Whatsapp Me

The Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt

Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt - Egypt Tours Portal

The History of the Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt

The time of the old kingdom of ancient Egypt is considered the starting point of one of history’s greatest miracles. Between 2686-2181 BCE, from the third dynasty to the sixth dynasty, the golden age of the pyramids began and Egypt reached the highest peak of artistry and intelligence as it shows in the three great pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx which was built during this era, also which you can visit during your Egypt tours.

Most of the information we acquired like the Pharaoh’s names, dates, and important events were literally inscribed on the stone-like walls of the mortuary temples and the Pyramid Texts that shed some light on their religious beliefs during the old kingdom of ancient Egypt. It is known to be a period of stability, centralized government, order, and progress under the guidance of goddess Maat which led to the construction of magical monuments that stood the test of time but that didn’t last for long as it was followed by a period of cultural decline, social unrest and conflict called the first intermediate period until the rise of the twelfth dynasty who created the middle kingdom.

The Beginning

The person who rolled the wheel of progress was pharaoh Djoser of the 3rd dynasty (2630-2611 B.C.E) who ordered the construction of the step pyramid of Saqqara in Memphis from his vizier and main architect Imhotep (2667-2600 BCE) who revolutionized the art of architecture and construction in Egypt by building the tomb of Saqqara in the shape of a complex with a stone pyramid and surrounded by temples, all made out of stone instead of the usual mud bricks as Imhotep wanted to his king Djoser to have an ever-lasting memorial, thus creating a frenzy of pyramid building that led to majestic Giza pyramid complex.

The Greatest Monuments of Egypt Old Kingdom

The old kingdom of ancient Egypt reached its highest summit of prosperity and royal power thanks to the irrigation of the Nile, fertile land, the existence of huge labor power and materials that resulted in a flourishing state of commerce and trade which led Pharaoh Sneferu of the fourth dynasty (2575-2551 B.C.E) to use an unbelievable amount of stones than any other pharaoh to construct many failed pyramids except the small red pyramid in Dashur.

Sneferu may have failed in constructing immortal pyramids but his son Khufu (2551-2528 B.C.E) was successful in creating the tallest construction until the late nineteenth century. After his death, his son Khafra (2520-2494 B.C.E) completed his legacy by constructing the second pyramid and the glorious Sphinx in the image of his face Khufu, then came Menkaura (2494-2472 B.C.E) the last king of the fourth dynasty who built the smallest pyramids of the three thus completing the whole set.

The Governmental Structure of the Old Kingdom

The old kingdom is famous for having a very organized central government in the capital Memphis that controlled the independent states of the country called districts, they had a sophisticated central administration divided into ministries governed by a vizier who in most cases was a royal prince. The country and public were controlled by the belief that the pharaoh is a God who should be worshiped as he is the one who ensured the annual floods of the Nile and the pharaoh worked on bringing unity to the people and stability to the cycles of time.

The pharaoh’s divinity was the central focus of the political system all of the above was under the watch of principles and universal laws of Maat as it states that the ruler holds the responsibility to maintain justice, stability, and common good for all. At the end of the era of the Old Kindom of ancient Egypt, many famines happened which resulted in blaming the pharaoh for breaking the laws of Maat which led Egypt to divide and put a rest to the flourishing days of the old kingdom.

The Ending of Old Kingdom Egypt

The final days of the old kingdom of ancient Egypt were filled with civil wars between governors and the rise of the power level of the priesthood which destroyed any kind of central authority and unity. The economy of the country was still damaged because of all of Khufu’s massive constructions and the climate shift that prevented the usual flooding of the Nile led to decades of famine and never-ending conflicts during the first intermediate.

Check our Egypt tour packages and Nile river cruises to book one of our breathtaking tours to discover Egypt with private vacations that are well-created by professional tour operators.

4 Days Cairo Tour Packages - Egypt Tours Portal From: US$430
Availability: Everyday

4 Days Cairo Tour Packages

Private 4 Days Cairo Tour Packages 4 days Cairo Egypt tour package will offer a bles...

Tour Location: Cairo – Giza...

Duration

4 Days / 3 Nights

Tour Type

Classic Tour

5 Days Cairo & Alexandria Tour Package From: US$550
Availability: Everyday

5 Days Cairo and Alexandria Tour Package

Stunning 5 Days Cairo and Alexandria Tour Package 5 days Cairo and Alexandria tour p...

Tour Location: Cairo/Giza/Alexandria...

Duration

5 Days / 4 Nights

Tour Type

Classic Tour

6 Days Cairo, Luxor & Aswan Holiday - Egypt Tours Portal From: US$1030
Availability: Everyday

6 Days Cairo, Luxor & Aswan Holiday

Exceptional 6 Days Cairo, Luxor & Aswan Tour Package 6 days Cairo, Luxor & A...

Tour Location: Cairo/Giza/Aswan/Luxor...

Duration

6 Days / 5 Nights

Tour Type

Classic Tour

7 Days Cairo and Hurghada Holiday - Egypt Tours Portal From: US$1020
Availability: Everyday

7 Days Cairo and Hurghada Holiday

Amazing 7 Days Cairo and Hurghada Holiday 7 Days Cairo & Hurghada holiday will e...

Tour Location: Cairo – Giza – Hurgh...

Duration

7 Days / 6 Nights

Tour Type

Classic Tour

Was This Article Helpful?

Leave Your Comment

Request a Call Back

Do You Face an Issue to Send a Request?

Send Your Request Directly to:

Our Clients Feedback

Eoffers valuable insights straight from the source, capturing the voices and experiences of those who matter most – our cherished clients

Image
Tour Rating:

Tour Name: 5 Days Tour of Group Witnessing Egypt’s Jewels

Experience Date: 23 December, 2024

My fiancé and I booked a private 5 day tour of Egypt with ETP starting in Cairo followed Read More

image
Ariana C

american

Image
Tour Rating:

Tour Name: Experience Egypt Cultural Sightseeing in 10 Days

Experience Date: 23 December, 2024

This was the trip of a lifetime that I was able to have with my eldest son - an absolutelyRead More

image
L Joe Smith

Image
Tour Rating:

Tour Name: Experience Egypt in 9 Days

Experience Date: 23 December, 2024

Egypt Tours Portal is an excellent company to use to arrange your visit to Egypt. They worRead More

image
Coopey

Image
Tour Rating:

Tour Name: 5 Days Cairo, Luxor & Abu Simbel Tour

Experience Date: 23 December, 2024

It was an absolutely amazing trip where we saw some of the most historical and beautiful sRead More

image
Jenna T

Image
Tour Rating:

Tour Name: 5 Days Nile River Cruise Luxor to Aswan

Experience Date: 23 December, 2024

Highly recommend this tour company!!! Our guides, Moses, Mahmoud, Magred and Mohamed were Read More

image
Gymmie

canadian

Image
Tour Rating:

Tour Name: 5 Days Cairo, Luxor & Abu Simbel Tour

Experience Date: 23 December, 2024

This review is a late, but I had to provide some feedback. My brother and I went on vacatiRead More

image
Timmy Lovett

Our Partners

  • Egypt Tours Portal Parners
  • Egypt Tours Portal Parners
  • Egypt Tours Portal Parners
  • Egypt Tours Portal Parners
  • Egypt Tours Portal Parners
  • Egypt Tours Portal Parners
  • Egypt Tours Portal Parners
  • Egypt Tours Portal Parners
  • Egypt Tours Portal Parners
  • Egypt Tours Portal Parners