The Abusir Papyri
Several kings of the
Fifth Dynasty selected for their pyramid complex an area of desert northwest
of modern Abusir village. In the late nineteenth century, several museums acquired
groups of papyrus fragments from the business papers of one cult, that for king
Neferirkare Kakai. Together
this remains the largest Old Kingdom (about 2686-2181 BC)
papyrus find. In the late twentieth century
excavations by the Czechoslovak expedition on the site, more papyri were found
from two other cult complexes, (1) for king Neferefre
(more recently read Raneferef), and (2) for the king's mother Khentkaus.
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