Pyramid of Senusret II

The Pyramid of Senusret II is the Middle Kingdom burial monument of Pharaoh Senusret II, located at the archaeological site of Lahun (also spelled Kahun) in Egypt’s Faiyum Governorate.

While much of the original superstructure has been lost, the pyramid complex and adjacent funerary buildings survive as archaeological remains; the site is noted for the adjoining town of Kahun, a planned workers’ settlement associated with pyramid construction.

The pyramid dates to the 12th Dynasty, c. late 20th to early 19th century BCE, and was investigated by archaeologists in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, producing important finds such as domestic artifacts and written material from Kahun.

The complex lies on the eastern side of the Faiyum depression near the site known as Lahun/Kahun, within the wider agricultural and lake landscape of the Faiyum region.

• Date and attribution: The pyramid belongs to Senusret II, a 12th Dynasty pharaoh whose reign is dated to c. 1897-1878 BCE, and it forms part of the royal necropolis at Lahun in the Faiyum region.
• Important excavations: The adjacent site of Kahun yielded extensive archaeological finds including household remains and inscriptions, first systematically excavated by Flinders Petrie in the late 19th century.

What to See#

• Pyramid complex: The ruins of the pyramid itself and its funerary enclosure, originally constructed as the burial complex for the 12th Dynasty pharaoh Senusret II and now surviving as the core and partial casing stones.
• Kahun (workers’ town): The nearby workers’ town of Kahun (also called Lahun), excavated in the late 19th century, which yielded well-preserved domestic layouts, pottery and papyri that inform understanding of Middle Kingdom society.

The Pyramid of Senusret II (at Lahun/Kahun) is in the Fayoum oasis southwest of Cairo. It is commonly reached by road from Cairo (about 100 km) via the Cairo-Faiyum route; from the city of Faiyum the site is a short drive on local roads to the village of Lahun. Visitors typically travel to Faiyum by car or bus from Cairo, then take a taxi or local transport to the archaeological site and walk from the roadside parking to the pyramid.

• Plan your visit for early morning or late afternoon to avoid Fayoum's midday heat and to see the small pyramid and surrounding excavations in softer light.
• Approach the site via the nearby village of Lahun/Kahun and arrange a local guide there; site signage and interpretation are limited, so a guide will point out the worker's village and cemetery remains that many independent visitors overlook.
• Expect minimal facilities at the site - treat the pyramid as a short archaeological stop and combine it with other nearby Fayoum antiquities or the oasis on the same day to make the trip worthwhile.