Indian Journal of Geo Marine Sciences

Vol. 46 (05), May 2017, pp. 907-915

Petrography, mineralogy and calcareous nanofossils of Shepses po ptah

tomb, Titi and Unis pyramids building stones

Mohamed K. Khallafb, Mostafa G. Temraz*

a, Medhat Mandur

a & Mostafa Abd Alfatah

b

a-Egyptian Petroleum Research Institute (EPRI), Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt b-Faculty of Archaeology, Fayoum University, Egypt

*[E-mail: gouda250@yahoo.com]

Received 17 July 2015; revised 16 September 2015

Petrographical, mineralogical, calcareous nanofossil studies have been achieved to through light on the geologic

sources and unit age of the sarcophagus rock and the burial chamber casing wall rock of Shepses po ptah tomb and correlate

them with rock samples from Titi and Unis pyramids in the Saqqara area of Egypt, which are hewn within Upper Eocene (Maadi

Formation) sediments. The samples were analyzed by polarizing microscope, X-rays diffraction (XRD) techniques; along with

calcareous nanofossil were examined using the microscope. The studies reveal that the quality of the sarcophagus and the burial

chamber casing wall rock in Shepses po ptah tomb is particularly good pure limestone. The sarcophagus is composed of slightly

dolomitic wackestone microfacies while the burial chamber casing wall and Titi pyramid are of grainstone microfacies. On the

other hand Unis building stones composed mainly of sandy wackestone types. The XRD analysis of indicate that these rocks

composed mainly of calcite in addition to little dolomite. The rock texture, mineralogical composition and diagenetic processes

contribute, to a great extent, to source rock composition. The composition of the studied rocks do not show clear interaction

between the exogenic (surrounding climate) and endogenic (related to the nature of the rock types) conditions.over the thousands

of years since their construction. The calcareous nanofossil of sarcophagus, burial chamber casing wall and Titi pyramid show

(NP16),which is assigned Middle Eocene (Lutetian )with age about 41.94 (ma), while Unis pyramid building stones

show.(NP11) which is assigned to Early Eocene (ypresian) with age 54.17(ma).

[Keywords: Saqqara; Shepses po ptah; Rock Tombs; Titi; Unis pyramid.]

Introduction

Saqqara is a part of the Memphis

necropolis which extends about 80 Km, from

Abu-Rawash in the north to Meidum in the

south (Fig.1). The Saqqara arabic name is

derived from Soker “God of the necropolis”, the

god Soker, was an important deity from the first

Dynasty and was assimilated with the god

“Khenti – Amentiu” of Abydos1-2

. Although

Saqqara is the greatest necropolis of ancient

Egypt, it had yielded so many treasures through

the centuries and many secrets are still hidden

under its sands. Kings were buried here even

before the construction of the

oldest pyramid of the world “The Step Pyramid

of Djoser, the founder of the third Dynasty” 3.

The Egyptian graves for, at least the

five first kings of the Second Dynasty, were

hewn in the rock near “The Step Pyramid at

Saqqara4. From the mid 19th century, Saqqara

has been the place of intensive excavations

carried out by archaeological missions from

various countries searching for the eternal rest

of the ancient Egyptian kings. Egyptologists

have been focusing their attention on the

bordering areas. On the other hand, the western

area remained so neglected by

INDIAN J. MAR. SCI., VOL. 46, NO. 05, MAY 2017

SAQQ

ARA

SAQQ

ARA

PYRA

MID

the excavators until 1987, when the Polish

archaeological mission started its excavations

there. Three small trial pits made at three various

points of the area encouraged them to continue4.

They have already discovered the tomb of the

Vizier “Merefnebef” in season 1997, dating to 6th

dynasty, old kingdom5.

The tomb of the dentist “Qar” had been

discovered by the Egyptian archaeologists at

Saqqara6. The tomb of Ptah Shepses is located to

the west of Unis pyramid and about 400m south –

west of the step pyramid, in a place called “Gisr el

Mudir” (Figs. 2,3). Gisr el Mudir is a large

rectangular enclosure of limestone masonry first

observed by Perring, and indicated both by

Lipsius and by de Morgan7. The structure of Gisr

EL Mudir was clearly first noticed with the

emergence of an aerial photography in the mid

last century. In 1990, The National Museum of

Scotland obtained a concession to survey and

excavates the desert structures at Saqqara to

produce geophysical and topographical maps (Fig.

