ABSTRACT
The pyramids of Unis, Djoser, Userkaf, Teti and perhaps Menkauhor are aligned into one south-west north-east axis and are very close to each other. It is possible that their owners shared common policies or religious beliefs, or indeed a particular stand vis-à-vis the cult or the priesthood of a specific deity, particularly that of Re. Of the sites of the above-mentioned pyramids, that of Teti was the most restricted, with very limited space available for the tombs of his officials and no suitable location within sight for the cemetery of his successor(s). The reason for the choice of this less than appropriate site can only be Teti’s desire to associate himself with this particular group of kings, none of whom used Re as an element in his name. A close examination of the evidence from the Old Kingdom suggests that the relationship between the monarchy and the priesthood, particularly that of Re, was not always smooth. It is also noteworthy that personal names formed with those of deities other than Re, for example Ptahhetep, Akhethetep, Sebekhetep, etc., became particularly popular at the end of the Fifth Dynasty, between the reigns of Menkauhor and Unis. We should not, however, think that the above-mentioned group of kings rebelled against the sun cult, for they kept the title Son of Re, and one of the group, Userkaf, was the first to build a sun temple, although at Abusir, far from his pyramid, perhaps indicating a later truce, a compromise, or simply yielding to pressure.
