Old Kingdom of Egypt

Lore & Background

The Old Kingdom began with King Djoser of the Third Dynasty, who ordered the construction of the Step Pyramid at Saqqara. His vizier, Imhotep, is credited with developing building with stone and conceiving the step pyramid form. During this era, formerly independent Egyptian states became nomes under the king's rule, and the king was believed to be the incarnation of Horus, linking the human and spiritual worlds. The royal residence remained at Memphis.

Reader's Guide

The Old Kingdom reached its zenith under the Fourth Dynasty, with King Sneferu commissioning three pyramids, including the Meidum Pyramid, the Bent Pyramid, and the Red Pyramid. His son Khufu built the Great Pyramid of Giza, achieving the fully developed pyramid style. Subsequent kings Khafre and Menkaure built the other Giza pyramids. The Fifth Dynasty saw a shift toward the cult of the sun god Ra, with more sun temples built at Abusir. The Sixth Dynasty witnessed a gradual weakening of pharaonic power in favor of hereditary nomarchs, leading to internal disorders and civil wars after the reign of Pepi II.

Did You Know?

• The last king of the Early Dynastic Period was related to the first two kings of the Old Kingdom.
• Under King Djoser, architect Imhotep is credited with the development of building with stone and the step pyramid.
• The Old Kingdom is most commonly regarded as the period from the Third Dynasty to the Sixth Dynasty (2686–2181 BC).