Fifth Dynasty of Egypt

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Fifth Dynasty of Egypt
Unas-Pyramide (Sakkara) 13.jpg
The pyramid of Unas at Saqqara
Capital Memphis
Common languages Egyptian language
Religion
ancient Egyptian religion
Government Absolute monarchy
Pharaoh  
 7–8 years (first)
Userkaf
 13 years
Sahure
 c. 10 years
Neferirkare Kakai
 c. 2 years
Neferefre
 Few months
Shepseskare
 24–35 years
Nyuserre Ini
 8–9 years
Menkauhor Kaiu
 33 up to over 44 years
Djedkare Isesi
 15–30 years (last)
Unas
Historical era Old Kingdom of Egypt
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Blank.png Fourth Dynasty of Egypt
Sixth Dynasty of Egypt Blank.png

The Fifth Dynasty of ancient Egypt (notated Dynasty V) is often combined with Dynasties III, IV and VI under the group title the Old Kingdom. The Fifth Dynasty pharaohs reigned for approximately 150 years, from the early 25th century BC until the mid 24th century BC.

Contents

Chronology

The Fifth Dynasty of Egypt is a group of nine kings ruling Egypt for approximately 150 years in the 25th and 24th centuries BC. [note 1] The relative succession of kings is not entirely secured as there are contradictions between historical sources and archaeological evidence regarding the reign of the shadowy Shepseskare.

Rulers

Known rulers in the Fifth Dynasty are listed below. [7] Manetho assigns 248 years of rule to the Fifth Dynasty; however, the pharaohs of this dynasty more probably ruled for approximately 150 years. [19] This estimate varies by both scholar and source. The Horus names [18] and most names of the queens [20] are taken from Dodson and Hilton. [21]

Dynasty V pharaohs
Nomen (personal name)Prenomen (throne name) Horus-name ImagesEstimated reign durationPyramidQueen(s)
Userkaf UserkafIrimaat By ovedc - Egyptian Museum (Cairo) - 046 (cropped).jpg 7 years Pyramid in Saqqara Khentkaus I  ?
Neferhetepes
Sahure SahureNebkhau SahureAndNomeGod-CloseUpOfSahure MetropolitanMuseum.png 13 years, 5 months and 12 days Pyramid in Abusir Meretnebty
Kakai Neferirkare Userkhau Neferirkare Kakai 2.png 20 years Pyramid in Abusir Khentkaus II
Isi Neferefre Neferkhau Neferefre 2.jpg 2 to 3 years Unfinished Pyramid of Neferefre in Abusir Khentkaus III  ?
Netjeruser Shepseskare Sekhemkhau Shepseskare Cylinder Seal.png Likely a few months Unfinished Pyramid of Abusir?
Ini Nyuserre Setibtawy Niuserre Double Statue.jpg 24 to 35 years Pyramid in Abusir Reptynub
Kaiu Menkauhor Menkhau Menkauhor CG 40.jpg 8 or 9 years"Headless Pyramid" in Saqqara Meresankh IV?
Isesi Djedkare Djedkhau Berlin 122009 036 b.jpg 33 to more than 44 years Pyramid in Saqqara Setibhor
Unas UnasWadjtawy Ounas-chambre2.jpg 15 to 30 years Pyramid in Saqqara Nebet
Khenut

Manetho writes that the Dynasty V kings ruled from Elephantine, but archeologists have found evidence clearly showing that their palaces were still located at Ineb-hedj ("White Walls").

As before, expeditions were sent to Wadi Maghareh and Wadi Kharit in the Sinai to mine for turquoise and copper, and to quarries northwest of Abu Simbel for gneiss. Trade expeditions were sent south to Punt to obtain malachite, myrrh, and electrum, and archeological finds at Byblos attest to diplomatic expeditions sent to that Phoenician city. Finds bearing the names of several Dynasty V kings at the site of Dorak, near the Sea of Marmara, may be evidence of trade but remain a mystery.

Userkaf

How Pharaoh Userkaf founded this dynasty is not known for certain. The Westcar Papyrus, which was written during the Middle Kingdom, tells a story of how king Khufu of Dynasty IV was given a prophecy that triplets born to the wife of the priest of Ra in Sakhbu would overthrow him and his heirs, and how he attempted to put these children – named Userkaf, Sahure, and Neferirkare – to death; however in recent years, scholars have recognized this story to be at best a legend and admit their ignorance over how the transition from one dynasty to another transpired.

