Pyramid of Amenemhat I

The Pyramid of Amenemhat I is a Middle Kingdom royal pyramid constructed for Pharaoh Amenemhat I of Egypt’s 12th Dynasty, around the early 20th century BCE. The monument is located at the royal necropolis of el-Lisht.

Surviving remains include the truncated pyramid core and sections of the surrounding complex; the site also preserves subsidiary tombs and ruins of the mortuary temple that accompanied the king’s burial.

The complex was commissioned by Amenemhat I when the 12th Dynasty was established and reflects funerary practices of the Middle Kingdom. Archaeological investigation of the Lisht cemeteries and pyramid began in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and has continued intermittently since.

El-Lisht is in Middle Egypt on the west bank of the Nile and forms part of a string of royal cemeteries that lie between the Memphite region and the Theban area.

• 12th Dynasty site: Built for a 12th Dynasty pharaoh, the site is an important example of Middle Kingdom royal funerary architecture located at el-Lisht.

What to See #

• Main pyramid: The main truncated pyramid core and surviving stonework mark the original burial monument erected for Pharaoh Amenemhat I; the superstructure is now largely ruined.
• Mortuary complex: Remains of a mortuary temple, subsidiary structures and nearby tombs belonging to officials and workers are preserved around the pyramid, forming a royal necropolis complex.