El-Lahun Traditional Cache
captphil: Time to put this one to bed.
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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A Nature Preserve in rural Crawford County. Plenty of parking room.
Should be an easy find.
This cache was placed as part of THE NCOG SPHINX SPRING SPREE! a
road rally event on May 7, 2011.
Located in the Faiyum, Egypt, el-Lahun or Kahun is the workers'
village associated with the pyramid of Senusret II. It is located
near the modern village of el-Lahun, and is often known by that
name. Also nearby is the pyramid itself, known as the Pyramid of
Lahun.
Like the other Twelfth Dynasty pyramids in the Faiyum, the Pyramid
of Lahun is made of mud brick, but here the core of the pyramid
consists of a network of stone walls that were infilled by mud
brick. This approach was probably intended to ensure the stability
of the brick structure. Unusually, despite a Pyramid Temple on the
east side, the entrance to the pyramid is on the south. The
archaeologist Flinders Petrie nevertheless spent considerable time
searching for it on the east side. He discovered the entrance only
when workmen clearing the nearby tombs of the nobles discovered a
small tunnel at the bottom of a 40-foot shaft, which led to the
royal burial chamber. Evidently the original workmen on the tomb
had used their legitimate activity as a cover for digging this
tunnel, which enabled them to rob the pyramid. Once he was in the
burial chamber, Petrie was able to work backwards to the
entrance.
The pyramid stands on an artificial terrace cut from sloping
ground. On the north side eight rectangular blocks of stone were
left to serve as mastabas, probably for the burial of personages
associated with the royal court. In front of each mastaba is a
narrow shaft leading down to the burial chamber underneath. Also on
the north side is the Queen's Pyramid or subsidiary pyramid.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
ybj