Old Kingdom of Egypt

E8844

The Old Kingdom of Egypt was an early period of ancient Egyptian civilization, often called the "Age of the Pyramids," marked by centralized pharaonic power and the construction of monumental stone pyramids and tomb complexes.

All labels observed (12)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (55)

Predicate Object
instanceOf ancient Egyptian period
civilization phase
historical period
alsoKnownAs Old Kingdom of Egypt
surface form: Age of the Pyramids
capital Memphis
country Pharaonic Egypt
surface form: Ancient Egypt
declineCause political decentralization
possible climate change and low Nile floods
weakening of royal authority
economicBase agriculture along the Nile
state-controlled labor and corvée
endTime c. 2181 BCE
followedBy First Intermediate Period of Egypt
follows Early Dynastic Egypt
surface form: Early Dynastic Period of Egypt
governmentForm absolute monarchy
theocratic monarchy
hasMonument Bent Pyramid
Great Pyramid of Giza
Great Sphinx of Giza
Pyramid of Khafre
Pyramid of Menkaure
Red Pyramid
Step Pyramid of Djoser
hasSite Abu Rawash necropolis
surface form: Abu Rawash

Abu Sir necropolis
surface form: Abusir

Dahshur necropolis
surface form: Dahshur

Giza
Saqqara necropolis
surface form: Saqqara
knownFor artistic canon of Egyptian sculpture and relief
centralized royal administration
construction of pyramids
development of monumental stone architecture
elaborate royal mortuary complexes
growth of state bureaucracy
language Ancient Egyptian
notableRuler Djedefre
Djoser
Khafre
Khufu
Menkaure
Pepi I Meryre
Pepi II Neferkare
Sahure
Pharaoh Sneferu
surface form: Sneferu

Userkaf
partOf history of Ancient Egypt
religion ancient Egyptian religion
rulingDynasty Fifth Dynasty of Egypt
Fourth Dynasty of Egypt
Sixth Dynasty of Egypt
Old Kingdom of Egypt self-linksurface differs
surface form: Third Dynasty of Egypt
socialStructure highly stratified society
startTime c. 2686 BCE
writingSystem Egyptian hieroglyphs
hieratic script

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (260)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Min timePeriod Old Kingdom of Egypt
this entity surface form: Old Kingdom
Mastaba 17 at Meidum period Old Kingdom of Egypt
Meidum Geese painting (from nearby mastaba) period Old Kingdom of Egypt
subject surface form: Meidum Geese painting
Heryshef worshipPeriod Old Kingdom of Egypt
this entity surface form: Old Kingdom
Elephantine hasArchaeologicalRemainsFrom Old Kingdom of Egypt
this entity surface form: Old Kingdom
Egyptian Collection timePeriodCovered Old Kingdom of Egypt
subject surface form: Egyptian Collection (Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest)
Tombs of the Nobles locatedInPeriod Old Kingdom of Egypt
Instruction of Ptahhotep setting Old Kingdom of Egypt
this entity surface form: Old Kingdom Egypt
Sabni period Old Kingdom of Egypt
Egyptian–Nubian relations involves Old Kingdom of Egypt