2494–2487 BCE
5th Dynasty of Egypt
2494–2345 BCE
In the 5th Dynasty the cult of the sun-god Ra moved to the centre of royal ideology. Kings built sun temples alongside smaller, more hastily built pyramids at Abusir and Saqqara, and administrative titles increasingly went to officials outside the immediate royal family.
The last king, Unas, is the first to have the Pyramid Texts inscribed in his burial chamber, the oldest large body of religious writing from Egypt.
- Period
- Old Kingdom
- Dates
- 2494–2345 BCE
- Rulers profiled
- 9
Rulers of the 5th Dynasty
Best-known rulers: Userkaf; Sahure; Neferirkare; Nyuserre; Djedkare; Unas. Every ruler profile in the archive for this dynasty, in the order used by the chronology. Each name links to a full profile with dates, background, sources and illustrations.
2487–2475 BCE
2475–2455 BCE
2455–2448 BCE
2448–2445 BCE
2445–2421 BCE
2421–2414 BCE
2414–2375 BCE
2375–2345 BCE
Major monuments
- Abusir pyramids
- sun temples
- Unas Pyramid
Key events
- Levantine and Sinai contacts
- rise of archive evidence for royal cult.
Reading the evidence
Family succession and administrative change remain debated.
Sources: UCL Digital Egypt; Metropolitan Museum; Shaw (2000). See the full bibliography.