During this dynasty, Egyptian religion made several important changes. The earliest known copies of funerary prayers inscribed on royal tombs (known as the Pyramid Texts) appear. The cult of the god Ra gains added importance, and kings from Userkaf through Menkauhor Kaiu built temples dedicated to Ra at or near Abusir. Then late in this dynasty, the cult of the deity Osiris assumes importance, most notably in the inscriptions found in the tomb of Unas.

Djedkare Isesi

Amongst non-royal Egyptians of this time, Ptahhotep, vizier to Djedkare Isesi, won fame for his wisdom; The Maxims of Ptahhotep was ascribed to him by its later copyists. Non-royal tombs were also decorated with inscriptions, like the royal ones, but instead of prayers or incantations, biographies of the deceased were written on the walls.

Notes

  1. Several dates have been proposed by the scholars for the Fifth Dynasty: 2513–2374, [1] [2] 2510–2370, [3] 2510–2460, [4] 2504–2345, [5] 2498–2345, [6] 2494–2345, [7] [8] [9] [10] 2465–2323, [11] [12] 2454–2297, [5] 2450–2335, [13] [14] 2450–2325, [15] 2435–2306, [16] [17] 2392–2282 [18]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Userkaf</span> Ancient Egyptian pharaoh

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Djedkare Isesi</span> Ancient Egyptian pharaoh

Djedkare Isesi was a pharaoh, the eighth and penultimate ruler of the Fifth Dynasty of Egypt in the late 25th century to mid-24th century BC, during the Old Kingdom. Djedkare succeeded Menkauhor Kaiu and was in turn succeeded by Unas. His relationship to both of these pharaohs remain uncertain, although it is often conjectured that Unas was Djedkare's son, owing to the smooth transition between the two.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pyramid of Neferefre</span> Unfinished pyramid

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Khentkaus I, also referred to as Khentkawes, was a royal woman who lived in ancient Egypt during both the Fourth Dynasty and the Fifth Dynasty. She may have been a daughter of king Menkaure, the wife of both king Shepseskaf and king Userkaf, the mother of king Sahure. Some suggest that she was the regent for one of her sons. Perhaps, in her own right, she may have been the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, which aspects of her burial suggest. Her mastaba at Giza – tomb LG100 – is located very close to Menkaure's pyramid complex. This close connection may point to a family relationship. Although the relationship is not clear, the proximity of the pyramid complex of Khentkaus to that of king Menkaure has led to the conjecture that she may have been his daughter.

The Headless Pyramid, otherwise identified as Lepsius XXIX, is the remain of a pyramid complex built in Saqqara. The identity of the pyramid owner is unclear, though it is suspected to belong to either pharaoh Menkauhor of the Fifth Dynasty or pharaoh Merikare of the Tenth Dynasty, both of whom are known to have built a pyramid. If associated with Menkauhor, the pyramid's name is Nṯr-ỉswt Mn-kꜣw-ḥr meaning 'Divine are the places of Menkauhor'; if associated with Merikare, the pyramid's name is Wꜣḏ-swt Mry-kꜣ-rꜥ meaning 'Fresh are the places of Merikare'. Other candidates for the pyramid owner that have been proposed are Amenemhat I of the Twelfth Dynasty and an ephemeral pharaoh Ity of the Eighth Dynasty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pyramid of Nyuserre</span> Pyramid complex of the last pharaoh to be buried at Abusir

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pyramid of Senusret II</span>

The pyramid of Senusret II at El Lahun is the pyramid complex constructed for the pharaoh Senusret II in the Twelfth Dynasty.

References

  1. Verner 2001b, pp. 588–590.
  2. Altenmüller 2001, pp. 597–600.
  3. Verner 2001d, p. 473.
  4. Grimal 1992, p. 390.
  5. 1 2 von Beckerath 1997, p. 188.
  6. Clayton 1994, p. 60.
  7. 1 2 Shaw 2000, p. 482.
  8. Bard 1999, p. xlv, Chronology of Ancient Egypt.
  9. Málek 2000, pp. 98 & 100.
  10. Rice 1999, p. xlix, Chronoloy.
  11. Lehner 2008, p. 8.
  12. Allen et al. 1999, p. xx.
  13. Verner 2001a, p. 418.
  14. Krauss 1998, p. 56.
  15. Arnold 2003, p. 267.
  16. Hornung 2012, p. 491.
  17. Bárta 2017, p. 3.
  18. 1 2 Dodson & Hilton 2004, p. 288.
  19. Altenmüller 2001, p. 597.
  20. Dodson & Hilton 2004, p. 65.
  21. Dodson & Hilton 2004, pp. 65 & 288.

Bibliography

Preceded by Dynasty of Egypt
c. 24942345 BC
Succeeded by