View source for Abusir

{{Short description|Village in Giza Governorate, Egypt}}
{{distinguish|Abusir el-Meleq}}
{{For|the site in the Nile Delta|Abusir (Lake Mariout)}}
{{Infobox ancient site
  |name = Abusir
  |native_name = 
  |alternate_name = 
  |image = 
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  |caption =Abusir in 2006 
  |map_type = Northern Egypt
  |map_alt = 
  |map_size = 220px
  |location = [[Egypt]]
  |region = [[Giza Governorate]]
  |coordinates = {{coord|29.9|31.2|display=inline}}
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|embedded={{Designation list
  | embed                   = yes
  | designation1            = WHS
  | designation1_partof     = Memphis and its Necropolis – the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur
  | designation1_date       = [[List of World Heritage Sites by year of inscription#1979 (3rd session)|1979]] <small>(3rd [[World Heritage Committee|session]])</small>
  | designation1_criteria   = {{UNESCO WHS type|(i)(iii)(vi)}}(i)(iii)(vi)
  | designation1_number     = [https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/86 86-002]
 }}}}
{{Hiero | Busiri | <hiero>pr:Z1 st ir A40</hiero> | align=right | era=default}}
'''Abusir''' ({{langx|ar|ابو صير}}&nbsp; {{IPA|arz|æbuˈsˤiːɾ}}; [[Egyptian language|Egyptian]] ''pr wsjr''<span style="margin-left:3px">;</span> {{langx|cop|ⲃⲟⲩⲥⲓⲣⲓ}} ''{{Transliteration|cop|busiri}}''<span style="margin-left:1px">,</span> "the resting place of [[Osiris]]"; {{langx|grc|Βούσιρις}}) is the name given to an [[ancient Egypt]]ian archaeological [[Egyptian pyramids|pyramid complex]] comprising the ruins of 4 kings' pyramids dating to the [[Old Kingdom of Egypt|Old Kingdom]] period, and is part of the [[Memphite Necropolis|Pyramid Fields]] of the '''Memphis and its Necropolis''' UNESCO [[World Heritage Site]].<ref name=":1">{{cite web |title=Memphis and its Necropolis – the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/86 |access-date=7 September 2021 |website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |publisher=United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization}}</ref>

The pyramid complex is named after the neighbouring village of Abusir, in the markaz ([[county]]) of [[Badrashin]], [[Giza Governorate|Giza]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Markaz al-Badrashin Map |url=http://www.giza.gov.eg/GovMaps/To-map13.aspx |access-date=2023-01-22 |website=www.giza.gov.eg}}</ref> The Abusir pyramid complex is located on the [[Western Desert (Egypt)|Western Desert]] plateau at the edge of the cultivated plain, with the [[Giza pyramid complex|Giza Pyramids]] to its north, and [[Saqqara]] to its south, and served as one of the main elite cemeteries for the ancient Egyptian capital city of [[Memphis, Egypt|Memphis]]. Several other villages in northern and southern Egypt are named Abusir or Busiri.

The locality of Abusir took its turn as the focus of the prestigious western burial rites operating out of the then-capital of Memphis during the [[Old Kingdom of Egypt|Old Kingdom]] [[Fifth dynasty of Egypt|5th Dynasty]]. As an elite cemetery, neighbouring [[Giza]] had by then "filled up" with the massive [[Egyptian pyramids|pyramids]] and other monuments of the [[Fourth dynasty of Egypt|4th Dynasty]], leading the [[Fifth dynasty of Egypt|5th Dynasty]] [[pharaoh]]s to seek sites elsewhere for their own funerary monuments.

Abusir was the origin of the largest find of [[Old Kingdom of Egypt|Old Kingdom]] [[papyri]] to date &mdash; the [[Abusir Papyri]]. In the late nineteenth century, a number of Western museums acquired collections of fragmentary papyri from the administrative (temple) records of one Abusir funerary cult, that of king [[Neferirkare Kakai]]. This discovery was supplemented in the late twentieth century when excavations by a [[Czech Republic|Czech]] expedition to the site revealed papyri from two other cult complexes, that of the pharaoh [[Neferefre]] (also read Raneferef) and for the king's mother [[Khentkaus II]].

