Old Kingdom
Sekhemkhet
3rd Dynasty · 2686-2613 BCE
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Sekhemkhet succeeded Djoser in many reconstructions of Dynasty 3. His principal monument is an unfinished step-pyramid complex at Saqqara, where seals bearing his name were found. The unfinished state of the project is often taken to indicate a short reign, but it cannot establish an exact duration. His position after Djoser is generally accepted, whereas his relationship to Djoser and the details of his succession remain uncertain. The monument is valuable evidence for continuity in early pyramid building: it preserves the ambition of the programme more clearly than it reveals the ruler’s political history. Research: UCL Digital Egypt; Metropolitan Museum chronology.
Chronology: Shaw, Oxford History of Ancient Egypt (2000)
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The buried pyramid
Sekhemkhet remained an obscure historical figure until 1951, when an unfinished step pyramid was discovered buried deep in the sands of Saqqara. Architectural plans suggest the structure was intended to surpass Djoser's monument, featuring seven steps rather than six. The project was likely abandoned due to Sekhemkhet's short rule. Historical records indicate he reigned for only six or seven years.
The empty sarcophagus
Beneath the unfinished pyramid, archaeologists located Sekhemkhet's alabaster sarcophagus. It was found completely intact, sealed tight with its original gypsum mortar. When researchers opened it in 1954, they discovered it was entirely empty. The actual resting place of the king's body remains an unsolved mystery. Other remaining evidence of his rule includes a rock inscription in the Sinai depicting him smiting a captive, and a seal impression found as far south as Elephantine island.