Through the Eras

Architecture and DesignA RITUAL SPEECH TO UNITE WITH THE SUNGODINTRODUCTION: The Pyramid Texts were carved inside thesarcophagus chambers of the pyramids beginningin the reign of King Unas (2371–2350 B.C.E.). Theseritual speeches, according to Egyptian religious belief,helped the deceased king unify with the sungod, his father. In this example the king unites withRe-Atum, a form of the sun-god, Re, merged withthe creator god, Atum.Re-Atum, this Unas comes to you,A spirit indestructibleWho lays claim to the place of the four pillars!Your son comes to you, this Unas comes to you,May you cross the sky united in the dark,May you rise in lightland, the place in which youshine!Seth, Nephthys, go proclaim to Upper Egypt’s godsAnd their spirits:”This Unas comes, a spirit indestructible,If he wishes you to die, you will die,If he wishes you to live, you will live!”PylonOpencourtCausewayAntechamber,4.02 3.1 mPylonEntrancehallBurial chamber,7.84 3.1 mEntranceSanctuarySatellite pyramid5 statue nichesQueen’s pyramidQueen’ssatellitepyramid003 portcullisesN50 m150 ftCorridor-chamberDescendingpassageEntranceSOURCE: “The king joins the sun god,” in The Old andMiddle Kingdoms. Vol. 1 of Ancient Egyptian Literature.Trans. Miriam Lichtheim (Berkeley: University of CaliforniaPress, 1973): 30–31.3 magazinesSatellitepyramidadministrators engaged in other tasks, including astronomicalobservations to determine the proper day forcelebrating festivals and the administrative tasks associatedwith delivering, storing, and disbursing largeamounts of commodities that arrived at the complex ona regular basis. These goods included food and clothingused during the rituals. The pyramid complexes of theOld Kingdom were probably very busy places rather thanjust tombs. Some of the complexes operated for muchlonger periods than others. The cult of Khufu at theGreat Pyramid, for example, continued with its ownpriests as late as the Twenty-sixth Dynasty (664–525B.C.E.) over 2,000 years after the building of the complex.EVENTS AND TRENDS. Architecture allows Egyptologiststo follow general trends in the history of theFifth and Sixth Dynasties. The rise of the sun-god Re’simportance seems to co-exist with a lowered status of theking himself, compared to Fourth-dynasty kings. Thisobservation depends on the fact that royal pyramids ofThe Djedkare-Isesi temple from above as well as a side profileshowing the pyramid, the satellite pyramid, as well as the sanctuaryand entrance hall. CREATED BY GGS INFORMATION SERVICES.GALE.the Fifth and Sixth Dynasties were so much smaller thanthe Fourth-dynasty pyramids. Khufu’s Great Pyramid requiredten times more stone to build than Nefirkare’spyramid, built in the Fifth Dynasty. Considering thatFifth-dynasty building methods were also more economicalbecause they used some fill rather than beingsolid stone as the Fourth-dynasty pyramids were, it iseven more striking that Fifth- and Sixth-dynasty kingsspent fewer resources on themselves than Fourth-dynastykings had done. Because Egyptologists lack other recordsto supplement this picture, the actual events that led tothis change cannot be examined. It is not clear, for example,whether there were fewer resources to spend onthe king because of wars or famines, or whether theArts and Humanities Through the Eras: Ancient Egypt (2675 B.C.E.–332 B.C.E.) 33