The Czech Institute of Egyptology of the [[Faculty of Arts, Charles University in Prague]] has been conducting excavations at Abusir since 1960, beginning with the mastaba of [[Ptahshepses]], directed by [[Zbyněk Žába]]. The concession was extended since 1976 with the southern part of the royal necropolis, directed by [[Miroslav Verner]]. Since 1991, the institute excavates also at the site of Abusir South. The excavations are presently directed by Miroslav Bárta.

There are considerable [[catacombs]] near the ancient town of Busiris, as stated in ([[Pliny the Elder|Pliny]] xxxvi. 12. s. 16). To the south of Busiris one great cemetery appears to have stretched over the plain. The [[Heptanomis|Heptanomite]] Busiris was in fact a hamlet standing at one extremity of the necropolis of Memphis.

==Necropolis==
[[Image:Abusir map.png|right|thumb|280px|Abusir necropolis]]
[[File:Pyramids of Nyuserre Ini and Neferirkare.jpg|right|thumb|280px|Abusir pyramids, 2009]]
Earliest tombs on the site are from the Early Dynastic Period, First Dynasty. Tombs, including stairway tombs, were uncovered north of pyramid field.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Radwan |first=Ali |date=1991 |title=Ein Treppengrab der 1. Dynastie aus Abusir |journal=Mitteilungen des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts, Abteilung Kairo |volume=47 |pages=305–308}}</ref>

There are a total of 4 kings' 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 stone. All of the major pyramids at Abusir were built as [[step pyramid]]s, although the largest of them&mdash;the Pyramid of Neferirkare&mdash;is believed to have originally been built as a step pyramid some seventy metres in height and then later transformed into a "true" pyramid by having its steps filled in with loose masonry.

A map and complete list of excavated structures until the year 2019 is available in {{harvp|Bárta|Brůna|Bareš|Krejčí|Dulíková|Odler|Vymazalová|2020}}.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Bárta |first1=Miroslav |last2=Brůna |first2=Vladimír |last3=Bareš |first3=Ladislav |last4=Krejčí |first4=Jaromír |last5=Dulíková |first5=Veronika |last6=Odler |first6=Martin |last7=Vymazalová |first7=Hana |date=2020 |title=Map of archaeological features in Abusir |journal=Prague Egyptological Studies |volume=25 |pages=7–34 |url=https://pes.ff.cuni.cz/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2020/12/Miroslav_Barta_%E2%80%93_Vladimir_Bruna_%E2%80%93_Ladislav_Bares_%E2%80%93_Jaromir_Krejci_%E2%80%93_et_al_7-34.pdf}}</ref> The map is also published online as a searchable application.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brůna |first=Vladimír |date=2019 |title=Map of the archaeological objects in Abusir |url=https://fzp.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=2b60e338ea264e028ce8ceae5f0f7037 |access-date=1 May 2023}}</ref>

===Major pyramids===
The three major royal pyramids are 
* the earliest, [[Pyramid of Sahure]], known for its finely carved reliefs
* the [[Pyramid of Neferirkare Kakai]], the tallest pyramid at the site
* the [[Pyramid of Niuserre]], the most intact pyramid at the site
The two unfinished royal pyramids are

* the incomplete [[Pyramid of Neferefre]]<ref>{{Cite book |last=Verner |first=Miroslav |title=The pyramid complex of Raneferef |date=2006 |publisher=Czech Institute of egyptology, Faculty of arts, Charles university in Prague Academia, publishing house of the academy of sciences of the Czech Republic |isbn=978-80-200-1357-6 |series=Abusir |location=Prague}}</ref>
* the [[unfinished Pyramid of Abusir|unfinished pyramid of Shepseskare]]? <ref name="MV" />

===Smaller pyramids===
* the pyramid of Queen [[Khentkaus II]], wife of Neferirkare and mother of Neferefre and Niuserre<ref>{{Cite book |title=The Pyramid complex of Khentkaus |date=1995 |publisher=Univ. Carolina Pragensis Acad |isbn=978-80-7066-909-9 |editor-last=Verner |editor-first=Miroslav |series=Abusir |location=Praha |editor-last2=Posener-Kriéger |editor-first2=Paule |editor-last3=Jánosi |editor-first3=Peter}}</ref>
* [[Lepsius XXIV|Lepsius Pyramid]] no. 24 &mdash; The pyramid belonged to a woman, likely a queen. The name of the vizier Ptahshepses appears among builders' marks, which dates the pyramid to the time of Pharaoh Nyuserre <ref name="MV">Verner, Miroslav. The Pyramids: The Mystery, Culture, and Science of Egypt's Great Monuments. Grove Press. 2001 (1997). {{ISBN|0-8021-3935-3}}</ref>
* [[Lepsius list of pyramids|Lepsius Pyramid]] no. 25 &mdash; Likely the pyramid of a queen from the Fifth Dynasty <ref name="MV"/>

