Most Prominent Ancient Egyptian Old Kingdom Locations & Artifacts. (That are open to the public and easily accessible)

1. The Great Pyramids of Giza (Giza Plateau, Egypt) (Seen)

Built in the 4th dynasty of Egypt, The big one was built by Khufu, The middle one was built by Khafre and smaller one was built by Menkaure. They used to be encased with smooth polished limestone and had golden peaks but all of that is gone now. The middle one still has some of the smooth limestone on its top. There are also small satellite pyramids next to them for the wives of the kings. Also the location where they found the buried ships and the mortuary temples. Don't forget to explore the inside of them as well when you are there.

2. The Great Sphinx of Giza and its Valley Temple (Giza Plateau, Egypt) (Seen)

Built by the same king who built the middle pyramid, Khafre. Most historians believe that's his face on the sphinx.

3. Step Pyramid of Djoser (Saqqara Necropolis, Egypt)

Built by Djoser the first king of the 3rd dynasty he is the one who started the pyramid building era and the step pyramid is the earliest pyramid in Egypt. Before that kings used mastabas, It was built by his vizier Imhotep who thought it would be a good idea to build mastabas on top of each other thus making the first pyramid. There are also some smaller satellite pyramids here. Fully accessible interiors as well.

4. The Red Pyramid (Dahshur Necropolis, Egypt)

Built by Sneferu, the first king of the 4th dynasty. It was the first pyramid with smooth sides and not like the step pyramids. It is actually taller and bigger than Menkaure's pyramid. The Red Pyramid is 105 meters (344 feet) tall, while the Pyramid of Menkaure is 65 meters (213 feet) tall. Fully accessible interiors as well.

5. The Bent Pyramid (Dahshur Necropolis, Egypt)

Also built by Sneferu, It was an early prototype for later pyramids. Its sides are not uniform like later ones. There is also a valley temple here. Enterable as well.

6. Meidum Pyramid (Beni Suef, Egypt)

Built by Huni the last king of the 3rd dynasty and completed by his successor Sneferu again the first king of the 4th dynasty. It is unique as in it was smooth like the red pyramid but there was some defect which led to it falling revealing the interior like is shown here. Also enterable and fully explorable. There are several mastabas near it as well like Nefermaat's Mastaba who was Sneferu's son.

7. Pyramid of Unas (Saqqara Necropolis, Egypt)

Unas was the final king of the 5th dynasty. His pyramid is the smallest old kingdom pyramid and the first pyramid texts ever discovered inside a tomb is there.

8. Pyramid of Teti I (Saqqara Necropolis, Egypt)

Teti I was the first king and the founder of the 6th dynasty.

9. Giza Plateau Eastern Cemetery (Giza Plateau, Egypt)

Contains dozens of tombs for important officials and the royal family.

10. Giza Plateau Western Cemetery (Giza Plateau, Egypt)

Same with the eastern cemetery, contains hundreds of tombs most notably Hemiunu, the architect of the great pyramid.

11. Mastaba of Ti (Saqqara Necropolis, Egypt)

Ti was a royal architect during the 5th dynasty who designed some sun temples for various kings.

12. Various Tombs in Saqqara (Saqqara Necropolis, Egypt)

There are a lot of tombs scattered around the saqqara complex with fully explorable interiors, Including tomb of Kagemni, Tomb of Mehu, Tomb of Mereuka, Irukapta, Ankhmahor, Nikauisesi, Seshseshet Idut and many others. And some small mastabas as well.

13. Statue of King Djoser (Egyptian Museum, Egypt) (Seen)

Djoser is the first 3rd dynasty king who also built the step pyramid, the very first pyramid. This is the only statue of him that exists. Original exists in the Egyptian Museum while a model of it is inside the step pyramid. 

Gallery number: 46 - Ground Floor

14. Rahotep and Nofret Statues (Egyptian Museum, Egypt) (Seen)

A close up of Rahotep's face and eyes.

Rahotep was the son of king Sneferu which makes him a possible brother of Khufu the 4th dynasty king who built the great pyramid, Nofret is his wife.

Gallery number: 32 - Ground Floor

15. Statue of Khafre Enthroned (Egyptian Museum, Egypt) (Seen)

Khafre was the 4th dynasty king who built the middle pyramid as well as the sphinx. It is the oldest life sized royal statue.

