General Notes

Pharoah of Egypt (VI Dynasty)

The break between dynasties five and six is a little obscure and king Teti seems to have settled some accession problems when he became pharaoh.
He probably reached this position by marrying a daughter of king Unas. She is buried in a pyramid near his own at Sakkara. The Turin Canon gives him a reign of less than a year, which is unlikely. Manetho says 30-32, which seems to long. He has left records about his sixth "census" (cattle count) that took place every two years and 12-25 years can be likely.
Picture left shows his name within a cartouche and sometimes it was added inside with a duck and the sun disc, giving the meaning: "Teti - Son of Re".

Teti's Horus name, Seheteptawy, (picture right) means "He who pacifies the Two Lands". Most of the court officials from king Unas were still in power during his reign and through them some of his deeds are known
We know that he started quarry work in Upper Egypt, and that he maintained commercial and diplomatic relations with the trade centre of Byblos in Syria, valuable for import of timber. He also may have initiated expeditions like his predecessors, towards the land Punt and Nubia. As for the latter he is attested for as far south as the town of Tomas. At a temple at Abydos we can read of his generous exempting from taxes, probably after a bad season of agriculture
There is only one statue found of him, found by his tomb. He is portrayed as a middle aged man with fleshy cheeks and big piercing eyes.

The pyramid complex of Teti was built in a traditional manner. The mortuary temple had no pylons and was roofed all over, except for the open big pillar hall in the centre (light-blue).

His pyramid was built at south Sakkara a couple of hundred meter northeast of Djoser's complex. It contains pyramid texts, written on the limestone-covered walls of the burial- and antechambers. This tradition was begun by his predecessor and followed by most pyramid builders after him. When the burial chamber was entered an unfinished decorated sarcophagus (now gone) was found and an arm and shoulder of a mummy, presumed to be the king's, was found on the floor.
The valley temple and causeway are located to the southeast and have not been properly investigated. Outside the main complex are small pyramids of his consorts and tombs of his viziers Mereruka and Kagemni known for their well-preserved tombs with many fancy reliefs.
The modern Egyptians call Teti's monument "The Prison Pyramid" and the old name in hieroglyphs was:
the meaning is: "The Pyramid which is Enduring of Places". The places are the green thrones and the pillar was the common symbol of stability and continuity, two qualities the old Egyptians were keen on maintaining .