The first king to return to Saqqara after a century, was Shepseskaf, the last king of the 4th Dynasty. But even in returning to Saqqara, Shepseskaf chose a site at some distance to the South of the older monuments. In fact, Shepseskaf’s funerary monument is the Southern most at the site. Shepseskaf also differs from his 4th Dynasty predecessors in the type of monument he had built. By his reign, the royal burial monument had evolved from a Step-Pyramid with surrounding complex to a true pyramid with the funerary temple attached to it. For unknown reasons, Shepseskaf decided not to build a pyramid or a Step-Pyramid, but a tomb shaped like a large sarcophagus.

This innovation would, however, be very short-lived, as Shepseskaf’s successor, Userkaf, the founder of the 5th Dynasty, returned to the more traditional pyramid-tomb. From then on, the dimensions and shape of the pyramid and the temple connected to it would become more and more standardised. As location for his tomb, Userkaf chose to stay at Saqqara but returned to the already extensively used northern cemeteries, building his monument at the Northeast corner of Djoser’s old complex. Still, Userkaf deviated from the 4th Dynasty standard by building his funerary temple to the South of his pyramid and not to the East. Whether this was due to geological circumstances or a deliberate imitation of the orientation of Djoser’s complex is not certain.

Most of the other kings of the 5th Dynasty preferred a relatively new site, known today as Abusir, located a couple of kilometres to the North of Saqqara. It is during this period that the pyramid and funerary complex would reach the standard that would be followed to some degree until the end of the Old Kingdom: the shape and dimensions of the pyramid were established, as well as the layout and decoration-themes of the funerary temple. Contrary to the 4th Dynasty, however, many of the 5th Dynasty high officials, such as the famous vizier Ptahhotep, would continue to be buried at Saqqara. During the 5th Dynasty, most high officials were not related directly to the royal family and would prefer burial near their own homes or near the tombs of their own ancestors.

The two last kings of the 5th Dynasty returned, again for unknown reasons, to Saqqara. The first of them, Djedkare, built a pyramid at Saqqara-South, about halfway between Shepseskaf’s tomb and Djoser’s Step-Pyramid.

Unas, the last king of the 5th Dynasty, erected his funerary monument between the 3rd Dynasty monuments of Djoser and Sekhemkhet. The causeway that ran between his badly damaged mortuary temple, connected to the pyramid, and the Valley temple, is preserved in some spots. It was, like all such causeways, roofed and its walls were decorated with fine reliefs. In building his monument, some stones and blocks coming from Djoser’s complex were re-used, an indication that parts of the famous 3rd Dynasty monuments had already fallen into ruins by the time Unas built his own pyramid. Unas’ pyramid would become the center of a cemetery for members of his own family and for high officials.

To the North and South of his causeway, the area is literally honeycombed with tombs. Some of these tombs were traditional mastabas; others were pit-tombs. The famous mastaba of the "two brothers", Khnumhotep and Ni-ankh-khnum, was built adjacent to the causeway.

Saqqara remained the royal necropolis throughout the 6th Dynasty. Its founder, Teti, built his pyramid complex to the Northeast of Userkaf’s. Thus the monuments of Sekhemkhet in the Southwest, Unas, Djoser, Userkaf and Teti in the Northeast were built along an almost straight line, with Djoser’s monument in the middle.

Immediately North of Teti’s Pyramid, a new, private cemetery was created. Famous viziers such as Kagemni and Mereruka were buried underneath the most exquisitely decorated mastabas. The false door in the offering chapel of Mereruka’s mastaba shows a more than life-size statue of Mereruka coming from the world of the dead to accept his daily offerings.

It is not known where Teti’s successor, Userkare, believed to have been a usurper who murdered his predecessor, was buried. Pepi I, Merenre (Nemtimsaf I) and Pepi II all favoured Saqqara-South. During the New Kingdom, the name of the funerary complex of Pepi I, Men-nefer, was extended to the temple of Ptah which almost stood due East of the pyramid. From there, the same name was extended to the city where the temple stood and was transformed by the Greeks into "Memphis".
(Jacques Kinnaer)