Walk south-west past the Step Pyramid of Djoser and you reach a low, eroded mound of rubble that barely looks like a pyramid. There are few crowds and few vendors. Yet this structure, built for Unas, the last pharaoh of Egypt's Fifth Dynasty, is the earliest pyramid known to carry religious inscriptions on the walls of its burial chamber.
By size it is one of the least impressive royal pyramids in Egypt, and by importance one of the most significant. This guide covers the monument itself: its builder, its size, the causeway that still leads up to it, and how to visit. The texts inside have their own guide.
Who was Unas and where is his pyramid?
Unas was the ninth and last king of the Fifth Dynasty. Most chronologies place his reign in the mid-24th century BCE, roughly 2375 to 2345 BCE, for around three decades, though dates differ by several decades between scholars. By then the vast resources that built Giza were no longer spent on pyramids at the same scale, and royal pyramids of the Fifth and Sixth Dynasties became smaller and more rubble-cored while their interior decoration grew.
Unas built in North Saqqara, just south-west of Djoser's enclosure, in the zone between Djoser's complex and the unfinished pyramid of the Third Dynasty king Sekhemkhet. Building beside much older royal monuments placed his tomb in the most venerated ground of the necropolis, even though his means were modest.
How big is the Pyramid of Unas?
In its present eroded state the pyramid is about 43 m high on a base of roughly 58 m, which makes it the smallest of the major Old Kingdom royal pyramids. The Great Pyramid of Khufu was originally about 146.6 m tall, so it stood roughly 3.4 times as high as Unas's pyramid. Stone robbing stripped most of the casing and left a core of limestone blocks and rubble that now resembles a weathered hill.
That modest exterior says little about the complex. A pyramid complex included a valley temple, a causeway and a mortuary temple, and the mortuary temple of Unas had eighteen granite palm columns. The Great Pyramid, by contrast, has no inscriptions inside; Unas's pyramid, built roughly two centuries later, does.
Visit Unas and the Rest of Saqqara
The Pyramid of Unas is rarely crowded, which makes it a quiet stop on a Saqqara day. These Egypt Sun Travel tours cover Saqqara with a licensed Egyptologist; interior access varies by day, so ask us to check before you travel.
What can you see on the causeway of Unas?
The causeway linking the valley temple to the pyramid is about 720-750 m long, among the longest built for any pyramid. Parts of it survive with their roofing, and a narrow slit in the ceiling once admitted light to the painted reliefs. Today only fragments remain in place, and much of the route is open ground, so expect ruins rather than a continuous corridor.
Among the reliefs is a well-known fragment showing emaciated figures, the so-called famine scene, whose meaning is still debated: it may show starving desert nomads, famine in Egypt, or a symbolic image. Other scenes show hunting, harvest, metalworkers, ships and warfare. One scene shows granite palm columns from Aswan being shipped by river to Saqqara, and an accompanying inscription is reported to credit an official with completing the journey quickly. Some of the best reliefs from the causeway are now in museums, so what you see on site is only part of the original program.
What are the Pyramid Texts inside the burial chamber?
When Gaston Maspero's team opened the pyramid in 1881, they found its chamber walls covered in columns of hieroglyphs painted blue-green, under a ceiling decorated with stars. These are the Pyramid Texts: spells that protect the dead king and help him ascend to the sky. Unas's pyramid is the earliest known to carry them, and it preserves roughly 230 utterances by most counts, though totals vary by method. It is not the fullest set: the pyramid of Pepi II preserves the largest corpus.
For what the spells say, how they were found, and how they led to the Coffin Texts and the Book of the Dead, see our guide to the Pyramid Texts. Seeing them in the chamber is one of the most direct encounters with Old Kingdom belief at any Egyptian site.
Is a small pyramid worth visiting after Giza?
Travelers who have walked around the Pyramids of Giza often find Unas affects them differently: less a monument to photograph from a distance, more a text to read up close. It adds a quieter, more intimate stop to a day that includes the Step Pyramid of Djoser and the painted tombs of Saqqara.
How do you visit the Pyramid of Unas?
The pyramid is inside the Saqqara archaeological zone, a short walk or drive south-west of the Step Pyramid, and has been reported to be covered by the general Saqqara ticket. Access to the interior has at times been restricted or closed for conservation, so confirm on the day. Entry, when open, is down a narrow, steeply inclined passage to the burial chamber, which is not suitable for visitors with mobility difficulties or significant claustrophobia.
Because the site gets fewer visitors than the Step Pyramid or the painted tombs described in the Saqqara necropolis guide, you can often stand in the chamber in near silence. Bring a torch, water and a hat for the plateau. The spells are written in a compressed form of classical Egyptian, so a guide or a printed translation makes the visit more meaningful.
Wear shoes with grip for the stairs and the sloping passage. Photography rules in the chamber can change, so check at the entrance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you go inside the Pyramid of Unas?
Usually the burial chamber can be entered by a narrow, steeply sloping passage, but access has been restricted or closed at times for conservation. Check on the day at the Saqqara ticket office or with your guide. It is not suited to anyone with serious claustrophobia or mobility problems.
How tall is the Pyramid of Unas?
About 43 m today, on a base of roughly 58 m. The Great Pyramid was originally about 146.6 m, so it was roughly 3.4 times taller. Unas's pyramid is the smallest of the major Old Kingdom royal pyramids.
Why is the Pyramid of Unas famous?
It is the earliest pyramid known to be inscribed inside with the Pyramid Texts, discovered in 1881. It preserves roughly 230 utterances by most counts, although the pyramid of Pepi II has the largest corpus. See the Pyramid Texts guide for the content.
How long is the causeway of Unas?
About 720-750 m, among the longest of any pyramid. Parts were roofed and decorated with reliefs showing hunting, harvests, ships and a famous famine scene, though only fragments remain in place.
Do you need a separate ticket for the Pyramid of Unas?
None has been reported; it is covered by the general Saqqara ticket. Prices change, and some listings give about 360 EGP while others give higher figures, so confirm at the ticket office and expect to pay by card.
