Seven layer monuments of the early Old Kingdom hitherto have no substructures and thus a tomb can be excluded. The purpose is still unclear; however Juan Belmonte has argued that some are oriented to events on the calendar; others are in geographical locations were certain stars cease to be circumpolar.
The available information shows that one of the seven monuments has not been investigated; el Ghenimiya.

RELATIVE ORIENTATION TO THE RIVER COURSE AND THE MAGNETIC NORTH
PLANS
PROFILES
RECONSTRUCTIONS
SEILA
SINKI

0 An introduction to seven layer monuments of the early Old Kingdom: minor step pyramids or archaic benbens
مقدمة لدراسة اهرام الطبقات ال 7 فى العصر المبكر للدولة القديمة

The successive discovery of the layer monuments: Sinki, Elephantine, and el Ghenimiya brought the total to seven and realised the birth of a new branch of pyramid science in Egypt. Gunter Dreyer investigated the layer monument at Elephantine, I investigated the layer monument at Seila, and together we investigated Sinki. These three investigations gave more information than we had had on Hebenu, Nubt, and el Kula while el Ghenimiya remains untouched!

References: Home library; publication pending

1 Masonry
مواد البناء و مصادرها

Stone sources are accessible and transportation by barges on the river enabled the ancient Egyptians to achieve their monumental wonders. There are large blocks and megaliths from far away quarries are found at 2 burial chambers and unidentified limestone megaliths at the sed festival court of the step pyramid complex

References: Home library; publication pending

2 Planning and building, minor step pyramids or archaic benbens
التخطيط و البناء

I believe that a layer monument is an early stone building designed by architects who followed a canon, and was achieved by experienced masons. The project was supported and controlled by the religious and the ruling authorities. Spaced far apart from one another, the layer monuments are generally similar but have some differences in details

References: Home library; publication pending

3 The Architecture: minor step pyramids or archaic benbens
العمارة فى اهرام الطبقات

The sloping angle of the embankment discovered was 28-30 downwards. There was some trimming of the Pliocene conglomerate, to agree with this slope, 7.5 meters east of the foundation edge and 2 meters north of the axis. West of the trimming some brickwork was unearthed, four stretchers ran north south and three stretchers at right angles the south end.

References: Home library; publication pending

4 Reconstruction: minor step pyramids or archaic benbens
الشكل النهائى لاهرام الطبقات

They were designed to appear as: a step pyramid, a benben or some other expression we are unaware of. We are unable to decide how they eventually looked; because the surviving ruins can lend themselves to the shapes just mentioned.

References: Home library; publication pending Home library; publication pending

5 Seila: minor step pyramids or archaic benbens
هرم الطبقات سيلة

Because no major activities took place at the immediate site of the layer monument, it has been poorly published. The same information appears in pyramid books. D. Kessler however, had referred to a third to sixth dynasty necropolis at the wadi Fag El Gamous and Djebel El Rus location and a statue in Berlin, # 1858, comes from Seila.

References: Home library; publication pending

6, 7, 8 Hebenu, Sinki, Nubt: minor step pyramids or archaic benbens
اهرام الطبقات زاوية الميتين, سنكى, نقاده

Histories of investigations, descriptions, plans, profiles and reconstructions

References: Home library; publication pending

9,10, 11 el Kula, el Ghenimiya, Elephantine: minor step pyramids or archaic benbens
اهرام الطبقات الكوله, الغنيمية, الفنتين

Histories of investigations, descriptions, plans, profiles and reconstructions except el Gheminiya

References: Home library; publication pending

Minor Step Pyramids (known and newly discoverd)
الاهرامات الصغيرة المعروفة و المكتشفة حديثا

References: Second congress of Egyptologists, Grenoble 1979

The BYU expedition to Seila; the pyramid of Seila locally called 'El Qalah'
رساله اخبارية عن موسم حفائر 1987

One of the stelae found was completely defaced; the otherbore the title of king of U and L EgyptHorus NebMaat, facing a cartouch containing the title king of U and L Egypt and the name Snofru

References: news letter season of 1987

THE LAYER MONUMENT OF SNOFRU AT SEILA
هرم الطبقات - سنفرو - سيلة

Religious objects found seem to have been used in rituals performed at a north and an east chapel. These may help us understand the purpose of this monument. No indications of a substructure have been found

References: Abstract

AN AERIAL VIEW OF THE LAYER MONUMENT OF SNFRW AT SEILA
سيله - نظرة من أعلى لهرم الطبقات – سنفرو

The edifice was founded on a Pliocene conglomerate formation topping Djebel El Rus where five wadis descended to the Nile Fayum Divide to the east and the Fayum depression to the west

References: Zeichen aus dem Sand Streifl ichter aus Ägyptens Geschichte, zu Ehren von Günter Dreyer, Wiesbaden, 647, 2008

Reconstructions of the Layer Monument of Snfrw at Seila
الشكل النهائى لهرام سنفرو فى سيله

My subject presents one of the results of many years of research, which followed two excavation seasons I voluntary conducted at the site of the layer monument of %nfrw at Seila for the Brigham Young University in 1986 and 1987.

References: Festschrift Gaballa Aly Gaballa 2009

A PRESENTATION ON THE LAYER MONUMENT OF SNOFRU AT SEILA
هرم الطبقات - سنفرو - سيلة عرض مصور

This presentation shows illustrated information on the details of this layer monument and evedince of the reasons of my reconstruction

References: presentation in library

Die kleine Stufenpyramide von Abydos-Sud (Sinki)
هرم الطبقات , سنكى فى جنوب ابيدوس

The excavation report by Gunter Dreyer and Nabil Swelim

References: MDAIK 38 1982 83

The reconstructions of the Layer Monument Sinki
الشكل النهائى لهرم الطبقات سنكى فى حالة اتمام اليناء

This article will show that this layer monument was left unfinished. I shall browse on its geographical location, the investigations hitherto achieved and suggests how it would have looked if it were finished. The results published in MDAIK 38 are the bases of the argument presented here.

References: Proceedings of the First Neapolitan Congress of Egyptology Naples, 18-20th June 2008 Harrassowitz (Wiesbaden), 2010

SEVEN LAYER MONUMENTS OF THE EARLY OLD KINGDOM
اهرام الطبقات عرض مصور

showing the available informatio

References: A presentation at my library

LAYER MONUMENTS AND THE RIVER
الأهرامات الصغيره و النهر

An article on 'The Step Pyramids' in a beautifully illustrated volume was recently published by Ali Radwan. This work will certainly refresh a lacking interest in the third dynasty. More of such images and ideas are needed.

References: SASAE, Cahier 34 vol II 377, 2005

LM for encyclopedia withdrawn
مقالات مسحوبة

References: