THE PYRAMIDION
The pyramid's capstone is called a Pyramidion. Many have been found and dated to the Old and Middle Kingdoms. The oldest pyramidion, discovered by Stadelmann, belongs to the Red, or North Pyramid of Snofru at Dahshur. Found in pieces, it is now restored and displayed on the east side of the pyramid. It is a mere 785mm high.
The second oldest Pyramidion was discovered by the author near the recently uncovered satellite pyramid of Khufu (G1d, see map). It counts among the few complete examples because its four angles are preserved. It is 7.9mm high with a base of 1.118m. Now the Pyramidion is located on a base in front of the north side of the pyramid.
Another Pyramidion, measuring .75m high and 1.125m at the base, may belong to GIIIc, a subsidiary pyramid of Menkaure's pyramid at Giza.
I have also found two Dynasty VI pyramids. The first belongs to the pyramid of Queen Iput I. Its length is 480mm while its base is 360 x 390mm. The second belongs to Queen Khwiet. It is 540mm long and has a base of 540mm.
A Dynasty VIII Pyramidion, found in 1929 at South Saqqara, is connected with Iby. This basalt example is registered at Cairo's Egyptian Museum as JE 54855, and measures 160cm high and 167cm long.
From the Middle Kingdom comes the best known pyramidion. Found in 1900, this pyramidion of Amenemhet III (JE 35133) is made of grey granite and is inscribed on four sides with deities Harakhte, Anubis, Osiris, Ptah and Neith. It is 1.05m high and 1.56m long. The inscription that connects the pyramidion with the god Harakhte, as translated by Edward , reads: " May the face of the king be opened so that he may see the Lord of the Horizon [i.e., Harakhte] when he crosses the sky; may he cause the king to chime as a god, lord of eternity and indestructible, Harakhte replies that he has given the beautiful horizon to the king " Also from the Middle Kingdom, is the basalt pyramidion of King Sesostris III which Dieter Arnold found in pieces.
From a Dynasty XIII context comes the pyramidion belonging to King Khendjer that was found in Saqqara (JE 53045). This pyramidion is now restored. The cartouche of King Wsrkare is inscribed on one side. From the same dynasty but belonging to King MRNefeffeAy (Ay) is a small pyramidion made, of black granite that was found in Facus in the Delta in 1911 (JE 43267). It is 52cm high
It seems that another pyramidion was found in the Delta, but its location on has been lost. Miroslav Verner found a granite pyramidion in 1984-85 near the Dynasty V pyramid of King Reneferef. It once topped an obelisk.
An incomplete pyramidion without an inscription is in the Egyptian Museum. Its date is uncertain. The existing portion is l1.05m high and 16mm long.
An inscription found at the pyramid of Queen Udjebten by Jequier suggests that the pyramidion was cased with gold.. This suggestion is further substantiated by my recent discovery at Abusir of an inscription that says its pyramidion was cased with while gold (electrum)
In addition, models of pyramids have been found. Sir Flinders Petrie, the father of Egyptology, found one that is thought to be a model of Djoser's pyramid. He also found a second example at the pyramid temple of Amenemhet III, known as the Labyrinth. The most recent discovery is the model found by Arnold near the pyramid of Amenemhet III at Dahshur.
