constituent minerals. Sediments (mud, sand and gravel) deposited on ocean floors and land surfaces are hardened into sedimentary rocks through a variety of lithification processes, including compaction, cementation, and recrystallization. Sedimentary rocks used by the ancient Egyptians include: limestone (from biogenic marine sediments); rock gypsum and rock anhydrite (both from evaporative marine sediments); sandstone, including siliceous (quartz-cemented) sandstone or quartzite (from continental sediments and, in part, shallow nearshore marine sediments); and travertine and chert (both from secondary mineralization of limestone). Nearly all the ancient quarries for limestone, travertine and chert were located in the hills and cliffs bordering the Nile River valley between Cairo in the north and Isna in the south. Some limestone was also quarried along the Nile Delta’s Mediterranean coast near Alexandria. Quarries in the Nile valley from Isna southward into northern Sudan supplied the sandstone. Rock gypsum and rock anhydrite were obtained from Egypt’s Red Sea coast, and rock gypsum also came from the Faiyum in the Western Desert. A beautiful blue rock anhydrite comes from an unknown source and may have been imported into Egypt.
Igneous rocks form through the crystallization of magma (molten rock).Igneous rocks used by the ancient Egyptians include: granite, granodiorite, quartz diorite, diorite, and pyroxenite (plutonic intrusives); andesite and dolerite porphyries as well as other porphyritic rocks (volcanic dikes and lava flows); basalt and obsidian (volcanic lava flows); and tuff and related rocks (volcanic pyroclastics). Apart from the granite and granodiorite quarried at Aswan on the Nile River, the igneous rocks came from the Faiyum in the Western Desert (basalt) and especially the mountains of the Eastern Desert
Metamorphic rocks are derived from pre-existing sedimentary, igneous or other metamorphic rocks through the application of high pressures, high temperatures or chemically active hydrothermal fluids deep below the Earth’s surface. Metamorphic rocks used by the Egyptians include: anorthosite gneiss and tonalite gneiss (foliated); and marble, metaconglomerate, metagabbro, metagraywacke, serpentinite, and steatite (non-foliated). The anorthosite gneiss comes from the Nubian Desert west of Lake Nasser, and the other rocks were quarried in the mountains of the Eastern Desert.
Limestone and sandstone were the main building stones of ancient Egypt. From Early Dynastic times onward, limestone was the material of choice for pyramids, mastaba tombs, and temples within the limestone region. From the late Middle Kingdom onward, sandstone was used for all temples within the sandstone region as well as many of those in the southern part of the limestone region. Both limestone and sandstone were also employed for statuary and other non-architectural applications, when harder and more attractive ornamental stones were not available. Along the Red Sea coast, the temples and other important buildings of the Ptolemaic and Roman periods were built with the locally available rock gypsum and rock anhydrite.
Our best understanding of the construction methods for these pyramids sees them as being constructed by many workers dragging the blocks into place and attaining elevation through ramps. We know about the dragging method from tomb representations such as in the tomb of Djehutihotep.
Geological map of Egypt
The Cache
Answer the following questions based on your observations at the pyramid.
1. What type of stone is the pyramid made out of and where is it from?
2. What stone was the Pyramid faced with and where was it from?
3. What mineral gives the stone in the facing its distinctive colour?
4. Look carefully at what survives of the facing? What details hint at its construction process.
5. Take a photo of you and your gps in front of the pyramid (optional)