4), which will be used to point the direction for

more detailed excavations. The new discovery of

the tomb of the dentist “Qar” at Gisr el Mudir” in

2001 by the Egyptian team, and the tomb of Ni –

ankh – Nefertem”8 by the polish – Egyptian

mission season 2003, cleared that an important

part of the Memphite necropolis extends at the

western side of both Djoser’s and Unis’ pyramids,

and there are many tombs in the area of Gisr el –

Mudir, still awaiting to be discovered.

The site of Ptah Shepses (Fig. 5), is

situated west of Saqqara, precisely, west of Unis

pyramid its famous because it include the first

pyramids texts inscribed on burial chambers

walls, Unis who ruled for nearly 30 years9. More

than 150 shafts have been totally excavated during

the first two seasons. The site comprises various

mastabas, built either of limestone or mud-brick,

and other tombs hewn in the rock.

Fig.1: Location and Geologic map of Saqqara Area (after

Mohamed 1977)

In mid season 2010, the Egyptian expedition

discovered a tomb of a decorated burial chamber

for a person named (Shepses Po Ptah) (Fig. 6)

which date back to the end of 5th dynasty to the

beginning of 6th dynasty10

. We should refer that

Shepses po ptah who lived in the time of Unis and

died in the time of Teti “The first king and

founder of the 6th dynasty who killed by one of

his guards.

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TEMRAZ et al : PETROGRAPHY, MINERALOGY AND CALCAREOUS NANOFOSSILS OF SHEPSES PO PTAH TOMB

Shepses Po Ptah has got his sarcophagus

and the land of his tomb (Fig. 7) from king Unis

and he also recorded the name of Teti on the last

built wall in his burial chamber9.

Fig. (2) photo to the tomb of Ptah Shepses with the step

pyramid

Aim of study

The present study aims to investigates the

stones of burial chamber casing, sarcophagus rock

Shepses Po Ptah, building stones of Unis and Teti

pyramid to determine their rock lithological,

mineralogical characteristics and their rock unit

age to through light on the probable mining

sources of these rocks. Petrographical,

mineralogical and calcareous nanofossils analyses

were achieved to reach this target.

Geologic Setting of Saqqara Plateau

The Saqqara plateau has been investigated

by several workers11-14

. According to Youssef et

al.13

, the Saqqara area necropolis is located on a

plateau, at 17m elevation from the alluvial plain

Fig, (3) Map of the site of Ptah Shepses

Fig. (4) part of topographical map to the site of the tomb

Ptah Shepses

Fig. (5) Plan to the site of Ptah Shepses tomb

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INDIAN J. MAR. SCI., VOL. 46, NO. 05, MAY 2017

of the Nile Valley. This plateau is formed mainly

of Upper Eocene limestone, marl and claystone.

These rocks (Fig.1) constitute a characteristic

lithostratigraphic unit, the Saqqara Member, of the

Maadi Formation, which was previously referred

to as the Saqqara Limestone by Hume11

. The area

around the Saqqara Pyramid, as well as the bulk

of the Saqqara plateau, is formed mainly of an

alternating succession (22 m thick) of hard, light

yellow limestone and semi-hard, yellow marl,

exposed along the steep eastern face of the

Saqqara plateau. This succession belongs to the

upper unit of the Saqqara Member, termed the

Upper Calcareous Beds. The Upper Calcareous

Beds overlie the Basal Shales Unit (the lower unit

of the Saqqara Member). The Basal Shales Unit

(4m of exposed thickness) consists of marls and

shales with gypsum veins, representing the well-

exposed older strata, which can be seen only in

the north, at the foot of the Abusir plateau,

alongside the remnant Abusir Lake. In the area to

the northwest of the plateau and west of Abusir

village; the lithologies differ from those around

the Saqqara pyramids. Here, the upper member of

the Maadi Formation (Gerain El-ful Member) is

exposed. It is about 17.5m thick and formed of

highly fossilifereous, sandy and marly limestones

and shale. Locally, this member unconformably

underlies the early Pliocene Kom El Shallul

Formation. The plateau has a cover of Quaternary

and Recent gravels, sands and conglomerates of

varying thicknesses. The gravels lying above the

Calcareous Beds along the eastern edge of the

Abusir-Saqqara plateau contain frequent white

quartz pebbles (about 10%) and are equated to the

highest gravelly terrace of the River Nile, and are

known as the Idfu Gravels (Lower Pleistocene).

