Saqqara excavations shed new light on Old Kingdom history

The author deals with excavations of O.K. burials of minor officials, which were conducted by Macquarie University (Sydney) and the Egyptian Antiquities Organisation in the area of the Teti cemetery at Saqqara, and tries to verify the assassination of Teti and the harem conspiracy of Pepy I. After Teti's death, and before his son Pepy I was crowned, the throne was for a short time occupied by the ephemeral king Userkaf. Many of the officials of the excavated tombs served under Teti and Pepy I, which implies also under Userkaf. In order to examine the involvement of the tomb owners in the events of the royal court, the author discusses: 1) the tomb of the vizier Seshemnefer; 2) an inscribed architrave from the tomb of Mehi; 3) the long biographical inscription of Weni, found at Abydos; 4) the tombs of the officials Semdent, Seankhuptah, Ishfi and Mereru. Above the O.K. cemetery, less than two metres below the surface, were rich burials of minor officials from the 18th Dynasty. (OEB)