The Fifth Dynasty of Ancient Egypt History

• 16 / 5 / 2023

The Fifth Dynasty of Ancient Egypt History

The explanation of the origins of the 5th dynasty of Egypt given in the Westcar Papyrus can be contrasted with contemporary evidence of the reigns of King Sahure and Neferirkara. In his mastaba of Giza, Queen Khentkawes is identified by the title single "mother of two kings of Upper and Lower Egypt." This same title appears in his pyramid (recently discovered by Czech archaeologists), located near the Neferirkara pyramid in Abusir.

During Egypt's 5th dynasty, the Neferirkara Pyramid provided the most important group of administrative papyri in the old kingdom. These documents scatter light on the day-to-day running of a pyramid complex and include detailed records of the products delivered, lists of priests on duty, inventories of temple equipment, and letters. However, the pyramid complex was left unfinished, and its valley temple was later incorporated by King Niuserre (the 6th king of this dynasty) into his own burial complex.

There were no major contradictions between the needs of the world of the gods and the dead and the needs of the living in the 5th dynasty of Egypt. It is possible to imagine without problems a system in which most of the national product was dedicated, in theory, to cover the needs of the deceased sovereigns, their solar temples, and the sanctuaries of the local gods; but which, in reality, was intended to support the majority of the Egyptian population.

During the 5th dynasty, there was an increase in the number of priests and officials who were able to build tombs thanks to their own efforts. Some of these mastabas are among the largest and best decorated in the Old Kingdom, as in the case of the tombs of Ti ( Saqqara ) and Ptahshepses ( Abusir ), both probably from the reign of Niuserre. Many of them are located in provincial cemeteries rather than in the environment of the royal pyramids. Surely, this relaxation of dependence on royal favor was
accompanied by a corresponding variety in the form and artistic quality of the statues and reliefs.

Kings f the 5th dynasty: 2465–2323 B.C.

• Userkaf        2465–2458 B.C.
• Sahure         2458–2446 B.C.
• Neferirkare  2446–2438 B.C.
• Shepseskare 2438–2431 B.C.
• Neferefre     2431–2420 B.C.
• Niuserre      2420–2389 B.C.
• Menkauhor  2389–2381 B.C.
• Isesi             2381–2353 B.C.
• Unis             2353–2323 B.C.