Sun-altar

Before the platform stood an extensive and wonderful holy place, 6m in measurement, which was built from five squares of white alabaster. This was cut in profound help with a hover at its inside and four "hotep" images on the sides (the hieroglyphic sign speaking to 'offerings', "peace" or 'fulfilled'). This lovely sacred place still stays in situ. On the southern side of the pillar was a house of prayer which contained the 'Council of the Seasons', its reliefs portraying the reproducing power of the sun-god in nature. Lamentably some of these reliefs in Museums in Germany were obliterated amid the Second World War. At the north-east corner of the walled in area is a progression of ten alabaster bowls (nine as yet surviving) thought to be utilized as a part of conciliatory customs, either for water or blood. Outside the upper sanctuary nook dividers (which contained storage facilities), a watercraft molded pit fixed with mudbricks can in any case be seen on the southern side and which is another indication of the components of the pyramid complex.

Cartouche of Niuserre   One of nine alabaster basins

The causeway descended steeply from the walls of the terrace and like Userkaf's causeway was offset to the north-east and the valley temple which formed an entrance pylon to the complex. The scant remains of the valley temple are in boggy ground and have never been properly investigated, but its thick enclosure walls led Borchardt to believe that they were the walls of a settlement.

The purpose of the sun-temples has never really been satisfactorily explained and suggestions for their significance are numerous. What they do seem to symbolise is the union of the king with the solar deity, which had become almost a state god during this period. At least by mid-Dynasty V they seem to have had a close connection to the pyramids at Abusir, although we know that the temples had their own donations, lands and maintenance staff.

Sun Temple at Abu Ghurab

Sun Temple at Abu Ghurab:

At the western end stood a benben (stone monument) as tall as a pyramid. Just the base remains.

Fixated on an alabaster alterwhere steers were sacrificd

Block model of a sunlight based watercraft toward the south

indistinguishable to the Sun Temple of Userkaaf

Search for channels cut into the clearing which course the blood of penances to the ten alabaster bowls. Nine survive.

Userkaf's successor Sahure was the principal ruler to site his pyramid at Abusir, yet there has so far been no sun-sanctuary found at Abu Ghurob in his name. The main different stays of a sun-sanctuary has a place with Niuserre, the 6th ruler of Dynasty V, which is situated around 500m north-west of Userkaf's sanctuary. This landmark was referred to early voyagers as the pyramid of 'Righa', however was first uncovered by Borchardt and Schaeffer's German archeological undertaking in the vicinity of 1898 and 1902. Niuserre's sun-sanctuary, which was named 'Enjoyment of Re', is vastly improved safeguarded than that of Userkaf and many pieces of alleviation enrichment were recuperated, some delineating the heb-sed celebration (now in Berlin Museum).

Sun-temple of Niuserre   Remains of chapel on the south side of the temple
Niuserre used similar elements in the construction of his sun-temple as those reconstructed from Userkaf's monument and which had become common in pyramid complexes. The upper temple was on a levelled terrace, its rectangular walls first constructed in mudbrick and later encased in yellow limestone. A vestibule led into a courtyard which was dominated on its western side by a large obelisk constructed from limestone blocks and which stood on a flat-topped pyramid-shaped pedestal, around 15m high. The obelisk probably symbolised the 'ben-ben' stone on which the sun's rays first shone in the Heliopolitan creation myth.

Pyramids of Niuserre Izi

Pyramid of Niuserre Izi

A trade off – the remainder of the pyramids worked here, and worked between different structures, practically against the north mass of neferirkare's funeral home sanctuary, so it is fairly enclosed

Caleld "The spots of Nisuerre are persevering"

Valley sanctuary exists, however is exceptionally destroyed. The flor was initially around 5m underneath the present ground level and manufactured aopon an establishment initially alid by Neferirkare just like the boulevard.

Thoroughfare has not been completely uncovered and part of it prompts the funeral home sanctuary and lower segment to Neferirkare's pyramid.

Funeral home sanctuary is little and molded as a L, althoug it is in the typical place. External dividers are somewhat disposed with a curved cornice.

Numerous reliefs from the inside of the sanctuary were found, as a rule the standard "destroying" scenes.. enormous structures on the nothereast and southeast corners reference Sahur'e sun sanctuary (never found). These towers may have been the forerunner of the arches in later sanctuaries.

The pyramid has a seven step corre of local limestone. Originally 52m tall, with base length of 81md. The corners of the pyramid are anchorered to the foundation and the pyramid was cased in white limestone.

Entrance on the nother at ground level with a limestone-lined corridor reinforeced with pink granite at each end. No remains were found in the pyramid.
Burial chamber is slightly beneath ground level and under the foundation stones. Both antechamber and burial chamber have saddle ceilings – 3 layers of limestone blocks set in place from above.

A paved courtyard around the pyramid is narrower on the south side (due to the mortuary temple of neferirkare). Also a cult pyramid. Blocked with rubble, cannot be entered Niuserre was the sixth king of Dynasty V and built his pyramid complex at Abusir, to the north-east and very close to that of his father Neferirkare. This king had a long reign - at least 10 years but possibly as much as 30 years or more, suggested by heb-sed reliefs in his Abu Ghurob sun-temple. It was probably Niuserre who completed the mortuary monuments of his father Neferirkare, his mother Queen Khentkawes and his brother Neferefre.

