the pyramid of teti

The Sixth Dynasty rolled in like the thunderhead that portents a rising storm.  There had been tension between the royal line from which Teti descended and the one which had just vacated the throne.  Court officials had grown accustomed to wealth.  Provincial nobles were flexing their will to independence.  Famine.  Waves of refugees.  Ongoing religious reform.  Teti’s agenda could be summarized in two words–damage control.

Pharaoh Teti

Pharaoh Teti, also called Othoes, was the first king of the Sixth Dynasty, and ruled for about 11 – 20 years, between around 2347 – 2327 BC.  His mother was Queen Sesheshet, but his true claim to the throne probably stemmed from his marriage to Queen Iput I, the eldest daughter of Pharaoh Unas.  He had at least one other wife, named Khuit.  Evidence found within the queens’ pyramids suggest that Khuit may have actually been Teti’s primary wife.
Teti’s heir, Pepi I, was preceded on the throne by Userkare, whose short reign may indicate a co-regency or an usurpation.  Some believe Userkare had Teti assassinated by his own guards.
King Teti was an accomplished politician, which may be why his reign lasted as long as it did, given the political climate.  He wisely left much of Unas’ royal cabinet in place, and was not above handing out promotions and titles to curry favor.  He further consolidated power by marrying his daughter, Seshseshet, to Vizier Mereruka.
Political savvy was a prerequisite to being pharaoh during the tumultuous Sixth Dynasty, a time of social change.  The Cult of Ra based at Heliopolis had become an influential force to be appeased.  Famine combined with immigration was causing general unrest across the land.  And while not exactly a middle class in the strict sense, the rising wealth and power of high court officials and local nobility signaled a weakening of pharaonic hegemony.
Teti, and the pharaohs who would follow him in the Sixth Dynasty, would do a commendable job of preserving Egyptian ways and institutions.  But by the time of his reign, an irreversible gyre had been set in motion that would only continue to gain momentum until it spun the Two Kingdoms apart.

The Pyramid of Teti

Teti’s Pyramid has a height of about 172 feet, and its external surface is mostly rubble.  Like other pyramids of the time, it consisted of a step pyramid-style core faced with dressed white limestone that gave it the appearance of a smooth-sided pyramid.  Also like many pyramids of the time, the facing stones were plundered, leaving the core to break down due to exposure.
The layout of Teti’s pyramid is similar to that of King Unas, although slightly larger.  Like that of Unas, the walls of the antechamber and burial chamber are inscribed with the Pyramid Text, rituals and incantations intended to guide the king through the afterlife.  The vaulted ceiling is a painted canopy of stars.  The basalt sarcophagus was left intact, and there were fragments of what may have been his mummy recovered inside.

Little remains of Teti’s mortuary temple, although there is enough to tell that there were a few differences from that of Unas, whose design he otherwise closely followed.  For one, Teti favored the plain square pillars common to pyramid complexes dating from the Fourth Dynasty, rather than the more modern round pillars.  He also changed the approach of the causeway to the mortuary temple so that rather than lining up with the center of the eastern wall of the pyramid it angles away from the south east.   
In another apparent nod to the traditions of the Fourth Dynasty, Teti had queens’ pyramids built for his wives within his pyramid complex, and in 2008 the pyramid of his mother, Sesheshet, was also discovered within his complex.  These excavations led to the discovery that Teti’s complex was later co-opted for other burials and related funerary chapels from the New Kingdom Period to the Roman Period.
Teti’s policies were clearly intended to maintain the authority of the Pharaoh, and his efforts may have forestalled the coming Intermediate Period.  It is apparent that a schism of some variety was thwarted after the death of Unas, although in the end court intrigue would catch up with this master of power politics.  His pyramid complex remains one of the most fruitful excavation sites in Egypt

the pyramid of unas

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The Pyramid of King Unas (Photo by Keith Payne)





The death of Pharaoh Unas prompted the most fragile transfer of power in the Old Kingdom to date, but it would hardly be the last, or the









worst.  Without an heir, or at least one who ascended to the throne, the fact that the crown passed from one dynasty to another peaceably amidst a time of growing turmoil is a testament to what remained of Egypt’s institutions.

