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Teti’s Pyramid

Saqqara - The Places

6th Dynasty Pharaoh Teti’s Mortuary Complex had his main Pyramid at its centre and was surrounded by his Mortuary Temple; the Valley Temple, a Causeway, Cult Structures, a Satellite Pyramid, 2 Pyramidical Complexes for his Queens.

Regrettably the Valley Temple was ruined sometime after its construction but before the erection of a God Anubis dedicated Temple during the Old Kingdom Period. From there, the Pharaoh’s Funeral would have borne his body up the Causeway to his Mortuary Temple and on into his Pyramid.

 

 

Pharaoh Teti’s Pyramid was smooth sided, with a height of 52.5m and a base of 78.75m and had a similar layout to Pharaoh Djedkare’s Pyramid. To reach the Burial Chamber access is granted via the adjoining Chapel via a Corridor which slopes downwards for 1,823m. It can be assumed that the anti-theft Limestone blocks have been cut up and removed in part by antiquity robbers as only detritus is left when it was found in modern times. The traverse continues with hallways, vestibules and some storage Chambers before arriving at the Funerary Suite for Pharaoh. The Walls are enveloped in Pyramid Texts, making Teti the second Pharaoh to decorate his Pyramid as such, the first being Pharaoh Unas. To learn more about the Pyramid Texts and those that followed them click here.

The Coffin used to bury Pharaoh Teti was an incomplete Greywacke Sarcophagus. By itself it is not particularly interesting. The part that is can be found on the inside of the Coffin, inscriptions which are gently etched there. Furthermore, the Robbers left Egyptologists what we can presume is a plaster mould of Pharaoh Teti’s face which would have been used for his death mask. If it is Pharaoh Teti this would make it an irreplaceably unique antiquity. Manetho, a Priest from Sebennytos, Egypt from the Ptolemaic Period who authored, “the Aegyptiaca”, in Greek which was a major chronological source for the reigns of the Pharaohs of Egypt, states that Pharaoh Teti was murdered by his own bodyguards.

His pyramid was restored in the 19th Dynasty, New Kingdom Period, by High Priest of Memphis, and son of Pharaoh Ramses II, Prince Khaemwaset. He inscribed the commemoration of his works into the Pyramid.

Pharaoh Teti’s Necropolis

This area includes 2 Pyramids, with their own Temples, for his great Royal Wife Queen Iput, daughter of Pharaoh Unas, the last Pharaoh of the 5th Dynasty; and Principal Wife, Queen Khuit II who was buried with a Pink Granite Sarcophagus.

Other 6th Dynasty burials were:

  • Pyramid Complex of Pharaoh’s Mother, Sesheshet I;
  • Mastaba Burial of Prince Tetiankhkem, the son of Pharaoh Teti and Principal Wife, Queen Khuit;
  • Mastaba Burial for one of Pharaoh Teti’s Viziers, Kagemni;
  • Mastaba Burial for another of Pharaoh Teti’s Viziers, Ankhmahor;
  • Mastaba Burial for another of Pharaoh Teti’s Viziers, Mereruka
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