Pyramid of Niuserre   Pyramid of Niuserre showing construction
Niuserre's pyramid, called 'The Places of Niuserre are Established', was originally constructed in seven steps and encased in fine white limestone. Today it is badly deteriorated, but originally reached a height of around 51.5m. The corners of the structure, which had a base measurement of about 80m, were reinforced and some of the casing blocks still survive on the south-east corner. The entrance to the pyramid is on the northern side at ground level and from here a trench was dug out for the access corridor which descended down to a vestibule and was blocked by three granite portcullis slabs. Beyond the vestibule the passage descended less steeply, turning slightly towards the east and was blocked in the centre by more granite slabs. The passage led into an antechamber with the burial chamber to the west, both with vaulted ceilings of huge limestone blocks.

Lying directly under the pyramid's vertical axis, and slightly below ground level, the antechamber and burial chamber were robbed for their stone and are now virtually destroyed. Niuserre's monument was first visited by Perring, Lepsius and then Ludwig Borchardt, who excavated there in the early 1900s but due to the poor condition of the subterranean chambers, found no trace of the burial or funerary goods.

Both the limestone asphalt encompassing the pyramid and the lord's funeral home sanctuary are unpredictably set, most likely to a great extent because of the confinements of space and geography. The funeral home sanctuary on the eastern side of the landmark was based on a raised establishment in view of the inclining ground and is moved toward the south, with just the asylum and false entryway stela in the conventional eastern position. Five statue specialties and magazines flanked the offering corridor, whose vaulted roof was initially finished with painted reliefs of stars, with scenes and engravings on the dividers. Toward the south of the offering lobby was a square enlivened chamber with a solitary section in its middle which a short time later ended up noticeably standard in funeral home sanctuaries. This driven into a five-niched house of prayer and toward the north of these Borchardt discovered pieces of a stone statue of a prostrate lion (now in Cairo Museum). A transverse corridor had steps driving down to another transverse lobby and the external parts of the sanctuary.


Mortuary temple of Niuserre   Looking south towards the pyramids of Niuserre and Neferirkare
The outer area of the temple consisted of a large open courtyard with a pavement of black basalt and surrounded by sixteen granite papyrus columns which supported the ambulatory ceiling. The columns were inscribed with the king's name and titles and representations of the goddess Wadjet in the northern half and Nekhbet in the southern half. The ceiling slabs were decorated with golden stars on a deep blue background and traditional reliefs of the king decorated the side walls. A long entrance hall, also paved with basalt and decorated with reliefs, had five magazines on either side and a staircase leading to a roof terrace. Only fragments of the rich reliefs from the mortuary temple have been found because this area was also badly damaged by stone robbers.

Two large towers appear at the south-east and north-east corners of the pyramid, innovative structures which appear to be the precursors of pylon gateways which were a major part of all later Egyptian temples. Builders inscriptions from these structures suggest that stone from Sahure's unfinished sun-temple may have been used in their construction.

Niuserre fabricated a satellite pyramid at the south-east corner inside its own fenced in area divider. Borchardt had found an unexplained square stage on the north-eastern edge of the lord's pyramid, connecting one of the "arch" structures. In unearthings close-by amid the 1970s the Czech group found a huge stone pyramidion which had initially been sheathed in copper and proposed that it might have originated from a monolith for which the stage was a base. This likewise may have originated from Sahure's sun-sanctuary as it is one of a kind in funeral home sanctuary engineering.

Niuserre usurped the establishments which had been set up for Neferirkare's interstate and valley sanctuary. Niuserre's boulevard measures around 365m long and driven from his funeral home sanctuary running first towards the south-east and after that towards the east to utilize Neferirkare's establishments in the lower half. Amid Dynasty XII the high base of the upper portion of the highway was utilized to build tombs of the clerics of Niuserre's morgue faction, which Borchardt researched amid his unearthings.

The valley temple is now completely covered by sand but it was situated, like the other lower temples on the edge of a canal known as 'Abusir Lake'. The causeway led into the temple which may have contained statues of the king in niches and there have also been other statue fragments found, including an alabaster head of Queen Repetnebu and a large granite lion. A staircase led to the roof and a central portico with eight columns gave entrance to the harbour ramp on the eastern side.
Lepsius recorded two badly destroyed small pyramids to the south of Niuserre's pyramid (Lepsius XXIV and XXV). In the past few seasons the Czech Institute have carried out consolidation of crumbling masonry and trial diggings at these two badly ruined pyramids. The first (Lepsius XXIV) is thought to belong to a consort of Neferefre or Niuserre. The second pyramid (Lepsius XXV) is also thought to belong to a consort of Niuserre and here remnants of Graeco-Roman burials have been found. Work on these two pyramids is still continuing.

Niuserre Izi (2445-2421)

Niuserre Izi or Izi (Niuserre) was the 6th ruler of the Dyn. V. He managed Ancient Egypt from 2416 till 2392 BC, and is celebrated for both his sunlight based sanctuary at Abu Gorab and his pyramid at Abu Sir. The reliefs in the internment assembly of his pyramid portray his military battles against Libyan adversaries in the Western Desert and against the Asiatics in Sinai. He exited an engraving at Wadi Maghara which filled in as a manual for the mineral mines of the locale. His two spouses, Reputneb and Khentikus, were covered close him at Abu Sir.

