The Pyramid Complex of Senwosret III at Dahshur

Book excerpt: Senwosret III was one of the most important rulers of ancient Egypt, and his pyramid complex was one of the major architectural achievements of the Twelfth Dynasty. This book is the first volume of a projected series on the excavations conducted since 1990 by The Metropolitan Museum of Art Egyptian Expedition at the pyramid complex of Senwosret III at Dahshur. The volume describes and analyses the architectural features, the construction methods, and the building history of the complex - the pyramid and the temples associated with it as well as the subsidiary pyramids and their chapels. Of particular interest are the dramatic and beautifully constructed burial apartments of the king and the royal women, including Queen Wcret II, Senwosret's wife. Senwosret III's complex reflects a period of transition between the traditional pyramid complexes of the Old and early Middle Kingdom and the royal cult installations of the New Kingdom. The author considers the complex's place within this chain of development and examines various archaistic features indicating that Senwosret III's builders were studying the architecture of the Third Dynasty Djoser complex at Saqqara, which was already one