page_title: Pyramid of Khentkaus II
section_title: Discovery
hierarchical_section_title: Pyramid of Khentkaus II / Discovery
caption_attribution_description: Essai d'élévation des pyramides royales de Néferirkarê Kakaï et de Khentkaous II à Abousir - Ve dynastie égyptienne
context_page_description: The Pyramid of Khentkaus II is a queen's pyramid in the necropolis of Abousir in Egypt, which was built during the Fifth dynasty of Ancient Egypt. It is attributed to the queen Khentkaus II, who may have ruled Egypt as a reigning queen after the death of her husband Neferirkare Kakai. The pyramid is now a heavily damaged ruin, which only stands 4 metres high.
context_section_description: The area of the pyramid of Khentkaus II, directly south of the pyramid complex of Neferirkare was first explored at the beginning of the 20th century by Ludwig Borchardt, who also found remains of the complex, which he incorrectly identified as a double mastaba after carrying out some soundings.
  Excited by the discovery of a papyrus fragment from the 5th dynasty, the Czech archaeologist Miroslav Verner investigated the previously unexplored area during the excavations which he undertook in Abousir with his team from 1975 to 1980. In the process he discovered that it was not a mastaba at all, but a small pyramid complex.
  Through his excavations, Verner was able to clearly assign the structure to a queen named Khentkaus. It was not initially clear whether this was the same individual as Khentkaus I of the Fourth dynasty whose tomb is at Giza. Both Khentkaus I and Khentkaus II had an unusual title which indicated that they had ruled Egypt personally. From the archaeological context, however, it was possible to date the pyramid at Abousir to the 5th dynasty and to identify the owner of the pyramid with the wife of Neferirkare: Khentkaus II.
caption: Location of the pyramid complex of Khentkaus II within the pyramid complex of Neferirkare
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