Niuserre was the second child of Neferirkare and Khentkaus II to have climbed to the position of authority. He was hitched to a lady named Reput-Nebu, of whom a statue was found in the valley-sanctuary associated with his and Neferirkare's pyramid complex. It is not known whether he had any kids (that out-lived him).

The Turin King-rundown is to some degree harmed at the point where Niuserre's name is specified, and just enables us to express that he governed for over 10 years. The most astounding known year reference is dated to the time of the seventh year check. On the off chance that the steers tallies were held at customary two year interims, this would be the thirteenth year of his rule.

The 44 years credited to him by Manetho is considered unreliable. The representation of a Sed-festival found in his solar-temple may indicate that he ruled at least for 30 years, although its is also possible that this representation refers to the magical rejuvenation of the king after his death.

An inscription found in the Sinai shown Niuserre triumphant over his enemies. It is debatable whether this inscription refers to an actual victory of Niuserre, or whether it was merely symbolic. It does, however, show that Niuserre was active in the Sinai.

He built a solar-temple, named Shesepu-ib-re, in Abu Gurab, a kilometre or more to the North of Abusir. Not only is this the biggest and most complete solar-temple, it is also the only one that was constructed completely of stone. The many finely carved reliefs that remain show the king during a Sed-festival and the world as created by the solar god, with representations of the seasons and the provinces of Egypt. With the reign of Niuserre, the solar-cult appears to have come to its summit.

The pyramid-complex of Niuserre is situated at Abusir, between the pyramids of Sahure and Neferirkare. rather than building his own particular valley sanctuary, he had his pyramid complex associated with the valley sanctuary of Neferirkare.

Izi (Niuserre) was the 6th ruler of the Dyn. V. He administered Ancient Egypt from 2416 till 2392 BC, and is well known for both his sun powered sanctuary at Abu Gorab and his pyramid at Abu Sir. The reliefs in the internment assembly of his pyramid portray his military battles against Libyan opponents in the Western Desert and against the Asiatics in Sinai. He cleared out an engraving at Wadi Maghara which filled in as a manual for the mineral mines of the area. His two spouses, Reputneb and Khentikus, were covered close him at Abu Sir.

King Niuserre (meaning: "Possessed by the Power of Re") was the sixth king of the 5th Dynasty. His Horus name was probably pronounced Setibtawy (seen within a serek in picture right). It's not known exactly how long he ruled Egypt because the Turin Canon is damaged a this very point. Is reign lasted at the least 10 years, probably twice that time, but Manetho's 44 years looks a big too long. There are indications of a more than 30-year reign from his solar temple at Abu Gurab (northern Abusir) where a Sed-fetival is mentioned. Egyptologists have figures between 11 and 31 years. A fragment from a statue in his valley temple states that his first queen had the name Reput-Nebu. Though written remains are scares we have reason to believe that ha was active in all the fields as the other kings from this period. That is - mining in the Sinai, making military campaigns against Libyans and Nubians, trading with Punt for malachite, myrrh, spices etc.  

  

The last expedition of trade to the area around the southern part of the Red Sea is attested for and remains with his name have also been found in Byblos in Syria as well on the island of Elefantine in Aswan at the south border of the country facing Nubia.

Pyramids of Neferefre

Examined by Perring, Lepsius, De Morgan, Borchardt.

“Unfinished Pyramid”

Pyramid of Neferefre

It would appear that a mastaba tomb, however was square and not rectantulr (nor n-s arranged like mastabas. What was arranged as a pyramid turned into a seat like structure. It was just in the 1970s that it was affirmed to be a pyramid having a place with Neferefre and that he had infact been covered here.

Called "Heavenly is Neferefre's energy".

The underground pit was burrowed for the internment load and the plummeting passageway. At that point liestone squares were laid as a foundadtio, lastly the center was assembled.

Center is level layers around 1m high, with an external mantle of expansive unpleasant blcosk up to 5m long. These were staeked to make the main center stride around 7m high. Dirt mortar was utilized. Inward squares were littler. Amongst inward and oute rlayers of the center was fil of sand, rubble, dirt, and stone sections.

A roof terrace made it easy for robbers to steal the stone – they simply dug down from above, probably in the first intermediate period. Stone were used in nearby shaft tombs by the Persians. Stones continued to disappear into the 19^th century.

Entrance on the north side, near ground level. Curves slightly to the se before reaching the antechamber and is lined with pink granite. The barrior block has interlocked jaws and is unique to this pyramid.

A pink granit sarcophagus was found, and four alabaster canopic containers, parts of a mummy. Most likely of a 20-23 year old man, potentially of Neferefre. Morgue sanctuary toward the east (adjusted north south) of white limestone entered by a stairway and slope on the woutheast. A radical new area was included later (amid the rule of Niuserre). An expansive number of papyrus reports (2000 pieces) were found in the new piece of the sanctuary. Southern piece of the expansion contains the principal hypostyle corridor of this age.

Encased in a block divider fortified with limestone monolisths in the corners. A slaughteryard was found before the woutheast fenced in area divider, with adjusted corner mudbrick dividers.

Hours: 8am-4pm, LE10

One of four pyramid edifices

Just a low hill remains,, an incomplete center, never encased in limestone

Authoritatively opened in 1999

Neferefre ruled gone before by Nyussere.

