General Notes

ruled: 2426 - 2419 BC

King Shepseskare is a shadowy figure that so far never has been found portrayed in reliefs or sculptures. If he was the son or brother to his predecessor Nefererkare, we don't know today (year 2002). The Canon of Turin notes him for a reign of seven years and since the figure hasn't been rejected (or confirmed fot that matter) by archaeology, this is generally accepted length. At Abusir seal impressions dated to his reign have been found. It is not known if he built a solar-temple, but old hieroglyphic text tell that six such shrines were built and only two have been found. Remains of a big unfinished pyramid (not excavated) located at Abusir north of the pyramid of Sahure, can possibly be credited to Shepseskare.

Very little is known about king Shepseskare. Almost all Egyptologists agree on that he ruled for a short period between Neferirkare and Neferefre, but a few thinks he ruled after these. His kinship (if any) to the other kings of the 5th Dynasty is not known. The Royal Canon of Turin and Manetho (who calls him Sesiris) notes him for a reign of seven years, and this seems to be a plausible figure. In the Abydos list he is omitted but his name is present in the Sakkara list.
His Horus-name within a serek (seen in picture right) is "Sekhemkhau" meaning "The Power Has Appeared" where the club stand for power and the rising sun for appearance. This was found in the mortuary temple of king Neferefre.
Some of very few remains from his time have been found at Abusir. It's seal impressions dated to his reign and these are almost the only contemporary findings from his brief time on the throne.

But there is a large remnant at Abusir that probably is from him though - what is left of a big pyramid. It is situated north of the complex of Sahure and was found as late as in the 1980s. The work on the monument was hardly begun before it was stopped and consists only of earthwork. The area had been levelled and a foundation was made for the burial chamber. It's possible that the pyramid was intended to be the biggest of all at Abusir, with a base side measuring just over 100 metres, similar in length to king Nefererkere's pyramid.
His title (nomen) in his roll as "Son of Re" is seen within the cartouche left. The duck is a homonym for the word "son" and the sun disc symbolises his "father" - the solar god Re.
His name is put together of the components axe, quail, staff, folded cloth and a mouth and maybe it makes "Netjer-weserw".
Since the kings of dynasty five were completing the buildings of their predecessors it's possible that Shepseskare in his effort didn't have much time left for his own monuments. The since of the unfinished pyramid (if it's his) tells that he had planned to live longer, but obviously he did not.