The Fifth Dynasty (2563-2423 B.C.)

The Fifth Dynasty (2563-2423 B.C.)

During the second half of the Fourth Dynasty priests of Rea at Heliopolis succeeded in organizing their political influence. This influence is evident in the names of the kings following Khufu, namely Djedefrea, Khafreaa, and Menkaurea, which are composed with the name Rea. They became so friendly to the royal family that Queen Khentkawes married one of them as mentioned before. The kings of the Fifth Dynasty, who are the descendants of Queen Khentkawes and the high priest of Rea at Heliopolis, added the title “Son of Rea” to the four other titles already attached to the royal name. This might have been due to the fact that their father was the high priest of Rea. By the royal residence in Memphis each king of this dynasty erected a magnificent temple to the sun containing as main feature a very tall obelisk upon a base, the symbol of Rea.

Userkaf 

Userkaf was the first ruler of the 5th Dynasty.  He is probably the son of Khentkaues I, who is buried at Giza. Khentkaues I was probably Menkaure's daughter and a half sister of Shepseskaf.

The archaeological resources on Userkaf are not very clear: some mention Neferhetep as his wife ans sometimes as mother, others mention Khentkawes I as his wife and sometimes as mother.

Userkaf was the kings birth name, meaning "His Soul is Powerful. His Horus name was Iry-maat, meaning "He who puts Maat into Practice". His reign lasted probably only seven years, as attested in the Turin King list and on the Palermo Stone. Userkaf built his pyramid at Saqqara. As mentioned on the Palermo Stone he presented lands to the temples of Rea, Horus and Hathor.

There were no major changes in the country or its administration during the 5^th dynasty.  Several high officials of the 4th Dynasty continued in their positions after Userkaf took the throne.

 He was the first king to establish Egypt's first contact with the Aegean world.  An inscribed stone vessel from his mortuary temple was found on Kythera. Apparently later kings of this dynasty would continue the Aegean relationship.

 Userkaf built the first of the 5th Dynasties solar temples at Abusir. It was named Nekhen-Re, meaning "Stonghold of Re". Eventually, every ruler of this dynasty would build a solar temple, of which only two have survived. Solar temples were dedicated to the sun god Re and consist mainly of a platform of mudbrick and limestone with a smaller podium on its west end where a short obelisk (benben) stood.  In front of the obelisk was a sun altar. There was a causeway leading from the solar temple to a valley temple where a statue of Userkaf wearing the Red Crown was discovered.

He is also credited with enlarging the temple of Monthu at Tod.  Blocks from a chapel built during his reign near the temple of Montu were found. Archaeological evidence also attest to the arrival of 70 foreign women during his reign and some cult activity that seems to indicate he had an active interest in the Delta. Userkaf is mentioned in the tombs of Sekhemkare and Nisutpunetjer at Giza. Userkaf was succeeded by his son Sahure.

Sahurea       

Sahure was the second ruler of ancient Egypt's 5th Dynasty. His birth name means "He who is Close to Re". His Horus name was Nebka. The Turin King List gives him a reign of twelve years.

                  

His pyramid complex was the first built at Abusir and marks the decline of pyramid building, both in the size and quality, though many of the reliefs are very well done.  It provides us most of the information we know of this king. He was the son of queen Khentkaues I and Userkaf. It is probable that Khentkaues I was the character of Redjedet in the Papyrus Westcar, who according to the magician Djedi, was destined to give birth to the children of Ra and the first kings of the 5th Dynasty.

Most foreign relations during the reign of Sahure were economic, rather then combative. In one scene, we find great ships with Egyptians and Asiatics on board.  They are returning from the port of Byblos in Lebanon with huge cedar trees. Evidence of 5th Dynasty king's cartouches were found in Lebanon on stone vessels. Other scenes in his temple depict Syrian bears. We also have the first documented expedition to the land of Punt, which apparently yielded a quantity of myrrh, along with malachite and electrum, and because of this, Sahure is often credited with establishing an Egyptian navy. The Palermo Stone records that he sent an expedition to Punt (Somaliland) which brought back 8000 measures of myrrh, 6000 units of weight of gold and 2600 staves of ebony.

There are also scenes on his mortuary temple indicating some military expeditions into Libya which yielded various livestock and showed the king smiting the local chieftains.

He built his pyramid at Abusir. His temples contain limestone columns with capitals in the form of lotus buds or palm leaves. He apparently built a sun temple, as did most of the 5th Dynasty kings. Its name was Sekhet-re, meaning "the Field of Re", but so far its location is unknown.It is probably in Abusir. During his reign, expeditions were sent to the turquoise quarries in Sinai at Wadi Maghara and Wadi Kharit, along with the diorite quarries in Nubia.

Sahure's pyramid at Abusir

Sahure was further attested to by a statue now located in New York's Museum of Modern Art, in a biography found in the tombs of Perisen at Saqqara and on a false door of Niankhsakhment at Saqqara, and is also mentioned in the tombs of Sekhemkare and Nisutpunetjer at their tombs in Giza.  Sahure was succeeded by his brother, Neferirkare, the first king known to have used a separate prenomen and nomen .