Pharaoh Unas

 


Pharaoh Unas, also called Ounas and Wenis, was the last king of the Fifth Dynasty, and possibly the last sovereign of the Old Kingdom to rule with relative security.  He ruled from about 2367 – 2347 BC, around 20-23 years.  He had two wives, Nebit and Khenut, the latter of which was probably the mother of Iput I, who would marry King Teti, thus founding the Sixth Dynasty.




Unas was apparently an active king, as reliefs and other narrative art depict him making war with the Bedouin and engaging in trade with other kingdoms.   It seems he passed without leaving an heir, and there may have been a brief and tense interregnum, finally settled with the marriage of his eldest daughter to Teti.


Many of his court officers would be retained under the rule of Teti, probably including Vizier Kagemni, which likely did at least as much to maintain law and order as Iput I’s royal pedigree.

The Pyramid of Unas

In terms of pyramid construction, the end of the Fifth Dynasty was as far as you could get from the monuments of Dashur and Giza that symbolize the early years of the Old Kingdom.  King Unas’ Pyramid was the smallest of the Old Kingdom Period, and although successive pyramids would be slightly larger, his layout would set the pattern for the Sixth Dynasty.
Monument construction during the Fifth Dynasty was focused chiefly on temple building.  The generous endowments extended to the newly-empowered cult of Ra, combined with other growing demands on the royal coffers, left little gold for pyramid building.
In an effort to compensate, finely dressed white limestone was placed over a cheaply constructed step-style pyramid understructure to create the illusion of a small but regal smooth-sided pyramid.  As a result, when the limestone casing was plundered in later years the core was left to disintegrate in the elements, leaving behind one of the trademark rubble pyramids of this period.
The inside of Unas’ pyramid, however, is another matter altogether.  The inner walls are mostly in very good shape, and contain the earliest example of Pyramid Texts discovered to date.  These are passages inscribed on the walls containing rituals and incantations to assist the divine pharaoh in the ordeals of the afterlife.
The burial chamber has a vaulted ceiling that has been painted with a starry nighttime sky.  Unas’ basalt and alabaster sarcophagus was found in the burial chamber, and a few fragments of what is believed to have been his mummy were recovered from within.
The base and stairway of Unas’ valley temple remain in fairly good shape, and much of the causeway is in excellent shape.  The causeway is decorated with scenes of daily life, including hunting and agriculture, along with depictions of various craftsmen plying their trades.
There are also scenes describing the geopolitical climate of Unas’ reign.  In addition to trade and warfare, Unas’ foreign policy resulted in an influx of immigrants who are represented as emaciated to the point of starvation.
This was a time when famine was common throughout the Mediterranean region, and Egypt had her own share of domestic problems.  These new additions to the already restless provinces were yet another factor sapping away at the authority of the central government, the very thing that had made the Old Kingdom possible.
At the end of the causeway, the mortuary temple itself is in very good condition.  Many elements remain, including flooring, palm-adorned pillars, and niches where statues of the king would have once stood.  King Teti’s name appears in the gateway to the mortuary temple, indicating that it was completed during his reign, after Unas had passed.
The transfer of power from the Fifth Dynasty to the Sixth may have been with trepidation, but it occurred successfully, due in no small part to the political genius of Teti.  As local leaders and high court officials were enjoying the redistribution of wealth that accompanied the slow death of the Old Kingdom, things were not going so well for the rest of the populace, and the institution of pharaonic authority would increasingly come to feel the heat.
Teti would have his work cut out for him.

the tomb of kagemni

a total of twenty porters arranged in two rows and which have the characteristic of being divided symmetrically into two sub-groups, by a visible middle line. Those of each half heading toward the nearest Kagemni figure, either on the north or south wall. In the upper part of the wall, can be found stacks of vases, chests, etc. These are also separated into north and south groups by the central dividing line. Yet again the upper registers only contain the blue-gray coloured background.


