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Pepi I , the first king of the 6th Dynasty, had built his pyramid complex South Saqqara . His two immediate predecessors, Unas and Teti, had chosen the vicinity of the Step Pyramid complex of Zoser in Saqqara-North as their last resting place.

Who built it?

This complex was built by Pepi I , the first king of the 6th Dynasty .

Why was it built?

The pyramid complex of Pepi I was built as the ancient Egyptians believe in resurrection. Pepi I and his family were buried in this pyramid complex according to the ancient Egyptian concept of life after death.



Pepi chose the high desert to the northwest of the pyramid of Djedkare, of the 5th Dynasty . His pyramid is the northern most royal monument of Saqqara -South.

The name of this complex, mn-nfr, " the beautiful monument" would later be used for the city that lay to the east, and would be rendered in Greek as Memphis .

Structure :

The Pyramid Complex of Pepi I comprises all the elements that by the 6th Dynasty had already become standard: a pyramid with a mortuary temple and a satellite pyramid to the east of it and further to the east a causeway that leads towards a valley temple .

In the late 1980's, an enormous mound of debris and rubble located to the south of the main pyramid was examined by a French team of archaeologists. They found four or possibly five smaller pyramids with adjourning mortuary temples that once belonged to Pepi I's queens. The queen for whom the eastern most of these pyramids was built was called Nebwenet. She bore the title 'beloved wife of the king'. The queen of the second pyramid bore the name Inenek/Inti and the third queen, whose name is not yet known, bore the title 'eldest daughter of the king'. A stela inscribed with the name of Meritites, 'daughter of the king and wife of the king' has led to the discovery of a fourth pyramid and even a fifth queen's pyramid has been found.

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