Djedkare II & Unas the Cannibal.
The last kings of Dynasty V, Djedkare and his son Unas, rule Egypt one after another. In the reign of Unas, we see the appearance of a new form of religious text.
These texts, carved on the walls of the king's tombs, are known as the Pyramid Texts and for Unas, they reveal a complex mythology of union with the gods.
This could be achieved by many means, including cannibalism...
For a vocalisation of the Pyramid Texts of Unas, you can now listen on Youtube! Orlando Mezzabotta, Historian and Youtube poster, has made these works available for free. Thank you, Orlando!
The starving Bedouin of the causeway of Unas' pyramid. Evidence for famine on the frontier?
The Vizier Senedjemib, from his tomb at Giza. Reign of Djedkare. Photo by Dominic Perry.