Abusir is a pyramid field on the west bank of the Nile to the north of Saqqara where many of the Dynasty V pharaohs chose to site their burial monuments. The Pyramid of Neferefre is at the southern end of the site. Neferefre (sometimes known as Raneferef) was the eldest son of Neferirkare and the fourth or fifth king of Dynasty V (depending where the shadowy king Sheseskare fits in). Neferefre came to the throne at a young age and had barely begun to construct his pyramid complex next to that of his father, when he died after a reign of only a few years, probably in his early 20s.

Pyramid and funeral home sanctuary of Neferefre Pyramid and morgue sanctuary of Neferefre. Until unearthings were started by the Prague University Egyptology Institute in 1974 little was known about Neferefre. At the point when his funerary sanctuary on the eastern side of the landmark was found it uncovered critical papyri from the file, giving genuinely necessary data and in addition statuary of the ruler. Other critical papyri (Abusir Papyri of Neferirkare) have been found at Abusir and it was these which gave data about Neferefre's pyramid and the way that it had been quickly finished to work as an internment landmark by the ruler's more youthful sibling, Niuserre.

Neferefre's pyramid had a construct estimation of 65m in light of each side however just the initial step of the center had been finished at the lord's demise, resembling a low mastaba and now rising just a couple meters over the leave. The pyramid appears to have been hurriedly topped with rocks and mud mortar on its level top. The entombment chamber was worked in a pit with an expansive trench driving from the northern side of the pyramid and albeit devastated, late unearthings have delivered finds proposing that the underground parts of the pyramid were finished when of the lord's internment. Pieces of a red rock sarcophagus and sections of canopic jugs have been found alongside mummy and bone parts.

Excavations of the mortuary temple on the eastern side of the pyramid have been more fruitful, revealing an extensive mudbrick structure which surrounded an original small stone building. We know that Neferefre's younger brother Niuserre completed the cult chapels in the second stage of construction which extended along the whole eastern side of the pyramid and included an early form of hypostyle hall. In a third building phase a columned courtyard was added which formed an L-shape with a structure known as the 'Sanctuary of the Knife' (a name found in texts) which was a slaughterhouse for sacrificial animals. Inside the extended area of the mortuary temple were storage magazines in which archaeologists found two wooden model funerary boats with thousands of carnelian beads. Among many other artefacts found in the mortuary temple, was a fragment of a beautiful statuette of Neferefre, sculpted in limestone and painted, depicting a young king wearing a short black wig and being embraced by a Horus falcon (now in Cairo Museum). Other discoveries included the papyri temple archive and ceramics inscribed with the king's name.

There is so far no evidence of a causeway or valley temple for Neferefre, lending further weight to the suggestion that the king's burial was completed in haste in an improvised tomb.

Neferefre (2419—2416)

Raneferef was the fifth lord of Dynasty V. He governed the nation from 2419 till 2416 BC. Shockingly, students of history couldn't locate any essential documentation from his rule.

Cartouche of Neferefre

Neferefre was the primary child of Neferirkare and Khentkaus II to go to the royal position. He was gone before by the fleeting lord Shepseskare.The Turin King-rundown is excessively fragmentary, making it impossible to give us the length of Neferefre's rule. The most astounding recorded year reference is the time of the promotion of this lord, making it improbable that he had a long rule. He assembled a sun based sanctuary named Hetep-Re, which has not yet been distinguished, and, at Abusir, begun with the working of his own pyramid complex. The complex was left incomplete.

Raneferef was the fifth king of Dynasty V. He ruled the country from 2419 till 2416 BC. Unfortunately, historians could not find any important documentation from his reign.

Until the 1980s practically nothing more than his name was known to science, but then excavations was begun at an anonymous ruin of a pyramid in the southernmost part of the royal necropolis at Abusir. The monument turned out to be built by king Neferefre (Horus-name: Nefer-khawand in picture right). At the east side an elaborated mortuary temple was dug out. It was constructed of mud bricks and obviously made in haste shortly after the death of the king. Here archaeologists found parts of the temple archive on papyrus, stone vessels, mud seals, and faience inlays. Small statuettes of the king also came to light in the temple ruins and one showing the ruler seated on a throne without his names headdress. He is shown to be very young man, hardly more than twenty years of age and with fleshy cheeks giving a childish impression to his face.

 Other statuettes (made in a crude more non-portraying form) were also found as well as glazed ceramics making the king's name.

After the temple the excavators turned to the pyramid itself and the central construction with the burial chamber. It had been robbed already at the collapse of the Old Kingdom but not totally empty of finds. A lot of interesting objects were found and fragments of pharaoh's red granite sarcophagus came to light plus pieces of mummy wrappings and bones, and parts of canopy jars. This was proof of that the king once had been buried here under a big gabled roof. Huge portcullises of granite had once blocked the corridor leading to the centre.

The mummy material was inspected and most likely was from a young fellow in his mid twenties, which fits well to what have been known about the ruler. Just the initial step of a pyramid was finished and it was secured by rocks and mud mortar at first glance before the dead ruler was introduced in the funerary flats. He would have rested in his sarcophagus for around 300 years before bedlam softened out up Egypt and numerous regal tombs were stripped for their merchandise. His name inside a cartouche is found in picture above left and his incomplete pyramid likewise had the name in symbolic representations:

It implies:

"The Pyramid which is Devine of the Ba-spirits", and the spirits are symbolized by three storks.

Shepseskare (2426—2419)

Little to nothing is thought about Shepseskare, aside from that he administered amongst Neferirkare and Neferefre. His relationship to alternate rulers of the fifth Dynasty is not known.

