Geometry and perspective in the landscape of the Saqqara pyramids

Abstract

A series of peculiar, visual alignments between the pyramids of the pharaohs of the 4, 5 and 6 Egyptian dynasties exists. These alignments governed from the very beginning the planning of the funerary monuments of successive kings and, in some cases, led to establish building sites in quite inconvenient locations from the technical viewpoint. Explaining the topography of these monuments means therefore also investigating on their symbolic motivations: religion, power, dynastic lineage and social context, as well as getting insights on the skills of the ancient architects in astronomy and geometry. In the present paper we focus on the relationships between the Old Kingdom pyramids at Saqqara.