Saqqara Step Pyramid Complex

The Pyramid of Djoser (also known as the Step Pyramid) is a pyramid in Egypt located at Saqqara. It is the tomb of the Third Dynasty Pharaoh Djoser. It was designed and built by his chancellor Imhotep. It is estimated to have been built between 2667 and 2648 BC. It is the first pyramid in Egypt and the first to consist of six mastabas, each smaller than the next.

The Pyramid of Djoser is 62 metres (203 ft) high, with a base measuring 109 metres by 125 metres (358 ft by 410 ft) and an exterior of white polished limestone. The pyramid is believed to be the earliest large building made of ashlars, although the nearby Gisr el-Mudir pyramid appears to be older than the Pyramid of Djoser. The oldest known unfinished stone structure dates back to 3000 BC and is located at Caral, Peru.

History
Djoser was the first or second pharaoh of the Third Dynasty (c. 2667-2648 BC) during the Old Kingdom of Egypt (c. 2686-2125 BC) Historians believe he ruled Egypt for 19 years (or 36 years). He ruled long enough to complete his plans to build a pyramid.

Djoser is best known for his tomb, which became the most famous building at Saqqara. In this tomb he was referred to as Netjerykhet, a name given to him thousands of years later during the New Kingdom. The Pyramid of Djoser was unlike any other structure that had come before it, and it set several important precedents, most importantly perhaps being the first monumental stone building. The social impact of such a large and elaborate stone structure was quite astonishing. The process of building such a stone structure would have been even more labor-intensive than previous structures, demonstrating a new level of state control over resources, both human and material. Additionally, the pharaohs of the Old Kingdom were buried in the north, not in Abydos. Furthermore, although the Pyramid of Djoser is different from later complexes, many elements of the Step Pyramid's design were adopted by the pyramids of the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Dynasties, including the three pyramids of Giza. Finally, Imhotep served as the architect of the Pyramid of Djoser, responsible for its design and construction.

Structure

Temples near the Pyramid of Djoser
The Pyramid of Djoser served both this world and the afterlife. The pyramids of ancient Egypt were not only tombs, but also served the purpose of successfully facilitating the pharaoh's arrival in the afterlife, where he could be reborn forever. The symbolic meaning of the Step Pyramid remains unknown, but it may represent a large crown, as seven smaller pyramids (not tombs) were built nearby. Another widely accepted theory is that the Step Pyramid facilitated the pharaoh's ascension to heaven, where he could join the eternal North Star.

French architect Jean-Philippe Lauer was the main excavator of the Step Pyramid and reconstructed key parts of the pyramid complex. The pyramid complex covers an area of 15 hectares, about 2.5 times the size of the Old Kingdom town of Hierakonpolis. The Pyramid of Djoser differs from later Old Kingdom pyramids in several ways. First, the pyramid temple is located to the north of the pyramid, while later pyramid temples are located to the east. In addition, the pyramid of Djoser is built on a north-south axis, while later pyramid complexes use an east-west axis.In addition, the pyramid of Djoser is protected by only one wall, while later pyramids have two walls.

Walls
The Pyramid of Djoser is surrounded by a 10.5-meter-high wall[9] constructed of smooth Tura limestone. The wall resembles a First Dynasty tomb, with a distinct palace appearance.[10] The wall has 14 doors, but only one entrance, located in the southeast corner. This configuration is similar to the Early Dynastic tombs at Abydos, which all have entrances to the east. The remaining doors are called false doors and were intended for use by the pharaoh in the afterlife. They served as a conduit through which the pharaoh could travel between this world and the afterlife. A narrow passage at the southeast end of the wall connects to a covered colonnade.[9] Step Pyramid

Pyramid of Djoser
The Step Pyramid has six levels and was built in six steps, possibly as an experimental structure. The pyramid began as a mastaba (M1) and was gradually enlarged, first evenly on all four sides (M2) and then only on the east side (M3. The mastaba was built in two stages, first with a four-step structure (P1) and then with a six-step structure (P2), with a rectangular base on the east-west axis. The fact that the mastaba was originally square has led many to believe that the building was not a monument, as no known mastaba is square. The Step Pyramid eventually reached a height of 62 meters and an area of 1,221 square meters. When the mastaba was transformed into a four-step pyramid, they completed a major shift in the history of architecture. When building mastabas, the Egyptians built horizontally, but when building pyramids, they built the accretion layers inwards and used larger and higher quality stones. The rocks needed to build the pyramids were probably transported from quarries via huge trenches. Historians widely agree that the Egyptians used ramps to raise the heavy stones to build the pyramids, and have proposed a number of possible models. The Egyptians placed the heavy stones on logs to transport them to the construction site.

Interior Structure
The interior of the Step Pyramid is a maze of rooms and corridors, about 6 km long, connected to a central corridor that is 7 meters squared and 28 meters deep. These rooms were the burial chambers for the pharaoh, his family members, and also for storing food and supplies. The entrance to the central corridor is located on the north side of the pyramid, a pattern that would be replicated throughout the Old Kingdom. The sides of the underground passage are covered with limestone and inlaid with blue colored ceramic tiles. Historians have found more than 40,000 stone ships in the storage chamber, many of which predate Djoser's time. These ships were placed there for Djoser's internal organs in the afterlife. There are large underground galleries to the west, south, and north of the central chamber.