Sneferu’s Bent Pyramid (c. 2600 BCE)
Sneferu abandoned the Meidum pyramid to continue his quest for the ‘right’ tomb. But his second effort had Egyptian heads tilted questioningly. The base of the 331-foot tall Bent Pyramid start out at a 54 degree angle, then about mid-point, it changes angle and continues toward the peak at a 43 degree angle, giving it the look of being smushed. This wasn’t a design choice – cracks were appearing during the construction of the base. Egyptian engineers realized that a 54 degree angle was not structurally sound, and changed to a shallow pitch. This wouldn’t do at all for a man who was going to become a god. Sneferu decided not to use this pyramid, either, and started work on yet another pyramid, with the hopes of getting it right.