Ancient site · Giza
Layer Pyramid
A ruined Third Dynasty step pyramid in the necropolis of Zawyet el-Aryan, its owner still a matter of mystery.
The story
The Layer Pyramid is a ruined step pyramid of the Third Dynasty (about 2686 to 2613 BC) in the necropolis of Zawyet el-Aryan. Its ownership is uncertain and may belong to the pharaoh Khaba, and its design closely resembles the Buried Pyramid of Sekhemkhet. Two teams excavated it in the early twentieth century and found no artefacts and no trace of a burial, so it is unclear whether a king was interred there or it was abandoned after an early death. It was once ringed by the mastabas of senior state officials, with a mortuary temple on its east side. Today it lies inside a restricted military area.
Good to know
- Known locally as el haram el midawwar, its ownership is uncertain and may be attributed to the pharaoh Khaba.
- The pyramid now stands within a restricted military area, which bars modern excavation and limits visits.