===Mastabas of courtiers===
The tombs of several high officials and family members are located in the direct vicinity of their king's pyramid:
* the [[Ptahshepses|mastaba of Ptahshepses]] (vizier under Nyuserre)<ref>{{Cite book |last=Krejčí |first=Jaromír |title=The architecture of the mastaba of Ptahshepses |date=2009 |publisher=Czech Institute of Egyptology |isbn=978-80-200-1728-4 |series=Abusir |location=Praha}}</ref>
Four mastabas south-east of the pyramid complex of [[Neferefre|Raneferef]] create a so-called "Nakthsare" cemetery, presumably tombs of the persons related to King [[Neferefre|Raneferef]]:
* the mastaba of Prince Nakhtsare (son of Raneferef or Nyuserre)
* the mastaba of "count" Kakaibaef
* the mastaba of Queen [[Khentkaus III]], likely a spouse of [[Neferefre|Raneferef]]
* the mastaba of anonymous owner AS 31

===Abusir South===
Directly north of Saqqara is a cemetery of lower-ranking officials of the Early Dynastic Period and Old Kingdom. The earliest First Dynasty tombs are on the so-called "Bonnet cemetery" named after [[:de:Hans Bonnet (Ägyptologe)|Hans Bonnet]], who published the site.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bonnet |first=Hans |title=Ein frühgeschichtliches Gräberfeld bei Abusir |publisher=Hinrichs’sche Buchhandlung |year=1928 |edition=1 |location=Leipzig |language=German}}</ref> It was excavated in 1910 by [[Georg Steindorff]] and Uvo Hölscher. Recently, copper artefacts in the collection of Leipzig University, from the site, were studied. One vessel, ÄMUL 2162, was made of a peculiar material, arsenical copper with nickel, which could be imported to Egypt.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Kmošek |first1=Jiří |last2=Odler |first2=Martin |last3=Fikrle |first3=Marek |last4=Kochergina |first4=Yulia V. |date=2018 |title=Invisible connections. Early Dynastic and Old Kingdom Egyptian metalwork in the Egyptian Museum of Leipzig University |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S030544031830147X |journal=Journal of Archaeological Science |language=en |volume=96 |pages=191–207 |doi=10.1016/j.jas.2018.04.004 |via=Elsevier Science Direct|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

The Old Kingdom cemetery at Abusir South includes the following tombs:
* the tomb of Ity (early Fourth Dynasty)<ref name="Czech Institut of Egyptology">{{Cite book |last=Bárta |first=Miroslav |title=The cemeteries at Abusir South I |date=2001 |publisher=Czech Institut of Egyptology |isbn=978-80-86277-18-9 |edition=1 |location=Praha}}</ref>
* the tomb of [[Hetepi]] (priest, beginning of Third Dynasty)<ref>{{Cite book |title=Abusir XIX: Tomb of Hetepi (AS 20), Tombs AS 33-35 and AS 50-53 |date=2010 |publisher=Charles University, Faculty of arts |isbn=978-80-7308-325-0 |series=Excavations of the Czech institute of egyptology |location=Prague}}</ref>
* the tomb of Nyankhseshat (property custodian of the king, early Fourth Dynasty), with a stela of a Fifth-Dynasty official Sekhemka and his presumed spouse Henutsen<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Odler |first1=Martin |last2=Peterková Hlouchová |first2=Marie |last3=Dulíková |first3=Veronika |date=2021 |title=A unique piece of Old Kingdom art: the Funerary Stela of Sekhemka and Henutsen from Abusir South |url=https://hw.oeaw.ac.at/?arp=0x003d2537 |journal=Ägypten und Levante |language=de |volume=31 |pages=403–424 |doi=10.1553/AEundL31s403 |issn=1015-5104|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
* the tomb of Kaaper (architect and priest, early Fifth Dynasty)<ref name="Czech Institut of Egyptology" />
* the tomb of Rahotep (priest, end of Fifth Dynasty)
* the tomb of Fetekti (priest, end of Fifth Dynasty)
* the tomb of [[Qar (vizier)|Qar]] and his sons (vizier, early Sixth Dynasty, sons from late Sixth Dynasty, reign of [[Pepi II Neferkare]])<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bárta |first=Miroslav |title=Abusir South 2: tomb complex of the vizier Qar, his sons Qar Junior and Senedjemib, and Iykai |date=2009 |publisher=Czech Institute of Egyptology Dryada |isbn=978-80-87025-21-5 |location=Prague}}</ref>
* the rock cut tomb of New Kingdom [[Nakhtmin (charioteer)]]<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Daoud |first1=Khaled Abdalla |last2=Farag |first2=Sabry |last3=Eyre |first3=Christopher J. |date=2016 |title=Nakht-Min: Ramesses II's charioteer and envoy |journal=Egyptian Archaeology |volume=48 |pages=9–13}}</ref>