Neferirkarea   (Kakai)        

One of his officials named Ty, was the overseer of the pyramid complexes and sun temples under both Neferirkara and other kings. He was probably the son of Userkaf, the first king of the 5th Dynasty.

His throne name was Nefer-ir-ka-re (Beautiful is the Soul of Re) while his birth name was Kakai.  He was the third king of the Old Kingdom 5th dynasty. He was the first king to have employed both a prenomen and nomen (he had two names and two cartouches), a custom that later kings would follow.

Neferirkare built his pyramid complex at Abusir but only a few inscribed stones belonging to them have been found. His pyramid complex remained unfinished, and its valley temple and causeway were later incorporated by Niuserra into his own pyramid complex. He must also have built a Sun Temple. However, no remains of this temple have so far been discovered.

H He made gifts of lands to the gods, specially to the Great Ennead of Heliopolis.

A hieratic papyrus was found in his pyramid complex. They were written in ink and are the earliest known documents in hieratic script, a cursive form of hieroglyphics. The hieratic papyrus found at his pyramid complex consist of 300 papyrus fragments.

Neferirkare's hieratic papyrus reveals a world of detailed and very professional administration. Elaborate tables register monthly duties: for guarding the temple, for fetching the daily income (or 'offerings') and for performing ceremonies including those on the statues, and especially for the important Feast of Soker. Similar tables list the temple equipment, item by item and grouped by materials, with details of damage noted at a monthly inspection. Other records of inspection relate to doors and rooms in the temple building. The presentation of monthly income as commodities of bread and beer, meat and fowl, corn and fruit was also recorded in this papyrus.

                     

The Great Ennead    

The Great Ennead is a group of nine gods which were worshipped at Heliopolis. The Egyptians thought that it was synthesised as follows:

The Sun, whose local name was Atum had created himself at Heliopolis. He had engendered without a female principle the god Shu and the goddess Tefnut (the Dry and the Wet), the distinction of which put an end to the Chaotic state of the world. Shu and Tefnut had, in turn, engendered Geb, the earth god and Nut, the sky-goddess. These two had as children: Osiris, Seth, Isis and Nephtys, the individuals of the Osirian Legend. These nine gods constituted the so-called “Great Ennead”.

                                

The Osirian Legend

It may be summarized as follows:

Osiris had been a very clever and pious terrestial king whom his brother Seth put to death by a conspiracy. His wife, Isis found his body, Anubis embalmed it and then Isis fluttered her wings over him and restored life to him. Osiris then became the god of the Dead, the Lord of the Hereafter and thus assumed the role in which he figures throughout historical times. His son, Horus, however, having reached man’s age, took again by force the throne of his father and founded a line of terrestial gods, from which the Pharaonic Dynasties issued.

                                     

Neferefrea 

There are some real problems concerning the kings list after Neferirkare. Some references mention a king named, Shepseskare before or after Neferefre's rule. Neferefre was a prominent son of Neferirkare. We are fairly certain of this from a block found near Abusir depicting Neferirkare, his wife Khentkaus II and a young son who we interpret to be Neferefre, though on the block his name is spelled somewhat differently.

It appears that after Neferirkare's death, his consort Khentkaus II acted as regent for a young king for a time and some believe that she may have even ruled Egypt alone for a short period. Yet the body we believe to be Neferefre, parts of which were found in his pyramid at Abusir, has been analyzed and a determination made that the young man died between the age of 20-23. Since we believe he only ruled for no more then three years and possibly only two, it seems strange that he would need a real regent acting on his behalf. If Neferefre did rule just after Neferirkare, then some of the evidence simply doesn't fit.

In the block, the young son is referred to as Neferre, which means "Re is beautiful", but he probably later changed his name to Neferefre which means, "Re is his beauty" He is possibly also referred to as Reneferef or Raneferef, and his nomen was probably Isi.

Seals of Neferefre

He built a solar temple named Hetep-Re, which has never been discovered. , He died, apparently suddenly, before his pyramid and mortuary complex at Abusir, known as the "Unfinished Pyramid", was completed.

Niuserrea  

Niuserre (or Niuserra, meaning "Possessed of Re's Power") was the sixth king of the 5th Dynasty. His throne name was Ini or Isi. His Horus name was probably Set-ib-tawy. We are not very sure how long he ruled Egypt because the Turin King list is damaged where this king is listed. He probably ruled for at least 10 years. A reference to a Sed festival in his solar temple at Abu Gurab (named shesepu-ib-re) may, however, give him a reign of at least 30 years.

 Niuserre most likely succeeded his older brother, Neferefre, as Egypt's ruler. His mother and father were probably Neferirkare and Queen Khentkaus II, and from a fragment of a statue in his valley temple, we believe that he was married to Reput-Nebu.

