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Primary sourceArtifactc. 2575-2563 BCE

Red Pyramid

c. 2575-2563 BCE

The first true smooth-sided pyramid, built by Khufu's father Sneferu at Dahshur, and the direct model for Khufu's own Great Pyramid.

Built by Khufu's father Sneferu, this pyramid was the architectural model Khufu's own Great Pyramid developed from.

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A large pyramid with a smooth, sloping stone surface rises from flat, sandy desert under a pale sky with scattered clouds. A small white vehicle is parked near its base, and a few tiny figures stand on the slope to the right. Tire tracks cross the sand in the foreground.
Red Pyramid of Dahshur, built by Sneferu, c. 2575-2563 BCE.

About this source

What it is

The Red Pyramid stands at Dahshur, Egypt. It was built by the pharaoh Sneferu, Khufu's father, around 2575–2563 BCE. It is named for the reddish limestone now exposed since its white Tura limestone casing was stripped away in later centuries.

Why it matters

This was Sneferu's third pyramid and the first successfully built with smooth sides, after earlier building problems with his previous pyramids. Its design and construction techniques were the direct model that Khufu's builders used for the Great Pyramid, showing how pyramid-building knowledge passed from father to son.

Look closer

  • Why might earlier building failures have led to changes in how this pyramid was designed?
  • What does the loss of its white casing stone tell you about how ancient monuments were reused over time?
  • What questions does the pyramid's structure raise about how it was built without modern machinery?

This artifact is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops) on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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