The White Pyramid of King Amenemhat II

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The White Pyramid of Amenemhat II , the first king of the Twelfth Dynasty , was so named because it was built of white limestone . Its Ancient Egyptian name was 'Sxm' ('The Mighty Pyramid) . The extensive use of the pyramid as a quarry from which stones of good quality were taken for other constructions over centuries led to the bad state of the pyramid which is not in ruin .
Within its compound , the pyramid comprises a funerary complex , with enclosure walls , a causeway and a valley temple . To the west of the pyramid , there are the tombs of members of the family of the pyramid's owner .
The pyramid's base measure 50 X 50 m . Both the slope and original height are not known . The entrance is located in the middle of the north face . A short corridor descends down into the pyramid leading to a burial chamber . Just before the burial chamber , a shaft of about 2 m leads to a corridor , underneath the entrance corridor .