Egyptian early-era
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Ancient Egyptian Artifacts Old Kingdom 2686BC to about 2184BC

Introduction

The Old Kingdom is composed of Dynasties 3 through 6 inclusive, covering about five-hundred years. As the Old Kingdom dissolved a period of unrest ensued.

Old Kingdom

Old Kingdom Egypt

The Old Kingdom began in 2686, with the start of the third dynasty, and lasted until 2184 the end of the sixth. The end of the sixth dyansty saw the country divided again into. The Old Kingdom saw the development of elaborate royal pyramids as burying places with courtiers buried around them in a city of the dead. The major Old Kingdom pyramid and other commemorative burial sites are indicated with red text in the map to the left. The location of quarries for the major materials (limestone, granite, and alabaster) in building pyramids are indicated in purple text. The Old Kingdom administratively was centered at Memphis. Although in the 3rd and 4th Dynasties the Pharaohs had still come from Hierakonpolis in Upper Egypt as they had in the first two dynasties. It should be noted that place names in Egypt have many alias and many different spellings. For example: Sakkara can also be spelled Saqqra, Giza can be spelled Gizha, and most names have a Greek as well as an Egyptian equivalent: so the city at the first cataract of the Nile is Elephantine or Abu; and the city of Herakleopolis is also Ihnasiya.

Old Kingdom Burial Sites:

Saqqara, Middle Egypt: Royal burying place for the 3rd dynasty.

Giza, Middle Egypt, Royal burying place for 4th dynasty

Plan of Giza with
the location of the
Great Pyramids and Sphinx

Wood Sarcophagus 6th Dynasty

Stone Sarcophagus 4th Dynasty

Sarcophagus of Kai em Nofret 4th Dynasty

A sarcophagus is a box coffin which hold one or more human shaped coffins which contain the wrapped remains of the dead. Often the box coffin was made to resemble a royal palace.

Religion

Brewer and Woman Grinding Grain 6th Dynasty These little statues are called shabatti and they are placed in the tomb with the dead to provide servants for him in the afterlife.

Ka Statue of Meneruka 6th Dynasty Saqqara A Ka statue gives the dead a way to interact with the living. Through the Ka the dead may participate in rituals and eat and drink the food provided by worshipers.

Thirty more Artifacts from the Old Kingdom

Back to the Egyptian Early-Era

Next check out the Art from The Egyptian Middle-Era.

Egyptian early-era
Egyptian middle-era
Egyptian high-era
Egyptian final-era