Sun temple of Userkaf

Sun temple of Menkauhor in hieroglyphs
. nḫn-Rˁ Nekhen-Ra

The Sun temple of Userkaf was an Ancient Egyptian temple dedicated to the sun god Ra built by pharaoh Userkaf, the founder of the Fifth Dynasty of Egypt, at the beginning of the 25th century BCE. The sun temple of Userkaf lies between the Abusir pyramid field to the south and the locality of Abu Gurab to the north, some 15 km (9.3 mi) south of modern-day Cairo. The ancient name of the temple was Nekhen-Re meaning the "Stronghold of Ra". The temple complex comprised several parts: on a low hill situated on the desert edge was the main temple which could be accessed via a causeway from a valley temple, located nearer to the area of cultivation and the Nile.

The sun temple of Userkaf was discovered by Karl Richard Lepsius in 1842, then director of the Prussian expedition to Egypt. Lepsius did not recognised the sun temple as such and rather included it in his pioneering list of pyramids, under the number XVII. Lepsius only investigated the monument superficially and the first excavations of the temple took place much later, in 1907 and 1913, under the direction of Ludwig Borchardt. Borchardt's main work however was on the nearby royal cemetery at Abusir. The temple was the focus of a dedicated excavation only 40 years later, between in 1954 to 1957, this time under the impulse of the German-Swiss expedition led by Herbert Ricke. The results were published in two volumes.

The temple was found heavily destroyed so that any reconstruction remains very problematic. The main temple consisted originally once of one big solid mastaba–like structure with a mast on top. This can be guessed from references in texts where the temple is depicted as mastaba with a mast. It was surrounded by a wall, two chapels or offering chapels were placed in front of this main structure. They each had only one room. In a later phase the main structure received an obelisk–shaped top. An altar was added in front of the building. The temple was most likely erected in year 5 or 6 of the king's reign, as it is mentioned on the Palermo stone (the remains of annals). The obelisk was most likely not added under Userkaf, but under one of his successors, perhaps under king Neferirkare. The obelisk shape of the top can be concluded from the writing of the temple name in Old Kingdom texts. From the reign of the latter king on, the name is always written with an obelisk. Furthermore, there are firm archaeological reasons for the obelisk. One corner piece from the top edge of the obelisk was found.It is made of granite. Remains of at least two statue shrines were found. They were made of greywacke and decorated with a pattern, imitating matting or wooden beams.

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