 







The sarcophagus bears the name and the titles of Kagemni. The plunderers displaced its lid. The limestone box section actually contained a wooden coffin with various remnants and bones belonging to the great nomarch, whose mummy had been smashed to steal the amulets and other precious objects which it contained. The excavators have found very little of the funeral furniture, primarily crockery. Canopic vases were also present, although broken

the tomb of kagemni

porters, are each surmounted by a broad band of sculpted hieroglyphs.
The porters of the bottom register carry in their hands a long unidentifiable object, and which has been speculated to be a roll of material . If this is the case, would it be so amazingly rigid? The men of the register above carry either large vases , or they carry something round which could be a necklace. Some of the men are designated priests of the Ka. Kagemni stands magnificently at the eastern end of
a great number and variety of vases; again with minimal colour other than that of the background.

he wall to receive the many gifts (

The Tomb of Kagemni

the procession of the porters
Six teams of men, distributed on the two lower registers, pull sledges laden with enormous vases of oil


They continue to the scenes on the north wall, heading for its eastern extremity where Kagemni awaits them. Each of these two registers is again surmounted by a broad band of hieroglyphs.
The upper registers are incomplete in places and all have very little colour. The two immediately above the porters, are of boxes containing even more vases, the one above these has a vast array of vases of various designs.

The tomb of Kagemni

It is raised above the level of the floor, and approached by a flight of steps. Its upper part is missing, but on the whole it remains very well preserved.
• Its right and left uprights are formed of three engraved panels, each being inset deeper toward the middle, achieving a stepped aspect. They each carry vertical columns of hieroglyphs, pointing out the deceased's titles, and his two names (Kagemni and Memi).
• The central, very narrow opening is painted in orange and is surmounted by a thin roller bearing the name of Kagemni. As in a terrestrial dwelling, this roller is the equivalent of the blind protecting an opening without door.
Through this opening, situated directly above of the underground funeral chambers, the Ka of Kagemni could leave and re-enter the sarcophagus, and come to satiate himself from the food offerings which were presented for him in front of the stela door.
If by misfortune his funerary cult should fall into oblivion, the Ka always had at his disposition the representations on the walls, which magically assumed the same role.
• Above the roller, the deceased is represented seated in front of a table decorated with "thousands of breads, beer, alabaster, head of livestock, etc., achieving that which Egyptological jargon names a "placard". This formula of wishes was also intended for the living, who had to recite it in a loud voice, so that it became a reality in the beyond.

The tomb of Kagemni

These have a symmetry of themes, even though variations of details exist. Both include
 
multiple porters with offerings, men or women, priests of the Ka, etc. All move towards the rear, where a seated Kagemni awaits them, with his back towards his false door

Among the multiple details which show the interest that the Egyptians often especially showed for the animal kingdom the period of the Old Kingdom -
 
 what should be noted is the precision of the representations. As for example: this hedgehog in cage, these small calves at play  but which doesn't stop them showing a dead calf being transported in a basket , etc. What does remain dubious, in front, is the representation of two ibexes in a basket: it is quite possible that it represents an ornamental accessory

The Tomb of Kagemni

a procession of porters with offerings, laden with fruits, with birds, with vases containing flowers, trays and baskets filled with breads, meats and vegetables intended the "ka of Memi". These continue on the following walls, in either a clockwise  or an anti-clockwise direction.

 Kagemni, who is illustrated receiving the products of the fields which are provided for his funerary worship. Thus he sees the procession of servants laden with the various goods approaching in front of him

 a new procession starts here, they actually continue towards the rear of the figure of Kagemni
  there are three sub-registers. The bottom row shows chests containing vases and on the left is a strange assembly including a fan and a flail resting on what can only be a bed. Above, the first row of men is constituted of scribes carrying different scolls. Note that in front of the first one of them has been added his name
Take note of the first three men in the top register and the curious disposition of their arms. If the gestures of the first and the third are those of greetings, then the attitude of the one of the middle is very perplexing.

