Senusret II

Senusret II succeeded his father Amenemhat II, presiding over an era of administrative efficiency and regional development. His most enduring domestic contribution was a programme of land reclamation and water management in the Fayum oasis. By regulating water flows into Lake Moeris, he turned substantial areas of marshland into fertile arable ground.

He reigned from about 1897 BC to 1878 BC, with dates uncertain by about fifteen years. To oversee and celebrate this regional transformation, Senusret II shifted the royal necropolis to the entrance of the Fayum at El-Lahun. His pyramid utilised an innovative design, featuring a natural yellow limestone core reinforced by radial stone walls and mud brick, with an entrance concealed in the courtyard floor rather than the northern face.

Scholars know him from the remarkably preserved planned settlement of Kahun, built for workers and priests beside his pyramid, which yielded administrative papyri and everyday artefacts. His successor was Senusret III.

Monuments

• Pyramid and town at El-Lahun
• Fayum irrigation works

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Try the name on the Cartouche Desk, or see where the reign falls on the timeline.