Dahshur is a royal burial ground south of Cairo, in the Giza Governorate, famous for the pyramids built there under the Old Kingdom pharaoh Sneferu, founder of the Fourth Dynasty. The Bent Pyramid, whose angle changes partway up, probably because of structural problems, and the Red Pyramid, the first successful true smooth-sided pyramid, are both his. They represent the experiments that led to the Great Pyramid at Giza. Later Middle Kingdom rulers, including Amenemhat II, Senusret III and Amenemhat III, also built pyramids at Dahshur, using mud brick. Part of the area was a military zone for many years and was opened to visitors in the 1990s, and the Bent Pyramid still retains much of its original limestone casing.
Before and after
- from c. 2,600s BCE to 2,200s BCEBell beaker culture
- c. 2,601 BCECaral flourishes in the Norte Chico
- from c. 2,601 BCE to 1,901 BCEThe Indus Valley cities reach maturity
- c. 2,590 BCEConstruction of Red Pyramid
- c. 2,589 BCEConstruction of Dahshur
- 26th century BCEThe Great Sphinx
- c. 2,560 BCEConstruction of Great Pyramid of Giza
- c. 2,510s BCEConstruction of Pyramid of Menkaure
- from 26th century BCE to 20th century BCELagash
More in Civilizations & archaeology
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- 600 BCEFounding of Milan
- 6th century BCEConstruction of Parthenon
- from January 27 BCE to January 395 CERoman Empire
- 11 May 330 CEConstantine dedicates Constantinople
- 25 March 421 CEFounding of Venice
The era
This moment belongs to the Ancient civilizations (3,200 BCE to 500 CE), writing, cities and empires. You can also browse everything in the 26th century BCE.