As indicated by the Turin King-list, he administered for a long time. There don't seem, by all accounts, to be any archives that allude to dairy cattle tallies.

Some seal impressions dated to his rule have been found at Abusir, and these are about the main observers of Shepseskare's rule. It is not known whether he constructed a pyramid or a sun powered sanctuary, in spite of the fact that the incomplete pyramid situated at Abusir between the pyramid of Sahure and the sun powered sanctuary of Userkaf, has, by a few, been credited to him.

Very little is known about king Shepseskare. Almost all Egyptologists agree on that he ruled for a short period between Neferirkare and Neferefre, but a few thinks he ruled after these. His kinship (if any) to the other kings of the 5th Dynasty is not known. The Royal Canon of Turin and Manetho (who calls him Sesiris) notes him for a reign of seven years, and this seems to be a plausible figure. His name Shepseskare is also written in the Sakkara list.

His Horus-name within a serek (seen in picture right) is "Sekhemkhau" meaning "The Power Has Appeared" where the club stand for power and the rising sun for appearance. This was found in the mortuary temple of king Neferefre.

Some of very few remains from his time have been found at Abusir. It's seal impressions dated to his reign and these are almost the only contemporary findings from his brief time on the throne.

In any case, there is a substantial leftover at Abusir that most likely is from him however - what is left of a major pyramid. It is arranged north of the complex of Sahure and was found as late as in the 1980s. The work on the landmark was barely started before it was halted and comprises just of earthwork. The region had been leveled and an establishment was made for the entombment chamber. It's conceivable that the pyramid was planned to be the greatest of all at Abusir, with a base side measuring a little more than 100 meters, comparative long to ruler Nefererkere's pyramid.

His title (nomen) in his roll as "Son of Re" is seen within the cartouche left. The duck is a homonym for the word "son" and the sun disc symbolises his "father" - the solar god Re.

His name is put together of the components axe, quail, staff, folded cloth and a mouth and maybe it makes "Netjer-weserw".

Since the kings of dynasty five were completing the buildings of their predecessors it's possible that Shepseskare in his effort didn't have much time left for his own monuments. The since of the unfinished pyramid (if it's his) tells that he had planned to live longer, but obviously he did not.

Pyramid of Neferirkare Kakai

1- Pyramid at Abu Sir

Pyramid of Neferirkare Kakai

The Dynasty V pyramid of Neferirkare is the second pyramid at the southern end of Abusir, marginally toward the north-east of Neferefre's incomplete landmark. Presently the most forcing and the tallest structure at Abusir with an expected proposed tallness of around 70m (it is even now around 45m) and a base of around 105m each side, the pyramid was based on Abusir's most elevated point. The landmark's antiquated name was 'Pyramid of the Ba of Neferirkare' and it was likewise incomplete amid the ruler's lifetime. We are not sure of the length of Neferirkare's rule and figures in the vicinity of 14 and 24 years have been proposed - he was conceivably very old when he went to the position of authority. Nor is it known why he succeeded Sahure instead of Sahure's own child, however it is recommended by a few Egyptologists that the two lords could have been siblings. His pyramid complex may have been finished by his successors however we realize that piece of the boulevard and the valley sanctuary were usurped by Niuserre.

Pyramid of Neferirkare Pyramid showing stepped construction. There is evidence to suggest that Neferirkare's pyramid was planned as a step pyramid and today four of the original six steps remain. At some point there was a change in design and the steps were filled with loose masonry and then converted to become a 'true' pyramid, enlarged and provided with a casing of red granite. The pyramid's entrance is in the centre of its northern side and a straight descending passage then took two turns before arriving at the vaulted antechamber and a burial chamber. The substructure was very badly damaged by stone robbers and no trace of a sarcophagus or burial equipment has been found.

A mortuary temple for the king, on the eastern side of the pyramid seems to have been hastily finished, and like that of Neferefre, the original stone offering hall and chapels or statue niches were enlarged and completed in mudbrick. The entrance to the mortuary temple led through a vestibule with six pairs of columns to a large central porticoed courtyard which in turn led to the inner areas and magazines.

In 1893 parts of uncommon Dynasty V hieratic papyri writings started to show up on the relics advertise and Ludwig Borchardt in this way found a couple stray writings found by nearby villagers at Abusir. Amid unearthings of Neferirkare's morgue complex, it was found that the sanctuary chronicle, dating basically to the rule of Djedkare-Isesi, had been put away in managerial structures here. The accumulation is known as the 'Abusir Papyri' and portrays the clique organization, inventories, records and records of building work, and additionally clerical obligations and day by day offerings. The file speaks to a lot of critical learning about the monetary history of the Old Kingdom pyramid cliques. It was from this record the pyramid complex of Neferefre, Neferirkare's eldest child, was found, and in addition subtle elements portraying six sun-sanctuaries at Abu Ghurob. Neferirkare's own particular sun sanctuary had been finished inside his lifetime and appears to have been the biggest of these structures toward the north of Abusir, however so far has not been found.

2- Pyramid of Khentkaues

South side of the pyramid of Neferirkare. It researched by Borchardt, who dimissed it as a twofold mastaba and did not investigate it completely. Simply after examination in 1970s was it perceived as a full pyramid and the proprietor set up.

Presumably worked in two phases, started amid the rule of Neferikare and after that proceeded under her child Nisuerre, or even herself as official of Egypt.

