Morality for a New Era.
A new king, Teti, has ascended the throne after marrying Iput, a daughter of Unas. For historians, this is a good point to mark the beginning of the Sixth Dynasty.
Concurrently, we see the rise of a new literary genre: Didactic (Instructional) Literature emerges. The classic author of the period, a Vizier named Ptah-Hotep, dictates his thoughts on moral behaviour and a good life.
The father of Kagemni, also a Vizier, does the same.
Photos below by the author, taken in early February 2013.
From the cemetery around Teti's pyramid, the cenotaph of a Sole Companion, Revered One named Ihy.
Goose, an ox leg and several palm fronds adorn the offering table before him.
The antechamber of Teti's pyramid tomb. Adorning the walls are the Pyramid Texts, lengthy columns of prayers, hymns and offering formulae for the King's venerated soul.
Teti's enormous sarcophagus; it's tall enough that even I (5'10") had to stand on the limestone block at left to see inside.
Bibliography
Miriam Lichtheim. Ma'at in Egyptian Autbiographies and Related Studies. 1992.
William Kelly Simpson (editor). The Literature of Ancient Egypt. 2003.
Jan Assmann. Ma'at: Gereghtigkeit und Unsterblichkeit im alten Ägypten. 1995.