The pyramid of the ancient Egyptian King Unas in the Saqqara necropolis, one of
the oldest pyramids in Egypt, was reopened to the public after 20 years of closure.
The pyramid is the last of those of the 5th Dynasty; it was built in the 24th century
BC. Despite its small size, it is the first pyramid to record the “Pyramids Texts,”
which hold important religious significance on the resurrection of the dead.
The pyramid was discovered by the French Egyptologist Gaston Maspero who was
the first to enter it in 1881. It was closed in 1996 since the high humidity
negatively affected the pyramid's burial chamber.
After comprehensive studies, state-of- the-art equipment was erected to monitor
and decrease the level of humidity and heat inside the pyramid and a new cool
lighting system was installed.
Minister of Antiquities Khaled al-Anany inaugurated the recent opening which was
attended by a number of foreign and Egyptian archaeological mission directors,
delegations of foreign archaeological institutes in Egypt, and top officials from the
Ministry of Antiquities
Watani International
27 May 2016