A recent study suggests that a total solar eclipse in 2471 BCE may have played a role in the decline of Egypt's Fourth Dynasty. Pharaoh Shepseskaf's decision to build a mastaba instead of a pyramid marked a break with dynastic and religious tradition. The eclipse, which nearly obscured the area of Giza and its capital, Memphis, may have been interpreted as a bad omen, leading to a shift in religious and architectural focus in the Fifth Dynasty. The study highlights the importance of considering the cultural and religious implications of natural phenomena when examining historical transitions.