Generally in remnants, just abot 4m higha nd worked of the disposed of limestone of Neferirkare's pyramid.Core is three layers with dirt mortar and cased in white limstone with a dim stone pyramidion.

Entrance at ground level on the north, to a descneding corridor and then level, to a stone barrie prior to the burial chamber. It is lined with white limestone and has a flat ceiling.

Some funerary remains here, and fragments of a pink sarcophagus.

Mortuary temple at the east well, also finished in several stages. Earliest part is limestone, second phase of mudbrick as an extension to the nsouth and west.

Small cult pyramid to the southwest.

 

Neferirkare Kakai (2477—2467)

Neferirkare was the second child of Khentkaus I to have ruled Egypt. Likewise with his sibling Sahure, it is not sure whether Userkaf was his dad. Neferirkare was hitched to a name-purpose of his mother's, Khentkaus II. It is not improbable that Khentkaus II too was identified with Khentkaus I. No less than two youngsters are accepted to have been conceived of this marriage: Neferefre and Niuserre. Different spouses and youngsters are not known.

The length of his rule is sadly lost on the Turin King-list and the Palermo-stone breaks of subsequent to having recorded a fifth numbering, which, if the tallying happened like clockwork, would imply that Neferirkare at any rate led for a long time. As indicated by Manetho, his lead gone on for a long time, a number which gives off an impression of being for the most part acknowledged.

Neferirkare was the first king to have his birth-name made part of the official titulary, thus adding a second cartouche. He also completed (or modified) the solar-temple built by Userkaf in Abusir. His own solar-temple, called Set-ib-Re, has yet to be located.

He was also the second king to erect his funerary monument at Abusir. The seals and papyri discovered in his mortuary temple give some insights into the functioning of this temple. The documents are dated to the end of the 6th Dynasty, which indicates that the cult for the deceased Neferirkare at least lasted until the end of the Old Kingdom.

Nefererkara Kakai was probably the son of Userkaf, the first king of the 5th Dynasty and thus younger (half-?) brother to his predecessor king Sahure. His pyramid complex at Abusir was unfinished during his lifetime, but obviously finished by his successors. About fifteen years after his death king Neuserre incorporated both his valley temple and causeway into his own complex (see view over Abusir). Somewhere in the vicinity he built a solar temple, because the written historical texts say so, but nothing of this shrine has so far been found and still waits to be dug out from the sand.

Egyptologists don't concede to the length of his rule and figures in the vicinity of fourteen and twenty-four have been proposed. Nefererkara is remarkable for a development in the long column of illustrious names (titles). He was simply the primary ruler to give two names inside a cartouche - one as the child of Re and one as his own name. Every one of his supporters in Egyptian history took up this custom. At his pyramid complex several parts of papyrus were found in the late 1800s and the written work was in another "shorthand" kind of symbolic representations, the alleged hieratic sort of signs utilized for commonsense reasons instead of embellishing.

This first case of this kind of content clearly had quite a while of improvement and is this present lord's most striking commitments to Egyptology. Whenever decoded and distributed in the 1960s it ended up being parts of the illustrious chronicle at the site. It contained subtle elements of the organization for guarding the sanctuaries, dealing with the day by day offerings like bread, lager, meat, fowl, corn and natural product. It likewise demonstrated tables for standard examinations and records of the gear in the religion of the dead pharaohs.

The name of his pyramid was: "The pyramid of the Ba-spirit".

Tomb of PtahShepses

The Tomb of PtahShepses can be entered by an unsteady stepping stool. Twofold room off the passage, which may have held sun powered water crafts. The main other known exammple of this arrangement is Kagemni's Tomb in north Saqqara. Head of Works to Sahure, first f the V Dynasty rulers covered here

Sarcophagus of Ptahshepses

Segments with lotus capitals are the most seasoned discovered ust toward the south-east of Sahure's pyramid there is a substantial mastaba tomb having a place with an essential high authority of Sahure's court. The proprietor is named in his tomb as 'Sovereign, Councilor of Nekhen, Guardian of Nekhen, Priest of Nekhbet, Supreme Judge, Vizier, Head of every single Royal Work, Beloved of his Master, Sole Friend, Secretary of the Morning House, Highest Lector Priest, Right Hand of the God Duau, Ptahshepses'.

Mastaba of Ptahshepses Pillars in the patio

The great mastaba is second in size just to that of Mereruka at Saqqara. It was first found by Jacques de Morgan in 1893 and all the more as of late examined by the archeological mission of the Czech Institute of Egyptology at Charles University of Prague, who have been completing rebuilding of the tomb. The mastaba is currently open to guests despite the fact that recording work is as yet proceeding.

The mastaba contains two components comprising of a superstructure, which was developed from mudbrick and stone work and appears to have advanced and been amplified over some undefined time frame - and the mostly shake cut underground load which is currently open to the components. The great front access to the tomb, which has as of late been remade, incorporates a patio flanked by two novel lotus sections. A raised live with three specialties which would have contained statues of the expired was likely utilized for offerings.