===Saite-Persian cemetery===
On a small hill directly south of the pyramid of Neferefre is a cemetery of tombs from the Saite period:
* the tomb of [[Udjahorresnet]]<ref>{{Cite book |title=The shaft tomb of Udjahorresnet at Abusir |date=1999 |publisher=Universitas Carolina Pragensis, The Karolinum Press |isbn=978-80-7184-822-6 |editor-last=Bareš |editor-first=Ladislav |edition=1. vyd |location=Praha |editor-last2=Smoláriková |editor-first2=Květa}}</ref>
* the tomb of [[Iufaa]]<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Bareš |first1=Ladislav |title=The shaft tomb of Iufaa |last2=Smoláriková |first2=Květa |date=2008 |publisher=Czech Institute of Egyptology, Faculty of Arts, Charles University in Prague |isbn=978-80-7308-238-3 |series=Abusir |location=Prague}}</ref>
* the tomb of [[Menekhibneko]]<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Bareš |first1=Ladislav |title=Abusir XXV: the shaft tomb of Menekhibnekau |last2=Smoláriková |first2=Květa |date=2011 |publisher=Czech Institute of Egyptology, Faculty of Arts, Charles University in Prague |isbn=978-80-7308-380-9 |edition=1 |series=Excavations of the Czech Institute of Egyptology |location=Prague}}</ref>
* the tomb of [[Padihor]]
* tomb R3

=== A temple ===
Also found at Abusir were substantial remains of a Ramesside temple, perhaps built by [[Ramses II]]. The temple lies about 500 meters south east of the pyramids, close to the cultivation in the desert. The main building of the temple was built of limestone. There were three cellars, a small hall with four columns and a courtyard (with mudbrick walls) with ten limestone columns. The limestone building was placed within a larger complex made of mud bricks with a pylon and magazines.<ref>M. Bárta, L. Varadzin, J. Janák, J. Mynářová, V. Brůna: ''The temple of Ramesses II in Abusir'', in ''Egyptian Archaeology'', Spring 2018, 52, 10-14</ref> The temple seems to have been dedicated to the solar cult, in particular the gods Ra, Amun, and Nekhbet. Fragments of polychrome reliefs and numerous examples of the titles of Ramesses II have been recovered.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Abusir Necropolis {{!}} Ancient Egypt Online |url=https://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/abusir-necropolis/ |access-date=2022-07-25 |language=en-GB}}</ref> The temple was built above the mud brick tombs of Third and Fifth Dynasty.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Odler |first1=Martin |last2=Peterková Hlouchová |first2=Marie |last3=Arias Kytnarová |first3=Katarína |last4=Havelková |first4=Petra |date=2018 |title=New Egyptian tomb type found at Abusir South? Report on the excavations of mud brick complex AS 103 |url=https://pes.ff.cuni.cz/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2019/01/Martin_Odler_%E2%80%93_Marie_Peterkova_Hlouchova_%E2%80%93_Katarina_Arias_Kytnarova_%E2%80%93_Petra_Havelkova_73-93.pdf |journal=Prague Egyptological Studies |volume=21 |pages=27–34}}</ref>

