Pyramid of Senusret II

The pyramid of Senusret II (Egyptian: Ḫꜥ Sn-wsr-t, lit. 'Senusret shines') is the funerary monument at El Lahun built for the Egyptian pharaoh Senusret II of the Twelfth Dynasty in the early 19th century BC. The complex centers on a mudbrick pyramid, built atop a yellow limestone outcrop found at the site, that has a ground level base of 106 m (348 ft) with sides converging at 42°35′ ± 3′ to the apex 48.65 m (159.6 ft) high. It was once encased in fine white Tura limestone – which was plundered by Ramesses II in the Nineteenth Dynasty for use in his projects – and capped with a black granite pyramidion. Beneath the pyramid lay pharaoh's funerary chamber. The passages to this substructure had been placed beneath the north chapel adjacent to the pyramid's north face since Djoser built his Step Pyramid in the Third Dynasty, but Senusret II chose to hide it away beneath a princess's tomb, designated 'tomb 10', southeast of the main pyramid to protect his tomb from future grave-robbers. The complex had a small mortuary temple built adjacent the pyramid's east face which was destroyed during Ramesses II's reign, an open causeway which remains unexplored, and a valley temple seemingly disconnected from the rest of the complex owing to its distance from it. The complex was served from a pyramid town called Ḥtp Sn-wsr-t, meaning 'May Senusret be at peace' or 'Senusret is contented', by ancient Egyptians, but is now known as Kahun.