Definition: The Old Kingdom was the period in which pharaohs built the memorable pyramids of Egypt developed out of earlier burial mounds and other structures. During the reign of Snefru (Horus Nebmaat 2613-2589 [Oxford History of Ancient Egypt]), pharaoh of Egypt and founder of the Old Kingdom Fourth Dynasty (2613-2494 B.C. [OHAE]), pyramid building evolved beyond the step pyramid. Builders under the Third Dynasty pharaoh Djoser had stacked mastabas to form these. Then, in the Fourth Dynasty, they filled in the steps with stone and covered it with lime. This eventually became the straight-sided pyramid, but first there was an intermediary step -- the Southern or Bent Pyramid of Snefru, built at Dahshur, south of Saqqara. Around halfway up the bent pyramid whose angle was a steep approximately 51 degrees, the architects realized it wouldn't hold up if it continued its steep ascent, so they reduced the incline to a more gradual 43 degrees. Although Snefru built the step pyramid, he doesn't seem to have been happy with it, since he then perfected the pyramid form when he built the Northern or Red Pyramid, named for the color of the sandstone. Also located at Dashur, it was only a few miles from the bent pyramid and became his final resting place. To round out the picture of this pyramid-building Old Kingdom pharaoh, there is a third pyramid, at Meidum, that is associated with Snefru and his father, who is known as Huni. Zahi Hawass says there is a fourth pyramid at Sila [Development of the Royal Mortuary Complex.
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