Abusir

Abusir (Egyptian br wsir) is the name given to an extensive necropolis of the Old Kingdom and later periods outside modern capital Cairo. The site takes its name from a neighbouring village in the Nile Valley.

Abusir is located several kilometres north of Saqqara and, like it, served as a cemetery for the elite of the ancient Egyptian city of Memphis. It forms part of the extensive "pyramid field" that extends from north of Giza to South of Saqqara.

There are a total of seven pyramids at this site, which served as the main royal necropolis during the Fifth Dynasty. The quality of construction of the Abusir pyramids is inferior to those of the Fourth Dynasty perhaps signalling a decrease in royal power or a less vibrant economy. They are smaller than their predecessors, and are built of low quality local limestone. The major pyramids are those of Nyuserre Ini, Neferirkare, Sahure and Neferefre (incomplete).

There are a number of First Intermediate Period and Middle Kingdom tombs to the north and east of Mortuary Temple of Neuserre.

Adapted from Wikipedia

Links

Abusir in Artefacts of Excavation (The Griffith Institute)

Abusir in Global Egyptian Museum

Location of Abusir

Models by site for Abusir