Wikipedia:Today's featured article/requests/Unas

Unas

 * This is the archived discussion of the TFAR nomination for the article below. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as Wikipedia talk:Today's featured article/requests). Please do not modify this page. 

The result was: scheduled for Today's featured article/July 5, 2015 by Brianboulton (talk) 20:47, 18 June 2015 (UTC)



Unas was an Ancient Egyptian pharaoh, the ninth and last ruler of the Fifth Dynasty during the Old Kingdom period. Unas reigned for 15 to 30 years in the mid-24th century BC succeeding Djedkare Isesi, who might have been his father. Little is known of Unas' activities during his reign, which was a time of economic decline. Egypt maintained trade relations with the Levantine coast and Nubia and military action may have taken place in southern Canaan. The growth and decentralization of the administration in conjunction with the lessening of the king's power continued under Unas, ultimately contributing to the collapse of the Old Kingdom some 200 years later. Unas built a pyramid in Saqqara, the smallest of the royal pyramids completed during the Old Kingdom. The accompanying mortuary complex with its high and valley temples linked by a 750 m long causeway was lavishly decorated with painted reliefs, whose quality and variety surpass the usual royal iconography. Furthermore, Unas was the first pharaoh to have the Pyramid Texts carved and painted on the walls of the chambers of his pyramid, a major innovation that was followed by his successors until the First Intermediate Period (c. 2160–c. 2050 BC). These texts identify the king with Ra and Osiris, whose cult was on the rise in Unas' time, and were meant to help the king reach the afterlife.
 * Most recent similar article(s): None
 * Main editors:
 * Promoted: April 24, 2015
 * Reasons for nomination: I don't remember ever seeing an Egyptian pharaoh on "Today's Featured Article", let alone an early one (Unas lived c. 2350 BC). In addition, Unas is the first pharaoh to have the Pyramid Texts inscribed on the walls of his pyramid, one of the earliest religious text still in existence. This might explain why Unas receives twice as much monthly visits as other Old Kingdom pharaohs and why we still talk about him some 4300 years after his death!
 * Support as nominator. &#32;Iry-Hor (talk) 07:35, 18 June 2015 (UTC)