==Site looting during 2011 protests==
Abusir, Saqqara and Dahshur suffered damage by looters during the [[2011 Egyptian protests]]. Part of the [[false door]] from the tomb of the priest Rahotep was stolen, and store rooms were broken into.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://egyptopaedia.com/2011/pyramid-fields/abusir | title=Egyptological Looting Database 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://zpravy.idnes.cz/bohyne-poradku-opustila-egypt-pise-archeolog-barta-z-expedice-p65-/zahranicni.asp?c=A110314_084459_domaci_jw | title=iDNES.cz}}</ref> The looted structures are mapped out e.g. in this article.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Odler |first1=Martin |last2=Dulíková |first2=Veronika |last3=Juřičková |first3=Lucie |date=2013 |title=Molluscs from the Stone and Mud-brick Tombs in Abusir (Egypt) and the Provenance of so-called "Nile-mud" |url=http://www.iansa.eu/papers/IANSA-2013-01-odler.pdf |journal=Interdisciplinaria Archaeologica - Natural Sciences in Archaeology |volume=IV |issue=1 |pages=9–22 |doi=10.24916/iansa.2013.1.1}}</ref>

==Climate==
[[Köppen-Geiger climate classification system]] classifies its climate as [[hot desert climate|hot desert]] (BWh),<ref name="Climate-Data.org">{{Cite web |url=http://en.climate-data.org/location/478481/ |title=Climate: Abu Sir - Climate graph, Temperature graph, Climate table |publisher=Climate-Data.org |access-date=28 October 2013 }}</ref> as the rest of [[climate of Egypt|Egypt]].

{{Weather box
|metric first=yes
|single line=yes
|location=Abusir
|Jan high C=19.6
|Feb high C=21.2
|Mar high C=24.5
|Apr high C=29
|May high C=32.9
|Jun high C=35.3
|Jul high C=35.5
|Aug high C=35.2
|Sep high C=32.9
|Oct high C=30.7
|Nov high C=25.9
|Dec high C=21.4

|Jan mean C=13.5
|Feb mean C=14.5
|Mar mean C=17.5
|Apr mean C=21.1
|May mean C=24.8
|Jun mean C=27.5
|Jul mean C=28.4
|Aug mean C=28.3
|Sep mean C=26.2
|Oct mean C=24.1
|Nov mean C=19.8
|Dec mean C=15.4

|Jan low C=7.4
|Feb low C=7.9
|Mar low C=10.6
|Apr low C=13.3
|May low C=16.8
|Jun low C=19.8
|Jul low C=21.3
|Aug low C=21.4
|Sep low C=19.5
|Oct low C=17.5
|Nov low C=13.7
|Dec low C=9.4

|precipitation colour=green
|Jan precipitation mm=4
|Feb precipitation mm=3
|Mar precipitation mm=2
|Apr precipitation mm=1
|May precipitation mm=0
|Jun precipitation mm=0
|Jul precipitation mm=0
|Aug precipitation mm=0
|Sep precipitation mm=0
|Oct precipitation mm=0
|Nov precipitation mm=2
|Dec precipitation mm=4

|source 1= ''Climate-Data.org'', altitude: 18m<ref name="Climate-Data.org"/>

}}

== See also ==
* [[Memphite Necropolis]]
* [[List of ancient Egyptian towns and cities]]
* [[List of ancient Egyptian sites]], including sites of temples
* [[Double Pyramid]]
* [[List of megalithic sites]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://egyptologie.ff.cuni.cz/?req=doc:abusir&lang=en& Czech Institute of Egyptology: Abúsír, the site]
* [https://fzp.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=2b60e338ea264e028ce8ceae5f0f7037 Interactive map of the archaeological structures in Abusir]
* [https://pes.ff.cuni.cz/en/ Prague Egyptological Studies], online open access journal with the latest research from Abusir site
* [http://egyptsites.wordpress.com/2009/02/27/abusir-necropolis/ Egyptian monuments: Abusir Necropolis]
* [http://www.waseda.jp/prj-egypt/sites/Abusir-E.html Waseda University Expedition to Abusir South] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181001191354/http://www.waseda.jp/prj-egypt/sites/Abusir-E.html |date=2018-10-01 }}

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[[Category:Abusir| ]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Giza Governorate]]
[[Category:Cities in ancient Egypt]]
[[Category:Ruins in Egypt]]