EGYPT. DASHUR. THE COMPANION OF THE PYRAMID OF SNEFRU: ITS FUNCTION HAS BEEN REVEALED AS TESTING CABLE ENDURANCE

The article investigates the design and the mission of the companion of the Bent Pyramid of Snefru in Dashur. Scientists have confirmed that the companion Pyramid is not the tomb of Queen Hetepheres and not a place of other ritual uses. Today, there is no convincing explanation of its purpose. Based on the results of recent studies of ISIDA (The Research Community on the Study of Ancient Artifacts) 2012–2013, the author puts forward a version that the companion of the Pyramid of Snefru served as a test platform for cable endurance. The structural elements of the pyramid – the blocks with the signs of the damage from mechanical impact of snapped cables, the vertical shaft with signs of test results on the walls, as well as the cable tier at the pyramid entrance to keep the tested cables – confirm this version. The presence of the circular paired holes for logs cut out in the walls of the corridor (for mounting a bollard) in front of the block at the camera side is consistent with the purpose of this structure.