the Mastaba of Ptah Iru Ke and the Persian Shaft in Saqqar:a
Mastaba of Ptah Iru Ke:
- Location: The Mastaba of Ptah Iru Ke is situated in the Saqqara necropolis, near the Pyramid of Unas.
- Structure: It is a flat-roofed, rectangular tomb typical of ancient Egyptian mastabas.
- Purpose: Mastabas served as burial places for high officials and reflected their social status.
- Significance: Ptah Iru Ke’s mastaba showcases advanced engineering and funerary customs of ancient Egypt.
Persian Shaft:
- Location: The Persian Shaft is a subterranean structure near the Pyramid of Unas.
- Description:
- A vertical shaft descends about 20 meters (65.6 feet) into the ground.
- It leads to a system of three domed stone chambers.
- Two chambers are empty, while the third contains a monolithic granite block.
- The granite block measures 4.3 meters (14.1 feet) long, 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) wide, and 1.3 meters (4.3 feet) high.
- The mystery lies in how this massive block was transported down the narrow shaft, which is only 1.5 x 1.4 meters (4.9 x 4.6 feet).
- The method used remains a subject of wonder and speculation.
Both structures provide fascinating glimpses into ancient Egyptian architecture and engineering. 🌟