The Gisr, or the Great Enclosure, is one of the most ancient stone structures within the realm of the pharaohs. It proudly stands in the area of Saqqara, sharing borders with the Step Pyramid and the Buried Pyramid, leaving archaeologists pondering its intention. This structure, a rectangular wall, stretches out lengthwise from north to south and measures approximately 650 by 350 meters. The walls, sculpted from rough limestone blocks, are separated by about 15 meters, hinting at a former height of around 10 meters.
In the northwestern corner, the walls still tower up to 4.5 to 5 meters. However, the southern wall is shorter and appears to have been made up of two parallel walls, possibly marking an entrance. No evidence of construction was found within the confined area, suggesting neither a pyramid nor a mastaba lay at its core. A small, once-standing edifice might have originally been found in the northwest corner, but further digging is required to discover the truth.
It was John Shae Perring who proved that a mound found in the center of the enclosure was remnants from the burial of a tomb during the Greek era.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Mutabor
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