A dual statue showing a young, and old Niuserre

He was active in Sinai, though an inscription found there of him smiting his enemies may be largely symbolic. He probably had copper and turquoise mined at Wadi Magharah in Sinai. He may have also participated in military campaigns against Libyans. There is also evidence that he probably traded with Punt for malachite, myrrh, and electrum, as did Sahure before him.

He constructed a pyramid, mortuary temple and valley temple at Abusir, as well as his solar temple to the north of Abusir at Abu Gurab. His solar temple is one of the biggest and most complete in Egypt, as well as the only one completely constructed with stone. It contains many fine reliefs, including depictions of his Sed Festival and the world being created by the solar god. Further scenes depict representations of the provinces of Egypt.  

View of Niuserre's Solar Temple

Some high officials' tombs dating back to Niuserre's reign like that of Ty at Saqqara and Ptahshepses at Abusir, seem to have been the largest and best decorated private tombs in the Old Kingdom.

 Niuserre is also attested by a Faience plague found at the Satis temple on Elephantine, and other objects found at Byblos. There are also indications of his quarrying activities north of Abu Simbel at Gebel el-Asr Gneiss Quarries, where there was found a fragment of a 5th Dynasty stele bearing his name and cartouche.

Seals of Niuerre

Djedkare

Djedkare was the eighth ruler of Egypt's 5th Dynasty. He was probably the son of Menkauhor, his predecessor. It is possible that his principle queen was Meresankh IV.

According to the Turin King List he ruled for 28 years. Manetho records 44 years for this king, but the mummy found in his pyramid at South Saqqara and believed to be Djedkare is thought to be that of about a 50 year old man. 

Seals of Djedkare

Djed-ka-re was the king's throne name, meaning "Soul of Re Endures". His birth name was Isesi). He distanced himself somewhat from the earlier rulers of this dynasty by not building a sun temple and having himself buried at Saqqara rather than Abusir.

 Djedkare's name has been found in Sinai at Maghara, demonstrating a continued Egyptian interest in this rich region. Two expeditions are recorded there. We also find him mentioned at the quarries of Aswan, and at Abydos and in Nubia. In Nubia, we find his expedition to Punt mentioned in a graffito found at the site of Tomas. He apparently also maintained commercial and diplomatic contacts with Byblos.

He is further attested to in the biographies of Itush at and also Gemni at Saqqara. Among the high officials of his reign, we know Ptahhotep, one of his viziers.  

His reign is marked by some important changes. For example, the solar cult, although not abandoned, loses some of its importance and predominance, and the power of the central government is weakened to the advantage of the provincial administration. Another important change that occurred during Djedkare's reign is the return to Saqqara as a burial place.

Unas      

Unas was the last king of the 5th Dynasty. Unas had a long rule probably lasting for 30 years. He built his pyramid and funerary complex at Saqqara at the southwest corner of the Step Pyramid of Djoser.

Unas was his Birth Name, but he is also referred to Wenis. His Horus name was Wadj-tawy which means "Horus, the flourishing one of the Two Lands". He was probably married to two queens named Khenut and Nebit. They were buried in mastaba tombs near Unas' pyramid complex.

We find scenes from his causeway that links his mortuary temple and valley temple depicting the moving of granite columns from the quarries at Aswan to his mortuary temple, as well as scenes of emaciated people.  These latter scenes may show the effects of a famine that might have been the cause of the political decline that ended the Old Kingdom. There are also scenes of Asiatic traders arriving in Egypt by boat, perhaps from Byblos, as well as scenes of markets, hunting in the desert and a small vignette of desert life. Unas probably pursued a policy of diplomatic contact both with Byblos and Nubia. At Elephantine, an inscription also shows a giraffe and other exotic animals that were apparently bought to Egypt during his reign.

Scenes of Emaciated People possibly suffering from Famine

Scenes of Exotic Animials

Part of the Pyramid Texts of Unas

Unas' pyramid is the smallest of the royal pyramids build during the Old Kingdom, however it was the first inscribed with the Pyramid Texts.  These texts representing Egypt's first religious compsition were also extant within the pyramids of the following kings of the Sixth Dynasty. They consist of some magical formulae and prayers to the different gods, whose purpose was to facilitate the passage of the king’s soul through the mysterious regions of the Hereafter. They meant to aid the king's soul on the journey to the next world.

 In the Pyramid Texts, King Unas is identified after his death with the gods Ra and Osiris, and referred to as Osiris Unas. According to a special part of the Pyramid Texts known as the Cannibal Hymn, Unas is described as "the Slayer and Eater of Gods". Maspero discovered parts of Unas' mummy in 1880, which are now in the Cairo Museum.

 After Unas there was a short period of political instability prior to Teti, the first ruler of the 6th Dynasty, who ascended to the throne. Teti's wife, Iput, was possibly a daughter of Unas, and his vizier Kagemni probably also worked under Unas. Furthermore, a pink granite gateway in Unas' mortuary temple bears the inscription of the names and titles of Teti, indicating that part of the temple that was completed after Unas's death. This evidence suggests that there may not have been a true break between the 5th and 6th Dynasties.