Reliefs from the mastaba of Ptahshepses   Reliefs from the mastaba of Ptahshepses

To the south is an enormous courtyard, surrounded by a portico which was supported by 20 square limestone pillars, decorated with reliefs of Ptahshepses. The huge pillars can still be seen in the now-open court which is annexed to the tomb structure. In the north-west corner of the court a sloping corridor leads to the burial chamber, which has a lintel decorated with the palace-facade motif. A huge granite sarcophagus belonging to Ptahshepses still remains in the burial chamber. To the south of the courtyard there are two boat-shaped pits, probably intended to represent solar boats and possibly even containing actual boats - which would have been an unusual feature in a private tomb. Ptahshepses obviously held a very important position in the court.

Tomb of Sahure

Pyramid at Abusir (called Kha-ba-Sahure). A sun temple (called Sekhet-Re) is known from written sources, but has not yet been found. Palace (caleld Uetjesneferusahure “Sahure’s splendor soars upt o heaven”) from an inscription, but no site yet.

Pyramid of Sahure

Sahure (2458—2446)

Sahure's titulary

The second lord of the fifth Dynasty built up the Egyptian naval force and sent an armada to Punt and exchanged with Palestine. His pyramid has colonnaded courts and reliefs of his maritime armada, however his military vocation comprised for the most part of crusades against the Libyans in the western leave. He started the graveyard complex at Saqqara and he likewise had a diorite quarry quite recently west of Abu Simbel.

Sahure was a child of Khentkaus I, who, in her tomb at Giza, is said to have been the "mother of two lords". His dad most likely was Userkaf. There are no spouses or youngsters known to him and at any rate no offspring of his appear to have outlasted him, since he was prevailing by his sibling.

As indicated by the Turin King-list, Sahure ruled for a long time. The Palermo-stone notes 7 cows tallies, which either demonstrates a rule of no less than 13 years if the dairy cattle checks were held at regular intervals.

Like Userkaf, Sahure assembled a sunlight based sanctuary, named Sekhet-Re, which has not yet been found. It is once in a while expected that as opposed to building his own sun based sanctuary, he in actuality altered his dad's and gave it another name. The literary confirmation notwithstanding, demonstrates that Sekhet-Re was an alternate sanctuary that was being used in the meantime as Userkaf's.

He was the principal lord to construct his pyramid complex at Abusir, a couple of kilometers North of Saqqara. The move to Abusir was maybe as of now begun by Userkaf, who manufactured his sun based sanctuary there. The reliefs in his morgue and valley sanctuary delineate an including of outsiders by or before the goddess Seshat and the arrival of an armada from Asia, maybe Byblos. This may demonstrate a military enthusiasm for the Near East, however the contacts may have been political and business also. As a feature of the contacts with the Near-East, the reliefs from his funerary landmarks likewise hold the most seasoned known portrayal of a Syrian bear.

A relief showing a war against Libya is believed by some to be historical and by others to be merely ritual. The Palermo-stone also mentions expeditions the the Sinai and to the exotic land of Punt, as well as to the diorite quarries North-West of Abu Simbel, thus far into Nubia.

The second king of the 5th Dynasty established the Egyptian navy and sent a fleet to Punt and traded with Palestine. His pyramid has colonnaded courts and reliefs of his naval fleet, but his military career consisted mostly of campaigns against the Libyans in the western desert. He began the cemetery complex at Saqqara and he also had a diorite quarry just west of Abu Simbel.

The second king of the dynasty was Sahure and he is rather well attested for by his well-preserved pyramid complex at the new royal burial ground at Abusir.

When it was excavated the first years of the 1900s a great amount of fine reliefs were found to an extent and quality superior to those from the dynasty before. Some of the low relief-cuttings in red granite are masterpieces of its kind and still in place at the site. The construction of the pyramid was on the other hand (like the others from this dynasty) made with an inner core of roughly hewn stones in a step construction held together in many sections with mortar of mud.

While this was under construction a corridor was left into the shaft where the grave chamber was erected separately and later covered by left over stone blocks and debris. This working strategy is clearly visible from two unfinished pyramids and was the old style from the third dynasty now coming back after being temporary abandoned by the builders of the five great pyramids at Dashur and Giza during dynasty four.

Couple of delineations of the ruler are known, yet in a model he is indicated sitting on his position of royalty with a nearby nome (region) divinity close by. Picture left shows him wearing the huge regal headgear called by a Greek name "nemes" and underneath is his honored position name inside the cartouche (all together: hu-sa-re) made in help taken from a red stone segment outside his pyramid which had the name "The pyramid where the Ba-soul ascends" as appeared in hieroglyphic writing in picture beneath right.

Today just the internal development remains mostly unmistakable in a heap of rubble beginning from the unrefined filling of garbage and mortar behind the packaging stones taken away a thousand years back. The entire internal development is severely harmed and unrealistic to get to today (year 2002).

The passage at the north side is a short dropping hall fixed with red stone taken after by a path finishing at the internment chamber. It has a gabled rooftop made of enormous limestone layers and sections of the sarcophagus were found here when it was entered in the mid 1800s.

Userkaf (2465—2458 )

Userkaf

Dates 7 years from 2465—2458. Userkaf was the originator of the fifth Dynasty. He administered Ancient Egypt from 2465 BC until 2458 BC. His better half, Queen Khentkaues, was of imperial blood. Students of history say that Userkaf wedded her to adjust himself to the regal line. Tragically, his rule is not all around reported, but rather he assembled a wonderful pyramid at Saqqara. His design and adornment shows the masterful wonderfulness of the period. The pyramid was intended to go about as a house of prayer for offerings and an as a funeral home sanctuary for the lord. The sanctuary court has square rock sections in every one of the corners and some wonderful reliefs on the dividers. Two of the sanctuary's busts were recouped as of late.