They were deposited during the active phase of

transportation of sediments in the history of the

River Nile, when substantial rainfall was

experienced in the region13-14

.

Structurally, the Saqqara plateau has been

little affected by faulting. The general location of

the faults can be recorded on the basis of adjacent

features, rather than that the faults themselves are

exposed. The fault along the foot of the Saqqara-

Fig. (6) show the decorative burial chamber of Ptah Shepses

Fig. (7) limestone sarcophagus of Ptah Shepses

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TEMRAZ et al : PETROGRAPHY, MINERALOGY AND CALCAREOUS NANOFOSSILS OF SHEPSES PO PTAH TOMB

Abusir plateau may be considered as one of a

system of parallel faults that often define the

limits of the Nile. All faults recorded in the

Saqqara area are the result of geologically ancient

ground movements and not currently active.

Therefore, they pose no significant hazard to the

monument sites in the area.

Materials and methods

For the present study thin sections,

representing the sarcophagus rock and the burial

chamber casing wall rock of Shepses po ptah

tomb. Also rock samples from Unis and Teti

pyramids, were petrographically examined using a

polarizing microscope. The samples were

subjected to X-ray diffraction analysis to

determine their mineralogical composition. The

powder diffraction patterns of the samples were

obtained using Cu k_ radiation and a Ni filter. The

scanning speed is 2_ 4 1 degree/min at constant

voltage 40kV, and 30mA using PW 1390 X-ray

diffractometer. Identification of the minerals was

carried out using data given in the ASTM cards by

measuring the d-values of the diffraction planes

and their relative intensities

For calcareous nanofossils content, smear

slides were prepared directly from untreated rock

samples in order to retain the original sample

composition unaltered, and permanently mounted

using Canada Balsam as adhesive. Quantitative

analyses were performed using a light polarizing

Olympus microscope at 2000 X magnification.

For each smear slide, at least 100 specimens were

counted to perform an analysis of the assemblage

composition, but investigation was extended to

complete 100 fields of view in order to report the

presence of rare species. For each slide; counts of

simple species diversity were performed and

considering all taxa encountered. Individual

abundances for each species encountered were

recorded as follows: A - abundant (1-10

specimens /field of view); C- common (1

specimen / 2-10 fields of view); R- rare (1

specimen /more than 10 fields of view).

Petrography

Thin-sections of the studied limestone

from Shepses po ptah sarcophagus, burial

chamber casing wall and Teti pyramid rock

samples revealed three microfacies; bioclasts,

pelloidal packestone and grainstone16

. The

bioclasts and peloids are present in varying

proportions (Fig. 8). The bioclasts constituent is

formed of foraminiferal tests embedded in

microsparite groundmass (Figs. 8A), mollusc

fragments, echinoid debris and nummulites (Figs.

8B-F). Some of the fossil tests are recrystallized

and in filled with ferruginous sparite (Figs. 8C).

Peloids are composed of micrite, rounded, ovoid,

well-sorted and organic rich (Fig.8B and C). The

allochems are embedded in sparitic matrix that is

generally sub-translucent with a faint brownish

cast in thin section. Pore spaces (both inter- and

intraskeletal) are abundant, having various size

and shape (Figs.8B, D & E). They may have

developed as a result of diagenetic processes

(dissolution). The non-carbonate components are

represented by clays and fine detrital quartz grains

(Fig. 8F).

The Unis pyramid samples can be

classified as sandy marlstones, with different

grain-sizes. They have a higher percentage of

terrigenous material represented by clays and

quartz grains that are admixed with the micritic

matrix. The latter is composed of very fine

microcrystalline carbonate that is commonly

recrystallized into microsparite. The quartz grains

randomly scattered throughout the recrystallized

micrite matrix, and so can be tentatively classified

as sandy micrite15

, (Fig. 8F) or sandy-

wackestone16

.

