Teti

There is a close resemblance between Teti and his predecessor Unas in many ways. However, the plan of Teti's pyramid was to some extent new and innovative.

Teti was the first pharaoh in ancient Egypt's Sixth Dynasty. He is less commonly known as Othoes. From evidence gathered by the historians from various sources, it is believed that Teti reigned for 12 years. It is also said that Teti married Iput, the daughter of Unas. Unas was the last King of the 5th dynasty and preceded Teti. Apart from Iput, Teti had several other wives, and the names of different queens are mentioned in different places.

The Building of Funerary Monuments

It was during the reign of Teti that the high officials built different funerary monuments rivaling the monuments of the pharaoh. The biggest known tomb was of king Mereruka at Saqqara and it is comprised of 33 carved rooms. It was a clear sign that the wealth of Egypt was slowly getting transferred from the central court to the officials. The king was however murdered by his bodyguards and was buried in the necropolis of Saqqara. This is also thought to be one of the major reasons that resulted the Old Kingdom disintegrated was the growing power and wealth of officials.

The Building Of Funerary Monuments

It is important to note that no marked change was evident in the reign of Teti after the reign of the last king of the 5th dynasty. A cemetery of large tombs was built around this king’s pyramid, and these included several viziers. In fact, with many tombs near the pyramid of Unas, it is considered to be the largest cluster of private monuments of the Old Kingdom. Lots of inscriptions and texts were also found from these monuments that give evidence to the facts.

The Pyramid of The King

The pyramid of the king is located in Saqqara. This smooth-sided pyramid contained many texts. Different excavations carried out in the site also traced the evidence of satellite pyramid along with two pyramids of queens. Furthermore, these were accompanied by funerary temples and cult structures. The pyramid was opened and the complex was explored to gather different pieces of evidence. The preservation lying above the ground is very poor, and currently, it resembles a very small hill. However, the chambers and corridors below the ground are very well preserved.

Following A Model: Teti's Pyramid

The pyramid complex of Teti follows a model established during the reigns of kings in the 5th dynasty. Moreover, the arrangements are inherited from the funerary complexes located at Abusir. The valley temple is now lost and it was probably damaged in antiquity with the place of an Old Kingdom temple. However, later a better funerary temple was discovered which connects the valley temple through a causeway. The plan of his temple can also be compared to the temple of Unas in many ways. However, Teti's temple has a special and unique plan which is not evident in any other temples constructed before him.