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Memphis: The development in the Old Kingdom
The original city of the Early Dynastic Period was situated next to modern Abusir, close to the mastabas of the First and Second Dynasty. Djed-sut (name of the pyramid of Teti) is mentioned in the 'teaching of Merykare' as important city. Nothing from this town survived, but the cemeteries around the pyramid of Teti are important in the First Intermediate Period, evidence of a settlement of some size in this area. Mennefer (mn-nfr) is the name of the pyramid of Pepy I. The name later became the main designation for the city, behind the Greek rendering 'Memphis'. There is little archaeological evidence yet found, but the pyramid town must have become at some point very important (Malek 1997: fig. 1).