Editing Bent Pyramid (section)

== Overview ==
{{Comparison_of_pyramids.svg|be}}
Archaeologists now believe that the Bent Pyramid represents a change from the [[Step pyramid|step-sided]] pyramids of before to smooth-sided [[Pyramid|pyramids]]. It has been suggested that due to the steepness of the original angle of inclination the structure may have begun to show signs of instability during construction, forcing the builders to adopt a shallower angle to avert the structure's collapse.<ref>[[History (U.S. TV channel)|History Channel]], <cite>Ancient Egypt - Part 3: Greatest Pharaohs 3150 to 1351 BC</cite>, History Channel, 1996, {{ISBN missing}}</ref> This theory appears to be born out by the fact that the adjacent [[Red Pyramid]], built immediately afterwards by Sneferu, was constructed at an angle of 43 degrees from its base. This fact also contradicts the theory that at the initial angle the construction would take too long because Sneferu's death was nearing, so the builders changed the angle to complete the construction in time. In 1974, [[Kurt Mendelssohn]] suggested the change of the angle to have been made as a stability precaution in reaction to a catastrophic collapse of the [[Meidum Pyramid]] while it was still under construction.<ref name=K.Mendelssohn>{{Citation
 | last=Mendelssohn
 | first=Kurt
 | title=The Riddle of the Pyramids
 | publisher=Thames & Hudson 
 | publication-place=London
 | year=1974
}} </ref>

The reason why Sneferu abandoned the Meidum Pyramid and its Step Pyramid may have been a change in ideology. The royal tomb was no longer considered as a staircase to the stars; instead, it was served as a symbol of the solar cult and of the primeval mound from which all life sprang.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kinnaer |first1=Jacques |title=Bent Pyramid at Dashur |url=http://www.ancient-egypt.org/history/old-kingdom/4th-dynasty/snofru/pyramids/bent-pyramid-at-dashur.html |website=The Ancient Egyptian Site |access-date=25 September 2020}}</ref> It is also unique among the approximately one hundred and eighteen pyramids to be found in Egypt, in that its original polished [[limestone]] outer casing remains largely intact. British structural engineer Peter James attributes this to larger clearances between the parts of the casing than used in later pyramids; these imperfections would work as [[expansion joint]]s and prevent the successive destruction of the outer casing by [[thermal expansion]].<ref name="James">{{cite web |url=http://www.structuremag.org/?p=279 |title=New Theory on Egypt's Collapsing Pyramids |last1=James |first1=Peter |date=May 2013 |website=structuremag.org |publisher=[[National Council of Structural Engineers Associations]] |access-date=11 May 2013}}</ref> 

The ancient formal name of the Bent Pyramid is generally translated as ''(The)-Southern-Shining-Pyramid,'' or ''Sneferu-(is)-Shining-in-the-South''. In July 2019, Egypt decided to open the Bent Pyramid for tourism for the first time since 1965.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-48976265|title=Egypt's Bent Pyramid opens to visitors|website=BBC News|date=13 July 2019}}</ref> Tourists are able to reach two 4,600-year-old chambers through a {{convert|79|m|adj=on}} narrow tunnel built from the northern entrance of the pyramid. The {{convert|18|m||adj=mid|-high}} "side pyramid", which is assumed to have been built for Sneferu's wife [[Hetepheres I|Hetepheres]] will also be accessible. It is the first time this adjacent pyramid has been opened to the public since its excavation in 1956.<ref>{{Cite news |author=<!--not stated--> |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/14/bent-pyramid-egypt-opens-ancient-oddity-for-tourism |url-status=live |title='Bent' pyramid: Egypt opens ancient oddity for tourism |date=2019-07-15 |work=The Guardian |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230228033449/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/14/bent-pyramid-egypt-opens-ancient-oddity-for-tourism |archive-date=2023-02-28 |access-date=2023-03-06 |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://af.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idAFKCN1U80KF|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190714050139/https://af.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idAFKCN1U80KF|url-status=dead|archive-date=2019-07-14|title=Egypt opens Sneferu's 'Bent' Pyramid in Dahshur to public|date=2019-07-13|work=Reuters|access-date=2019-07-15|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/egypt-bent-pyramid-dahshur-cairo-sneferu-pharaoh-a9003906.html|title=Egyptian 'bent' pyramid dating back 4,600 years opens to public|date=2019-07-13|website=The Independent|language=en|access-date=2019-07-15}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-14/egypts-bent-pyramid-opened-for-the-first-time-since-1965/11307902|title=Egypt's 4,600yo Bent Pyramid opens to the public after more than half a century|date=2019-07-14|website=ABC News|language=en-AU|access-date=2019-07-15}}</ref>