The Old Kingdom of ancient Egypt declined during the rule of the Fifth and Sixth Dynasties, finally dissolving in the 22nd century BCE. There were several factors that contributed to the decline of the Old Kingdom, but the most important issue was the erosion of the authority of the Pharaoh and the accompanying growing power of the nobility and priesthood. This led to the decentralization of power in Egypt and constant power struggles and civil war.

The Great Pyramids of Giza were most likely built during the reign of Khufu (in the fourth dynasty of the Old Kingdom). After Khufu’s reign, the Old Kingdom entered a gradual period of decline. Most of the pyramids built after Khufu’s death were much smaller and less expensive. Especially during the fifth and sixth dynasties.

The pyramids built during the middle years of the Old Kingdom (such as the Great Pyramids of Giza) were much larger than the pyramids that were built during the fifth and sixth dynasties (towards the latter years of the Old Kingdom). This is primarily the result of Egypt’s gradual economic decline and the subsequent inability of rulers to fund the construction of great monuments.

Heracleopolis was the capital of Lower Egypt during the First Intermediate Period. This was a period of time when the Egyptian state was not unified. The Ninth and Tenth dynasties ruled Lower Egypt from Heracleopolis, whilst their rivals ruled a separate government in Upper Egypt (from their capital, Thebes).

Ancient Egyptian art tended to conform to the notions of ancient Egyptian worldview. As such, order and harmony were constant themes. The inundation of the Nile, a precarious and uncertain time in Egyptian life, was never depicted. Instead, the Nile was always depicted as if it were orderly and constant.

During the Old Kingdom period, artistic representation gradually became more and more uniform (in the Memphite style). This was primarily because of the concentration of Pharaonic power in Memphis and the gradual homogenization of Egyptian culture under the Memphite standard. During the First Intermediate Period, however, authority was decentralized. This precipitated a similar shift in artistic representation; cultural attitudes became more diverse and as a result art became much less uniform.

Apep was a deity known as the "enemy of Ra." Ra was the sun god, and a central positive figure in Ancient Egyptian religion. Apep was a deity who was actually negatively worshipped, meaning that adherents worshipped Apep in order to avoid his wrath. A great deal of religious iconography discovered from this period depicted Apep's battles with Ra.

Amun was a deity of major importance in the Egyptian pantheon, worshipped as far back as the Old Kingdom. During the 11th Dynasty, he replaced Montu as the patron deity of Thebes, at times the capital city of Egypt. Amun was eventually fused with the sun god Ra, becoming Amun-Ra. He is often depicted as the king of all the gods. 

Ptah is the God of creation in the tradition of Memphis. He is also the God of craftsmen. This relates to how the Memphians understood cosmology. Unlike the rest of the ancient Egyptians, the Memphians believed that Ptah acted as a sort of intermediary. It was Ptah who carried out the wishes and constructions ordained by the Gods.

The Egyptians believed that a deceased person merged with the God of the Underworld, Osiris. They referred to the deceased as “Osiris (name of deceased).” So, for example, a man named Amenhotep who had died would be called “Osiris Amenhotep” to reflect his acquired divinity upon his death.