The pyramid of Zawyet el-Maiyitin is a small step pyramid of the Third or early Fourth Dynasty, one of a series of provincial step pyramids built across Egypt by an early Old Kingdom king. Its function is debated — there are no burial chambers, and it may have been a symbolic structure marking royal presence in the provinces rather than an actual tomb.
The pyramid is roughly 17 metres high in its current state and built of rough limestone blocks. It is not as visually striking as the great Memphite pyramids but is interesting for its early date and its remote location. Combined with the nearby cemetery of Zawyet el-Maiyitin (one of the largest Muslim cemeteries in Egypt) and the rock tombs above it, the site makes a worthwhile half-day trip from Minya.