Page 40 - WDT Magazine Egypt

STEP PYRAMID

riving Just a few miles from Memphis, we
paid a visit to the Step Pyramid at Saqqara,
Dthe first pyramid built in Egypt. Before
pyramids, tombs were cut directly into the bedrock
or housed in more elaborate square mud and brick
structures called mastabas. The idea for pyramids
emerged in the third dynasty (2667-2648 BC) when
King Djoser’s famous Prime Minister Imhotep started
to work on a tomb at Saqqara for the ruler.
First, an enormous mastaba of stone was built. It
was big, but not grand enough, so Imhotep stacked
another layer on top of the first —and then another
until the structure was a pyramid consisting of six
terraces some 200 feet high. Then they encased the
surface in smooth white limestone and built temples
at the base. The entire complex included a vast court-
yard surrounded by massive stone walls.
Saqqara also is home of the “tombs of the Nobles”
where minor royalty and court officials were buried.
On the walls of these 4,500-year-old limestone build-
ings are finely carved images of animals, plants, and
people carrying out their daily routines of hunting,
herding, and farming.
The pyramid today is in an advanced state of de-
cay. The limestone cladding is gone and thousands
of years of neglect and erosion have taken their toll.
Restoration is underway, using stone from the original
quarries. Looking at the restored areas, it was easy to
imagine how magnificent Saqqara once was.
It was over 100 degrees F. as we wandered the
dusty site, encountering only a few fellow visitors dur-
ing our hour there. While the pyramid and buildings
were not nearly as impressive as those of the Giza
Plateau, we did come away with an appreciation for
Saqqara’s significance in Egyptian history.

The Step Pyramid built for Egyptian
King Djoser by Imhotep.
Right: Excavations continue on the
Saqqara temple complex.

40 WDT MAGAZINE SUMMER 2018