The Tomb of kagemni

Kagemni seated in a sedan-chair, leaning nonchalantly on his right arm, while he holds a cane in the left hand, with the height of his shoulder. He wears a large necklace around his neck.
The chair is transported by 20 men laid out in two teams of ten, each one carries a stick while supporting a pole of the chair on his other shoulder .

 

Between the rows, a supervisor, cane in hand, is ready to make his respect. Note the enormous disproportion of the sizes between the Lord and his chair on the one hand, and the other characters on the other.
In front of and behind the palanquin (the covered sedan-chair), two men hold vertical poles which are in fact the handles of its canopy.

We possess an example of a sedan-chair of this type, that of queen Hetepheres, preserved at the Cairo museum.
  a great difference exists between the real size of the chairs and those that are sometimes represented. Certainly 20 men were not necessary to carry them.  The Egyptian centipede has only 42 legs, here we have 42 legs, counting the number of legs of 10 porters represented on each side, plus one supervisor!

In front of the scene, advance three superimposed nobles, among which are mentioned "his son", but his name is not specified. Immediately above the doorway, can be seen a dwarf holding, by leashes, two dogs and a monkey. The dogs have curly tails and are of the breed "sloughy".

The tomb of Kagemni

This wall is badly damaged. It contains large-sized figure of Kagemni, with his wife Nebty-nebu-khet. The princess stands behind Kagemni, whilst in front can be found his son Teti-ankh, as a small character who holds his father's leg.
The characters receive the contributions of fish resulting from the activity of the servants in the marshes

The tomb of Kagemni

a)- First register
Here are two similar scenes of bird hunting, using a hexagonal net. The one of left is preserved particularly well

 Both nets have been stretched close to a pool. In each case, beside the poll, stands a solitary palm tree.

When sufficient number of birds are under the net, the man on the right gives the signal and, with his three friends in front of him, they pull violently on the rope, closing the net and trapping the fowl. A few survive, distraught, to escape from the trap

On the right, the second scene shows a very full net. The man situated on the right holds a piece of material between his outstretched arms, a signal perhaps for his hidden friends to pull the rope 

b)- Second register
This is dedicated to a scene of poultry farming.

Three bird cages are represented side by side, surrounded by nets and with a roof sustained by sticks with forked ends  In front of the first lot of poultry stands a character holding a bag of grain on his right shoulder, letting the grain trickle to the ground. This is a typically conventional representation of Egyptian art, because the character wouldn't perform this action outside the cage of course; he would have entered the enclosure by the small door represented at the bottom. But as the artist would have had difficulty representing him inside, he is shown accomplishing his task "outside"



c)- Third register

A large portion of this register is destroyed, but it was dedicated to the force-feeding of geese ( The farmers sitting on the ground prepare pellets which others will forcefully introduce into the gullets of the unhappy birds. This all takes place under a supervisor's unavoidable gaze. Note the various attitudes of the ducks and geese.

d)- Fourth register
Remaining with the actions of force-feeding, this register is very different and a lot more dangerous. In fact it is the force-feeding of animals, in this case hyenas. These animals could never be domesticated, and this is why the Egyptians gave up their exploitation from the end of the Old Kingdom.
However, be that as it may, the scenes represented here are very interesting.

Photomontage of the scenes of force-feeding hyenas

On the left, an single individual forces pieces of poultry into the mouth of a hyena, with its back on the ground, bound by the paws. Further to the right, two men force-feed another animal, one holding it by the tail and the second by a rope around the neck. Next right, two men work around an upturned animal, its rear paws are bound but this is not true for its front paws, which are held by one of the men. Finally, a scribe sits with his back to the last two characters, making notes of everything. This report will be presented to Kagemni by his superior, standing in front of him.

e)- Fifth register
This one is very mutilated, showing some stalls with cattle, and the unavoidable scribe and foreman. Notice that two men work with a single cow, and also that the one doing the milking seems to grasp two different teats at the same time

f)- Sixth register
A drover with his ox and scribes, nothing much remains of them.