Gallery number: 42 - Ground Floor

16. Scribe statue CG 36 (Egyptian Museum, Egypt) (Seen)

Scribes held one of the most prestigious, coveted, and essential jobs in ancient Egypt. As the backbone of the state's bureaucracy, these literate individuals managed taxes, tracked grain, handled legal documents, and preserved historical and religious knowledge in a society where less than 1% of the population could read. This is one of the many scribe statues found with colors intact.

Gallery number: 42 - Ground Floor

17. Statue of Ka-aper (Egyptian Museum, Egypt) (Seen)

A close up of the details of his face and eyes.

Ka’aper, was a scribe and priest who lived between the late 4th dynasty and early 5th dynasty.

Gallery number: 42 - Ground Floor

18. Statuette of Khufu (Egyptian Museum, Egypt) (Seen)

Khufu the great pyramid builder. This is the only statue/statuette of him.

Gallery number: 37 - Ground Floor

19. Triads of Menkaure (Egyptian Museum, Egypt) (Seen)

These show Menkaure the builder of the smallest pyramid in the Giza plateau with the goddess Hathor and various local deties, there are 3 of them.

Gallery number: 47 - Ground Floor

20. Head of Userkaf (Egyptian Museum, Egypt) (Seen)

Userkaf is the founder of the 5th dynasty of the old kingdom and this is the only bust ever found of him.

Gallery number: 46 - Ground Floor

21. Statue of Seneb and his Family (Egyptian Museum, Egypt) (Seen)

Seneb was a high-ranking and wealthy court official in the Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt, He was also a dwarf.

Gallery number: 32 - Ground Floor

22. Grave goods of Queen Hetepheres (Egyptian Museum and Grand Egyptian Museum, Egypt) (Seen)

Hetepheres I was a wife of one of the kings of the 4th dynasty most likely Sneferu that also makes her the mother of Khufu. The following stuff were found in her tomb: sedan chair, Armchair, Casket with bracelets, Canopy holder and a bed.

Gallery number: 37 - Ground Floor

23. Statues of Ptahhotep (Imhotep Museum, Egypt)

Ptahhotep was a vizier during the reign of Djedkare Isesi in Egypt’s 5th dynasty. He is best known as the author of The Maxims of Ptahhotep, one of the earliest works of Egyptian wisdom literature, intended to instruct young men in proper conduct and ethical behavior.

24. Serdab Statue of Ti (Egyptian Museum, Egypt) (Seen)

Ti was a mighty official during the 5th Dynasty, and he held the title “Overseer of the Pyramids of Niuserre” and “Overseer of the Suntemples of Sahure, Neferikare and Niuserre, as well as controller of the farms and stock that belonged to the royal family. This statue was found in his mastaba at Saqqara the real one is at the museum while a replica is at his tomb.

Gallery number: 42 or 47 - Ground Floor

25. Copper Statues of Pepi I (Egyptian Museum, Egypt) (Seen)

Pepi I Meryre was third king of the 6th dynasty, who ruled for over 40 years at the turn of the 24th and 23rd centuries BC, toward the end of the Old Kingdom. He was the son of Teti, the founder of the dynasty.

Gallery number: 32 - Ground Floor

26. Meidum Geese (Egyptian Museum, Egypt)

The full scene depicts six geese; three pointing to the left and three pointing to the right. Each group of three geese consists of one goose shown with head bowed down, eating, and two geese with heads held up. Each group of three animals represents many geese, as three represents the plural in Egyptian imagery. It was found in Nefermaat's tomb near the Meidum pyramid who was the eldest son of Sneferu.

Gallery number: 32 - Ground Floor

27. Statue of Irukakhufu as a scribe (Cairo International Airport Museum, Terminal 3, Egypt)

Irukakhufu was an Old Kingdom man who held many titles including, “Royal Acquaintance“, “(Royal) Wab-Priest” and “Overseer of the Pyramid-town of Khufu“. Discovered within the serdab of tomb at the Western Cemetery in Giza, known as Lepsius 21.

28. Statue of the Scribe Mitri (Grand Egyptian Museum, Egypt) (Seen)

A close up of the eyes and his face.

