Pyramid of Menkaure

The next stop on our tour will be to the final pyramid to be constructed and also the smallest which is also the tomb of Menkaure. It stands around 204 feet (61 meters) but when it was originally built was a little taller at 215 feet (65.5 meters). It was also the first one to utilize Aswan granite as well as limestone for the blocks. On the inside it is more complex than that of Khafre having a chamber carved decorative panels and a burial chamber with massive granite blocks. His body was discovered but not in what he was buried in, having been found in a makeshift box with his name inscribed on it. The historical significance of this pyramid is that we can see the difference in how Khafre decorated his tomb compared to Menkaure. We can also see the lengths grave robbers have gone through to take his resting place away and leave him in a coffin. The damage you see on the side comes from around the 12th century when Saladin, who was sultan of Egypt at the time ordered all of the pyramids be demolished. However, it did not take long for him to realize the financial strain it would put on them to do so and stopped.