| Discussion of virtual reconstruction and interpretative choices |
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Lehner’s (1997: 17) dimensions were used for size and height of the main pyramidThe publications of Labrousse (2012: figs. 1-2) and Leclant and Labrousse (2006: figs 1 and 9) were used to model the satellite, queens’ and prince's pyramids in the complex, these gave a size of 40 cubits (21m) for the base of queens’ pyramids, we used these measurements for the pyramids of Meretities II, Inti, Noubounet and the unknown western pyramid, the pyramid of Ankhnespepy II was larger at 60 cubits, and that of Ankhnespepy III measured 15.6m per side, the groundplan was used for the dimensions of the other two Old Kingdom pyramids in the complex; Labrousse and Albouy (1999: 128-130) noted that the satellite pyramid of Inti measured 6.3m high and at the base, and the pyramid of Neoubounet measured 21m high, with a sharp 1:2 angle, so the royal family pyramids were modeled to have a height matching their side length/width; the model does not include the later 12th Dynasty monument of Reherichefnakht, the mastaba of Ankhnes, many of the queens’ satellite pyramids, nor any of the walls, temples, or service buildings associated with the smaller pyramids of the royal familyLabrousse and Albouy (1999: 101) reported that the height of the ceiling of the raised sanctuary of the memorial temple measured 6.29m, and their published 3D model reconstructed showed an enclosure wall at a lower height than the memorial temple, so the outer enclosure and a highly simplified memorial temple were all extruded to a 5m height, with none of the original detail of the memorial temple includedLabrousse and Albouy (1999: 101) reported that the height of the ceiling of the raised sanctuary of the memorial temple measured 6.29m, and their published 3D model reconstructed showed an enclosure wall at a lower height than the memorial temple, so the outer enclosure and a highly simplified memorial temple were all extruded to a 5m height, with none of the original detail of the memorial temple includedThe enclosure wall in the web-viewer had to be extended down (lowered) along the south-east corner to better align with the digital terrainThe causeway and (presumed) valley temple were not included in the modelThe pyramid form (in concert with all the Dynasty 4-6 pyramids in the model) alters to a deflating ‘ruin’ in the 3D model at the time-slide to Dynasty 18 (1548 BCE), approximately 1000 years after its construction in Dynasty 6; this does not correspond with a single destruction event in reality, but represents a general marker to the reader that many of the stone monuments of the Old Kingdom may have been naturally deflating or intentionally reused or their stone repurposed during the New Kingdom, see: Jaromir Málek, “A meeting of the old and new: Saqqara during the New Kingdom,” in Studies in Pharaonic religion and society: in honour of J. Gwyn Griffiths, ed. Alan B Lloyd (London: Egypt Exploration Society, 1992), 60, 65-73; inscribed blocks from the Unas causeway and other Old Kingdom monuments have been identified as reused in the New Kingdom temple tombs by their recent excavators (see Section 2)
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