| Registration Classification | cultural heritage |
| Registration Criteria | (1), (3), (6) |
| Year of registration | 1979 |
Memphis, located in the southern part of the capital Cairo, was the capital of the Old Kingdom of Egypt. In this area, there are many pyramids, mastaba (rectangular tombs) and temples, including the Great Pyramid of Giza, one of the Seven Wonders of the World… Various structures are registered as far south as Dahshur.
Here, a World Heritage enthusiast explains in simple terms why Memphis and its Cemetery Ruins – The Pyramid Region from Giza to Dahshur is a World Heritage Site. Read this and you will definitely learn more about the pyramid region from Giza to Dahshur!
What is the Memphis and its Necropolis – the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur?
Memphis is an archaeological site located about 20 km south of Giza, on the west side of the Nile River. It was once the capital of the Old Kingdom of Egypt, and since the Nile River enters the delta region around here, it was the best place to rule the whole of Egypt.
It is believed that the first dynasty of Egypt was established here around 3000 B.C. Later, during the Middle Kingdom and the New Kingdom, the capital was moved to Thebes, but it remained an important city that ruled the country. However, during the Late Dynasty and Ptolemaic period, the capital function was shifted to Alexandria on the Mediterranean coast. Today, Memphis is uninhabited and a vast archaeological site, but it is considered the home of the pharaohs and a holy place.
Many ruins remain in Memphis, and they provide a glimpse of life in ancient Egypt today. The Great Temple of Ptah is a temple dedicated to the god Ptah, who was the patron god of Memphis and was one of the three most sacred sites in ancient Egypt.
And to the north and south of the capital city of Memphis, the necropolis (a county of massive cemeteries) remains, and they are scattered over a vast area of about 30 km from the Giza Hill, through Abusir and Saqqara, to Dahshur.
Here, visitors can see the development of the tombs from the small mounds that formed the foundation of the pyramids, called mastaba, to the large pyramids. And with a total of 38 registered pyramids, the Three Great Pyramids of Giza can be considered one of the greatest masterpieces in human history.Other large pyramids such as Abusir, Saqqara, and Dahshur are also still in place. In addition, more than 9,000 rock tombs from Egypt’s 1st to 30th dynasties to Rome are also registered.
Major Registered Monuments
Memphis
Although it was once the capital of the Old Kingdom, only collapsed statues and parts of the plots from that time remain today.Especially, a huge statue of Ramses II, which was placed in the Great Temple of Ptah during the New Kingdom period, is lying on the ground, and you can imagine the scale of the temple at that time.
Surrounding the temple are the Temple of Sekhmet, which was dedicated to the goddess Sekhmet, the wife of the goddess Ptah, the patron goddess of Memphis, and the Temple of Apis, which was the center of the belief in the sacred bull, who is believed to be Ptah’s image in the present world. Since the city once had a huge population, not only palaces and temples, but also artisans’ workshops, shipyards, and the remains of houses have been excavated.
Abu Rawash
Abu Rawash, 8 km north of Giza, was the site of the pyramid of King Djedefre, the son of Khufu and Pharaoh of the 4th Dynasty, but now only the foundation remains.There are many mastaba tombs from the 4th Dynasty, and it is believed to have been a burial site for a long time.
Giza
Giza, southwest of Cairo city, is famous for the three pyramids of the fourth dynasty pharaoh, King Khufu, King Kafrah, and King Menkaure. Generally, the word “pyramid” often indicates these three. In particular, the Riverside Temple of King Khafra is also registered, and the “Great Sphinx of Giza,” located next to the approach to the temple, is also registered as a World Heritage site.
For more information, click here↓
Abusir
About 8 km from Memphis, this area was used as a necropolis for the officials of the capital city. About five of the pharaoh’s pyramids from the Fifth Dynasty period remain here. The pyramid of King Sahure, the second generation, in particular, is 47 meters high, but most of it has fallen into disrepair.
Saqqara
The site county is located on a hilltop about 6 km from Memphis. It was used as a cemetery from the 2nd dynasty, and many pyramids are scattered over a vast area.
The most famous is the staircase pyramid of King Djoser. It is constructed of stacked mastabas and is the oldest pyramid in the world and the tallest pyramid in Saqqara. It was not used during the 4th Dynasty, but the pyramids of the 5th – 6th Dynasties remain.
For more information, click here↓
Dahshur
Ten kilometers south of Memphis, here are the pyramids of King Sneferu, father of King Khufu and founder of the Fourth Dynasty. He built two pyramids at Dahshur, called the Refracted Pyramid and the Red Pyramid, respectively, both of which can still be seen today.
However, it is unclear why one pharaoh had more than one pyramid. Other pyramids from the Middle Kingdom period also existed, but unfortunately they all collapsed.
For more information, click here↓
Memphis and its Necropolis – the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur is on the World Heritage List for what reason?
The Pyramid Region of Memphis was recognized for
Registration Criteria (i)
The fact that it is home to a collection of pyramids that have left their mark on human history, including the first ever pyramid at Saqqara and the Great Pyramid of Giza, which boasts more than 4,000 years of history.
Registration Criteria (iii)
That the pyramids were symbols dating back to the formation of Egyptian civilization and symbolized the power and organization of the dynasties that existed in the region.
Registration Criteria (vi)
The point is that it shows that Memphis was not only a center of the Ptah faith, but also a beautiful city where the arts and other activities flourished.
World Heritage Mania Conclusions and Impressions
As for the Great Pyramids of Giza, it is no exaggeration to say that the fact that they have been in the same place for more than 4000 years is in itself a miracle.These pyramids prove that a magnificent civilization flourished here. And Memphis, a city with an economy strong enough to build large pyramids, is also highly regarded, although it is now a ruin.
But after all this talk, humanity still cannot answer the question, “What in the world is a pyramid?” In Egypt, however, the remains of the pharaohs were discovered inside the pyramids. The answer may come back, “Well, that would be a tomb,” but in Egypt, the body of a pharaoh has never been found inside a pyramid, and even the conclusion that it is a “tomb” is not even correct, since pharaohs’ tombs are found in other places. The construction of the Pyramids of Saqqara also took place in the 27th century BC, 4,700 years ago, and there are still many things we don’t know, so let’s assume that it is a cloud-catching story….
*The content here is a discussion derived from research by World Heritage enthusiasts.As for the data, interpretation differs depending on the media.
