Engineers Syndicate to examine state of oldest pyramid

Over the past few months a number of media reports have claimed partial collapse, shoddy repairs and the discoloration of Zoser’s stepped pyramid, prompting the Engineers Syndicate to conduct its own independent investigation into the condition of Egypt’s oldest pyramid.

According to a statement issued by the Engineers Syndicate on their website, detailed reports will be prepared and presented to the Ministry of State for Antiquities regarding the best method for repairing any damage that may have occurred to this 4,700 year-old pyramid.

On Wednesday, the syndicate’s president, Tarek al-Nabrawy, presided over a delegation of architectural engineers during a fact-finding mission to the pyramid, located in the Saqqara district of Giza governorate.

Initial findings and reports from the engineers will be submitted to the syndicate’s division of architecture by Thursday night, and a final detailed report will be made public after all the findings have been presented and analyzed.

Authorities from the Ministry of Antiquities have pointed out that structural repairs to Zoser’s pyramid were undertaken over several months, until funds ran out in March 2013.

Nonetheless, on September 16, Minister of Antquities Mamdouh al-Damaty held a press conference by the pyramid, during which he refuted any structural collapse or shoddy repairs to Zoser’s stepped pyramid.

Damaty blamed supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi for spreading rumors about the collapse of the pyramid.