The Pyramid of Unas, Saqqara
A guided tour
Welcome to the Pyramid of Unas, the source of what we know about Pyramids and why ancient Egyptians built them.
If you've seen other pyramids, such as the Great Pyramid of Khufu at Giza, you'll find no writing on the walls inside them.
It's a mystery that's fascinated us for as long as they've been studied and toured.
Unas's pyramid, however, is the oldest pyramid inscribed with writings on the walls, the Pyramid Texts, describing early ancient Egyptian religion.
Learn about it on the History of Egypt podcast who helped to write this tour!
The texts are a fascinating insight into why the Egyptians built pyramids, listing the saying of the priests who buried Unas to ensure his rebirth and safe transition to the afterlife.
The pyramid is in Saqqara, south of the larger pyramids at Giza, and wwas part of a bigger complex with a temple and smaller pyramid attached to it, where Unas's burial rituals and mummification would've been performed.
Unas ruled about 2,350 BCE, over 4,300 years ago. This column was uncovered in the temple area and columns like it would've stood in Unas's temple in front of his pyramid.
It's in the British Museum today.
Column of Unas, Saqqara. British Museum.
The pyramid is laid out in three main chambers that describe the pharaoh's journey into the afterlife: crossing the Eastern Horizon, the Star Realm, and finally the Sarcophagus in the Sky's embrace.
The spells and incantations on the walls describe the pharaoh's journey through death into the night Sky and Stars.
They're organized on the walls in utterances, or lines read aloud by the priests who buried Unas here.
Only a few pyramids contain these rare texts, such as Pepi I's pyramid where this fragment originates.
Pyramid Text from Pepi I Pyramid, Saqqara. Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology.
After death and mummification, these texts list how the parts of the pharaoh's body were re-united and the protection of him from dangerous divine beings in the afterlife, namely, the Serpents.
Some snakes protected the king while others sought to destroy his spirit.
The pharaoh was buried in this chamber, in the sarcophagus at the far end.
Much of the original paint on the hieroglyphs still remains, a brilliant navy blue, as it would've 4,300 years ago.
On this wall, the texts say 'O Unas, you have not gone away dead, you have gone alive to sit on the throne of Osiris.'
'Your scepter is in your hand so that you may give orders to the living; the handle of your lotus shaped sceptre is in your hand so that you may give orders to the Dead!'
'Your arm is Atum's, your shoulders, belly and back are Atum's, your face is like Anubis's face.'
The sites of Horus serve you, the sites of Set serve you.'
'Awake, Unas! Turn around, Unas! You've given orders to the places of Horus, Seth, and Osiris.'
'A royal offering of your insignia in all your places! Your lotus-shaped scepter is at the head of the living, your staff is at the head of the spirits.'
Unas was mummified and laid to rest in this sarcophagus, the walls around it are painted like a palace for him in the afterlife.
Unfortunately his body was never found, and his pyramid was likely robbed soon after it was sealed.
These texts remain to tell his story. Above the sarcophagus is described the divine beings that protect him:
‘A serpent is entwined within a serpent when a young hippopotamus comes out into pasture and is entwined. Earth, swallow that snake that came out of you, monster, lie down and glide away!’
Next, continue to visit tombs to compare how ancient Egyptian religion transformed over millenia in the Valley of the Kings.
And continue discovering the mysteries of the pyramids at the History of Egypt Podcast!
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