Amenemhat II

Amenemhat II built his pyramid complex at Dahshur, known as the White Pyramid due to its limestone casing. Though now heavily eroded, it was a significant royal tomb of the 12th Dynasty, accompanied by subsidiary pyramids for queens and a mortuary temple.

Amenemhat II pursued a policy of peaceful trade rather than military conquest, establishing commercial relations with Byblos and other Levantine cities. Egyptian goods, including papyrus and linen, were exchanged for cedar wood, silver, and other resources, enriching the state without warfare.

Amenemhat II dispatched a trading expedition to the land of Punt, likely located in the Horn of Africa. The mission brought back myrrh, frankincense, gold, and exotic animals, demonstrating Egypt's continued reach into the Red Sea trade network during his reign.