In ancient Egyptian history, the Old Kingdom is the period spanning c. 2700–2200 BC. It is also known as the "Age of the Pyramids" or the "Age of the Pyramid Builders", as it encompasses the reigns of the great pyramid-builders of the Fourth Dynasty, such as King Sneferu, who perfected the art of pyramid-building, and the kings Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure, who constructed the pyramids at Giza. Egypt attained its first sustained peak of civilization during the Old Kingdom, the first of three so-called "Kingdom" periods, which mark the high points of civilization in the lower Nile Valley.
The Middle Kingdom of Egypt is the period in the history of ancient Egypt following a period of political division known as the First Intermediate Period. The Middle Kingdom lasted from approximately 2040 to 1782 BC, stretching from the reunification of Egypt under the reign of Mentuhotep II in the Eleventh Dynasty to the end of the Twelfth Dynasty. The kings of the Eleventh Dynasty ruled from Thebes and the kings of the Twelfth Dynasty ruled from el-Lisht.
Sahure was a pharaoh of ancient Egypt and the second ruler of the Fifth Dynasty. He reigned for about 13 years in the early 25th century BC during the Old Kingdom Period. Sahure's reign marks the political and cultural high point of the Fifth Dynasty. He was probably the son of his predecessor Userkaf with Queen Neferhetepes II, and was in turn succeeded by his son Neferirkare Kakai.
Merenre Nemtyemsaf was an Ancient Egyptian pharaoh, fourth king of the Sixth Dynasty. He ruled Egypt for six to 11 years in the early 23rd century BC, toward the end of the Old Kingdom period. He was the son of his predecessor Pepi I Meryre and queen Ankhesenpepi I and was in turn succeeded by Pepi II Neferkare who might have been his son or less probably his brother. Pepi I may have shared power with Merenre in a co-regency at the very end of the former's reign.
Neferirkare Kakai was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh, the third king of the Fifth Dynasty. Neferirkare, the eldest son of Sahure with his consort Meretnebty, was known as Ranefer A before he came to the throne. He acceded the day after his father's death and reigned for eight to eleven years, sometime in the early to mid-25th century BCE. He was himself very likely succeeded by his eldest son, born of his queen Khentkaus II, the prince Ranefer B who would take the throne as king Neferefre. Neferirkare fathered another pharaoh, Nyuserre Ini, who took the throne after Neferefre's short reign and the brief rule of the poorly known Shepseskare.
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.
Nyuserre Ini was an Ancient Egyptian pharaoh, the sixth ruler of the Fifth Dynasty during the Old Kingdom period. He is credited with a reign of 24 to 35 years depending on the scholar, and likely lived in the second half of the 25th century BCE. Nyuserre was the younger son of Neferirkare Kakai and queen Khentkaus II, and the brother of the short-lived king Neferefre. He may have succeeded his brother directly, as indicated by much later historical sources. Alternatively, Shepseskare may have reigned between the two as advocated by Miroslav Verner, albeit only for a few weeks or months at the most. The relation of Shepseskare with Neferefre and Nyuserre remains highly uncertain. Nyuserre was in turn succeeded by Menkauhor Kaiu, who could have been his nephew and a son of Neferefre.
Ptahhotep, sometimes known as Ptahhotep I or Ptahhotpe, was an ancient Egyptian vizier during the late 25th century BC and early 24th century BC Fifth Dynasty of Egypt. He is credited with authoring The Maxims of Ptahhotep, an early piece of Egyptian "wisdom literature" meant to instruct young men in appropriate behavior.
Rashepses was a vizier from the Fifth Dynasty of Egypt. Rashepses was vizier under Djedkare Isesi. A letter directed to Rashepses has been preserved. This decree is inscribed in his tomb in Saqqara. As vizier he was one of the most important Ancient Egyptian officials. In his tomb are many titles recorded. It seems that he was first overseer of the scribes of the royal documents, overseer of the two granaries and overseer of all royal works. These are all very important titles, making him an influential official at the royal court. At the final stage of his career he became vizier. The vizier title is only preserved in two letters that are copied on the decoration of the tomb. It seems that most of his tomb was finished and after all that, he was promoted.
Akhethetep was a high dignitary of ancient Egypt who lived during the Fifth Dynasty around 2400 BC. Akhethotep and his son Ptahhotep Tjefi were senior court officials during the rule of Djedkare and of Unas (Wenis), towards the end of the 5th Dynasty. Akhethetep's titles included that of a vizier, making him to the highest official at the royal court, only second to the king. He was also overseer of the treasuries, overseer of the scribes of the king's documents and overseer of the granaries. Akhethetep was the son of Ptahhotep. His father was vizier too.