Userkaf was the child of Neferhetepes, a girl of the fourth Dynasty ruler Djedefre. His dad is not known. His marriage to Khentkaus I, a girl of Mykerinos, legitimized his claim to the position of royalty. Regardless of the solid family relationship of Userkaf with his ancestors, Manetho begins another tradition, the fifth, with the rule of this lord. This might be reflected in the Middle Kingdom story, noted on the Papyrus Westcar, where the introduction of 3 new lords, Userkaf, Sahure and Neferirkare, as the children of a cleric of Re and a lady named Red-djedet, is anticipated. In spite of the story of Papyrus Westcar, notwithstanding, it is presently trusted that Userkaf was not the sibling but rather the father of his two prompt successors and that their mom was Khentkaus I.

As per the Turin King-list, Userkaf ruled for just 7 years, however Manetho (in the form of Africanus) credits him with as much as 28 years! The number given by the Turin King-list, notwithstanding, is by all accounts affirmed by the Palermo-stone, which takes note of the time of the third cows consider of this lord his most noteworthy.

Userkaf's significance lies in another sort of landmark that he worked in Abusir, a couple of kilometers north of Saqqara: an alleged sun powered sanctuary. This sanctuary comprised of a raised stage that contained a sacred place just before a hill, whereupon a wide and moderately low pillar was raised. From this sanctuary, a secured thoroughfare prompted a valley-sanctuary. It is in this valley sanctuary that a perfectly safeguarded head of Userkaf, wearing the crown of Lower-Egypt has been found.

The correct importance and centrality of this structure is not totally caught on. Its association with the sun oriented clique is evident through the unequivocal sun powered image, the monolith, yet it is trusted that this landmark likewise was identified with the lord's funeral home faction. It shows, in any case, that amid the fifth Dynasty the sun based faction turned out to be progressively essential. This inclination had as of now begun amid the fourth Dynasty, when Djedefre included the title "Child of Re" to the imperial titulary. From the fifth Dynasty on, there would be just a couple of lords that did not have the theophorous component "Re" in their prenomen.

Except for the arrival of 70 foreign women to Egypt and some cultic activity that shows his interest in the Delta, nothing much is known about Userkaf's political activites.

Next to the solar-temple, Userkaf's only other monument of some importance seems to have been his pyramid-complex, which he erected at Saqqara, just north-east of the complex of Djoser. It is much smaller than the pyramids at Giza, and this is often interpreted as that Userkaf was not as powerful as his 4th Dynasty predecessors.

Userkaf's funerary cult seems to have been discontinued at the end of the 5th Dynasty

Userkaf was the founder of the 5th Dynasty. He ruled Ancient Egypt from 2465 BC until 2458 BC. His wife, Queen Khentkaues, was of royal blood. Historians say that Userkaf married her to align himself with the royal line. Unfortunately, his reign is not well documented, but he built a marvelous pyramid at Saqqara. His architecture and decoration demonstrates the artistic glory of the era. The pyramid was designed to act as a chapel for offerings and a as a mortuary temple for the king. The temple court has square granite columns in all the corners and some beautiful reliefs on the walls. Two of the temple's busts were recovered recently.

King Userkaf was related to the royal house from more than one side. He was the grandson of king Djedefre and he married a daughter of king Menkaure.

He moved to the very heart of the Sakkara cemetery for his tomb and had the nerve to erect his tomb monument only fifty metres from the enclosure wall of the mortuary complex of Djoser, then over 200 years old and probably with his cult still in action.

Alongside the arranging of his tomb, Userkaf started an absolutely new kind of building task at Abusir two or three kilometers toward the north, where the vast majority of his supporters ought to erect their pyramids. This was something extraordinary - a development of a Sun Temple.

This clique focal point of the sun god Re, had a tremendous stone monolith as the totem, symbolizing the sun. A sacrificial stone was put for offerings and the Palermo stone (made later in this administration) expresses that two bulls were yielded here consistently. This confidence had at this point developed to a national religion and starting now and into the foreseeable future the ruler had as one of his titles: "Child of Re".

At the point when this site was exhumed in the 1950s it ended up being in an extreme condition of destroy since it had been a stone quarry in old circumstances. The ground arrange and diverse phases of development could apportion however, and the conclusion was that more than one pharaoh had added to the working throughout the years. It is assumed that ruler Neuserre (after 100 years) included the inward fenced in area divider and councils of limestone.

At the end of the causeway down by the Nile was a Valley Temple, and the whole concept was similar to the pyramids of the pharaohs, with the difference that the tomb was changed for a shrine to the solar god Re. Written sources tell that six sun temples were built during the fifth dynasty, but only four have been found. A black stone head of the king (picture left) was found at the site. Some doubts about if it really is the king have been put forward since he is looking so young considering he became pharaoh as a middle aged man. Nonetheless is this an example of how sculpturing and art in general stood at its peak in Egyptian history at this point. Thereafter a general decline was clearly visible and never again in Egyptian history did it reach the standard of dynasty five.

Userkaf's tomb was built at Sakkara as a pyramid. Its name was "The Pyramid Which is Pure in Places" (picture below left). The temple by the pyramid had a floor made of black basalt stone and so was the foundations of the walls. The rest was made of white limestone from Tura and carved with relief scenes of offerings, decorations of animals etc.