The statue depicts Metri, an overseer of the scribes during the 6th Dynasty, sitting in the traditional pose of scribes with his legs crossed. He spreads a roll of papyrus on his lap and holds it with his left hand. In his right hand he holds a pen. It was found in his tomb at the saqqara necropolis.

29. Narmer Palette (Egyptian Museum, Egypt) (Seen)

Actually predates the old kingdom but too important to pass on. The Narmer Palette, also known as the Great Hierakonpolis Palette or the Palette of Narmer, is a significant Egyptian archaeological find, dating from about the 31st century BC. It contains some of the earliest heiroglyphic inscriptions ever found. The tablet is thought by some to depict the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the king Narmer the first king of a unified Egypt.

30. Limestone statue of Sneferu (Grand Egyptian Museum, Egypt)

Sneferu was the first king of the 4th dynasty he was the one who built the Red and Bent pyramids and probably the Meidum pyramid as well.

31. Khafre Alabaster Statue (Egyptian Museum, Egypt)

Another statue of Khafre.

32. Statue of King Mankaure (Grand Egyptian Museum, Egypt)

Another statue of Mankaure.

33. Statue of King Teti (Egyptian Museum, Egypt)

The statue of King Teti was originally represented standing with his left leg forward. The legs are now broken and missing. There are no inscriptions on the statue, but it almost certainly belongs to King Teti of the 6th Dynasty because it was found in the funerary temple of that king at Saqqara.

34. Slate statue of Neferkhau Neferefre (Egyptian Museum, Egypt)

Slate statue of Neferkhau Neferefre wearing the white crown of Upper Egypt. Originally from the pyramid complex and funerary temple of Neferefre at Abusir.

35. Statuette of Neferefre (Egyptian Museum, Egypt)

Neferefre Isi was an ancient Egyptian king of the 5th dynasty during the Old Kingdom period. He was most likely the eldest son of king Neferirkare Kakai.

36. King Menkaure and his Queen (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)

First of many worthwhile Old Kingdom artifacts OUTSIDE of Egypt.

37. The Seated Scribe (Louvre Museum of Arts, Paris)

The sculpture of the Seated Scribe is a famous work of ancient Egyptian art. It represents a figure of a seated scribe at work. The sculpture was discovered at Saqqara, north of the alley of sphinxes leading to the Serapeum of Saqqara, in 1850, and dated to the period of the Old Kingdom, from either the 5th Dynasty, c. 2450–2325 BCE or the 4th Dynasty, 2620–2500 BCE

38. Triad of Menkaure (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)

The last triad of Menkaure other than the destroyed one.

39. Statue of Hemiunu Roemer- und Pelizaeus-Museum, Hildesheim

Hemiunu, was an ancient Egyptian prince who is believed to have been the architect of the Great pyramid of Giza. As vizier, succeeding his father, Nefermaat, and his uncle, Kanefer, and the pharaoh's chosen seal-bearer, Hemiunu occupied a position of power second only to the monarch himself, overseeing all royal works by Khufu's decree. His tomb lies in the Giza West Field, adjacent to the Great Pyramid itself.

40. Bust of Prince Ankhhaf (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)

Ankhhaf was an Egyptian prince and served as an overseer during the reign of the Pharaoh Khufu, who is thought to have been Ankhhaf's half-brother. One of Ankhaf's titles is also as a vizier, but it is unknown under which pharaoh he would have held this title. He lived during Egypt's 4th Dynasty.

41. King Sahure Accompanied by a Divine Figure The Metropolitan (Museum of Art, New York City)

This is the only preserved three-dimensional representation that has been identified as Sahure, the second ruler of Dynasty 5. Seated on a throne, the king is accompanied by a smaller male figure personifying the local god of the Coptite nome, the fifth nome (province) of Upper Egypt.

42. Seated statue of Khent with her son Rudju (Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna)

Chent was the wife of a high official in whose tomb the statue depicting her with one of her children was found. Her son Rudju is shown nude (typical for representations of children); his head is shaved except for a youth lock, and he raises one finger to his mouth.

43. Pink granite head possibly depicting Huni (Brooklyn Museum, New York)

Huni (original reading unknown) was an ancient Egyptian king, the last pharaoh of the Third Dynasty during the Old Kingdom period.