Pyramid of Ahmose

Welcome to the sacred landscape of Abydos, where we stand before a monument that marks both a beginning and an end. This is the Pyramid of Ahmose I, the founder of the Eighteenth Dynasty and the great liberator who reunified…

As we stand at the base of the main mound, it takes a scholarly imagination to reconstruct what once stood here. Originally, the pyramid had a base of about fifty-two meters and reached forty meters in height—comparable to the…

Adjacent to the pyramid are the ruins of its associated temple. While the stones are largely gone, the excavations here have recovered fragments of some of the most important historical reliefs in Egyptian history. …

About five hundred meters to the southwest of the main pyramid lies a smaller structure of great emotional and historical significance: the pyramid of Queen Tetisheri. This was built by Ahmose to honor his grandmother, the…

Continuing the axis to the southwest, we find an unmarked, rock-cut structure that plunges deep into the low desert. This is one of the most enigmatic parts of the complex. …

At the furthest southwestern edge of the complex, built directly against the towering limestone cliffs of Abydos, are the foundations of a Terrace Temple. Though much smaller, it bears a passing resemblance to the famous mortuary…

A pyramid complex was never just a group of monuments; it was a living community. Surrounding the Pyramid of Ahmose are the remains of a dedicated town and cemetery. …

Our exploration of the Pyramid of Ahmose at Abydos comes to an end. We have stood at the site of the last royal pyramid, a monument that signifies the end of the Old Kingdom's grand tradition and the beginning of the New…