Mineralogy:

X-ray analysis indicated that calcite,

dolomite and terrigenous material represented by

wollastonite (CaSiO3), are the constituents of

Shepses po ptah sarcophagus and the burial

chamber casing wall (Fig.9).

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INDIAN J. MAR. SCI., VOL. 46, NO. 05, MAY 2017

500 µm 500 µm

500 µm 500 µm

125 µm 125 µm

A B

C D

E F

Fig.8. A-F: A-Bioclastic Wackestone, limestone litho tope, P.P.L. B- Biopeloidal Grainstone with rounded peloids embedded in

sparite matrix, P.P.L. C- Biopeloidal Wackestone D- E Bioclatic Grainstone with pore spaces(both inter- and intraskeletal) having

various size and shape, P.P.L, F-Sandy-Wackestone with high percentage of terrigenous material represented by clays and quartz

grains that admixed with the micritic matrix C.N.

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TEMRAZ et al : PETROGRAPHY, MINERALOGY AND CALCAREOUS NANOFOSSILS OF SHEPSES PO PTAH TOMB

Fig. 9 : X-ray diffraction patterns of some bulk samples of the sarcophagus rock and the burial chamber casing wall rock of Shepses

po ptah tomb S- sarcophagus limestone, W - casing wall limestone

Calcareous nannoplankton:

The distinguishing calcareous

nannoplankton species from Shepses po ptah

sarcophagus, burial chamber casing wall and Teti

pyramid rock samples include: Reticulofenstra

dictyoda, Zygrhablithus bijugatus,

Cyclicargolithus luminis, Sphenolithus

moriformis, Cribrocentrum reticulatum,

Discoaster saipanensis, Dictyococcites scrippsae,

Helicosphaera seminulum, Ericsonia Formosa,

Dictyococcites bisecta, Reticulofenestra umbilica

and Chiasmolithus consuetus (Fig. 10). The

studied samples according its contents of

calcareous nannoplankton indicate the calcareous

nannoplankton zone Discoaster tanii nodifer zone

1 T

2 T

2 W

1 W

3 W

Calcite

Dolomite

Wollastonite CaSiO3

1S

2S

1W

2W

3W

913

INDIAN J. MAR. SCI., VOL. 46, NO. 05, MAY 2017

Fig.(10): Calcareous nannoplankton species in the present study All figures X 2500

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TEMRAZ et al : PETROGRAPHY, MINERALOGY AND CALCAREOUS NANOFOSSILS OF SHEPSES PO PTAH TOMB

(NP16)17

, which is assigned Middle Eocene

(Lutetian )with age about 41.94 (ma)18

. Unis

pyramid samples is characterized by the following

calcareous nannoplankton taxa: Discoaster

elegans, Ericsonia eoplagicus, Sphenolithus

primus, Pontosphera ocellata ,Tribrachiatus

bramlettei and Tribrachiatus orthostylus, (Fig.

10). According to the calcareous nannoplankton

contents and the absence of Tribrachiatus

contotus; this indicate the Discoaster binodosus

zone (NP11) 17

which is assigned to Early Eocene

(ypresian) with age 54.17(ma) 18

.

Conclusions

Petrographical and mineralogical studies

have been used to shed light on the characteristics

and composition of Shepses po ptah sarcophagus

rock, burial chamber casing wall rock, Teti and

Unis pyramids building stones in the Saqqara

area. It consists mainly of limestone, (mostly

slightly dolomitic).

petrography and mineralogy of the

studied rock samples indicate that,.their

composition are , to some extent hard to resist the

interaction between exogenic and endogenic

factors of alteration which worked together and

causing decay.

The confirmation between Petrographical,

mineralogical and calcareous nannofossil studies

of Shepses po ptah sarcophagus rock, burial

chamber casing wall rock and Teti and Unis

pyramids building stones rocks indicate that, it

was derived from the same rock unit of Early to

Middle Eocene. This means, may be derived from

the same source mine.

Acknowledgement

Authors are grateful to our colleague

Team in Egyptian Petroleum Research Institute

(EPRI), for providing facilities and

encouragement to carry out the above research

work.

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