Why is it called, 'the Bent pyramid?' Because it is bent, it rises sharply and then as the saying goes, they realised the steep angle probably will not support the structure, a wrong calculation, they made the slope gentler. The idea was to have a pyramid with straight sides, a true pyramid. The step pyramid was the first, the technology then only supported a pyramid with stepped sides, then came the Bent pyramid. They would later refine the design to have pyramids with straight sides. Did you know that? I didn't till now. This place is so far South that virtually no one visits. However it is the most interesting, not because it is bent. It is interesting because its limestone casing is still intact. All pyramids have limestone casings over them. They have been stripped and the limestone burnt for lime. These structures have been in the desert for thousands of years and in the old days, they didn't know any better. Not only did thieves robbed the interior if they could find their way in, they stripped the exterior for the lime and the stone blocks. Some smaller pyramids have collapsed and their stone blocks taken to build things in Cairo, maybe mosques. The only way to get here is to hire a taxi to drive you here, wait for you and then drive you back to Cairo. Our taxi took us to Giza, Saqqara and now here in Dashur. It costs more money to get as far South as Dashur but it is well worth it.
These pyramids are so huge, it takes almost 30 years to construct one. It is so awe inspiring.
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