New Shaft Found in World’s Oldest Pyramid
More news on the restoration of Djoser’s step pyramid appeared on the website of Zahi Hawass this morning.
Over the past year work has been going on to replace some of the missing stones on the pyramid’s exterior:
On the outside of the pyramid, the most important component of our work has been identifying and correcting areas of structural weakness where the stones have fallen or weathered away or been removed over the years. There are many places where missing stones had left hollows and overhangs, making the surrounding masonry vulnerable to collapse. The archaeological team has been excavating around the base of the pyramid, identifying the original stones that have fallen away from the structure. These stones are then carefully cleaned before being re-used to fill gaps in the body of the pyramid. Each one is given a unique identification number, and its new position is recorded in three dimensions.
View the slide show of the restoration of Djoser’s pyramid by Kairoinfo4u:
Also mentioned in the article was the announcement that a previously unknown shaft has been discovered near the north-east corner of the pyramid!
As the work progresses, the archaeologists have been carefully mapping the pyramid and documenting the finds that they make. It is truly remarkable how, after centuries of exploration, a site like the Step Pyramid complex can continue to reveal secrets as it is re-excavated. One of the most interesting things that we have found is a previously unknown shaft near the northern end of the eastern face of the pyramid! 11 shafts arranged in a straight line along this side of the pyramid were known before our discovery. Each one ends in a long chamber – four of these chambers were used for burials, and the rest were used for the storage of beautiful stone vessels. I decided that the excavation of this shaft should wait until we have finished the conservation of the pyramid itself, as I believe that we must make ensuring the survival of Egypt’s monuments our first priority. It will be very interesting, however, to see what we find when we are finally ready to investigate this shaft!
The rising water table is causing large salt deposits to form in the underground network of tunnels and galleries underneath the pyramid and deep cracks are forming in the walls. This is obviously a major concern as the rising water table continues to weaken the bedrock, increasing the risk of cave-ins.
Read the whole story at Zahi Hawass’s website: Saving the Step Pyramid.
Previous related stories:
Laser Scanning Djoser’s Pyramid
Documentary on Djoser’s Pyramid
Djoser 3D Scanning Begins
World’s Oldest Pyramid Crumbles
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