The Khufu Statuette or the Ivory figurine of Khufu is an ancient Egyptian statue. Historically and archaeologically significant, it was found in 1903 by Sir William Matthew Flinders Petrie during excavation of Kom el-Sultan in Abydos, Egypt. It depicts Khufu, a Pharaoh of the Fourth dynasty, and the builder of the Great Pyramid, though it may have been carved much later, in the Twenty-Sixth Dynasty, 664 BC–525 BC.
Seshemnefer was an ancient Egyptian official of the Fifth Dynasty, most likely under king Djedkare Isesi. At the end of his career he became vizier, the highest office in Ancient Egypt, second only to the king.
Pehenuikai was an Ancient Egyptian official of the Fifth Dynasty. His main office was that of a vizier, making him to the most important man at the royal court, only second to the king. Beside being vizier, he was also holding many other important titles, such as Overseer of the treasuries, overseer of the scribes of the king's document, overseer of the double granary and overseer of all royal works of the king.
Kay was an Ancient Egyptian official living most likely in the Fifth Dynasty. He is mainly known from his mastaba in Saqqara North. Kay held a high number of important titles making him the most powerful person of his time, only second to the king. His main office was that of a vizier. Besides being vizier, he also held many other important titles, such as Overseer of the treasuries, Overseer of Upper Egypt, overseer of the scribes of the king's document, overseer of the six big houses and overseer of all royal works of the king. His mastaba in Saqqara was recorded by Gaston Maspero who assigned to it the number D 19. Kay bore 51 titles, making him the vizier with the highest number of titles. Kay was the first Egyptian official with the title overseer of the six big houses. The office became one of the most important at the royal court in the later Fifth Dynasty and continued to be so during the subsequent Sixth Dynasty . The dating of Kay is uncertain. No biography is preserved in his tomb, no king's name is mentioned. A date in the middle of the Fifth Dynasty has been proposed. Others prefer a date in the early Fifth Dynasty.
Akhethetep Hemi was an ancient Egyptian official at the end of the Fifth Dynasty, most likely in office under king Unas. His highest title was that of a vizier, making him the most important official at the royal court, only second to the king. Next to the vizier's titles he was also overseer of the treasuries, overseer of the scribes of the king's document and overseer of the double granary; all these were important positions at the royal court.
Ihy was an Ancient Egyptian official of the Fifth Dynasty, in office most likely under king Unas. Ihy was vizier and was therefore the most important official at the royal court only second to the king. Next to the titles of a vizier, he was also overseer of the treasuries, overseer of the scribes of the king's document, overseer of all royal works and overseer of the double granary. These are also important titles, demonstrating his important position at the royal court.
Izi was an important ancient Egyptian official of the Fourth Dynasty. His most important title was overseer of the treasury. Other important titles he hold are scribe of the king's document, overseer of the great house and overseer of the king's ornament.
Tjetju was an ancient Egyptian official at the end of the Old Kingdom or in the First Intermediate Period. He held a series of high titles making him one of the most influential people at the royal court. His most important title was that of vizier. He was also overseer of the treasuries, overseer of the six big houses, overseer of the two granaries and overseer of all royal work of the king.
The Statue of Metjen is on display in the Egyptian Museum in Berlin and has the inventory number ÄM 1106. The statue was discovered at Abusir in Metjen's mastaba by the Egyptian expedition (1842–1845) under the direction of the Prussian scholar Karl Richard Lepsius. The statue and the mastaba were bought to the museum in Berlin. The statue is an early example of an Egyptian statue belonging to a private individual. Metjen lived at the end of the Third Dynasty and the beginning of the Fourth Dynasty. The statue is made of granite and about 47 cm high. It is datable under king Snofru.
Teti was an Ancient Egyptian vizier from the end of the Old Kingdom, around 2200 BC. He is known from his tomb excavated near the pyramid complex of king Pepi II. His tomb is a big building. There was found an inscribed false door and an inscribed obelisk; these and further inscriptions provide the name and titles of Teti. His main function was that of a vizier, but he was also father of the god, beloved of the god, hereditary prince, king's eldest son and foster child of the king. These are all rare and exceptional important titles that indicate that Teti was a powerful official. He most likely dates to the end of Pepi's II reign. He was also overseer of the granaries and overseer of the treasury, titles often held by a vizier.
