pyramid.jpg (1125 bytes)The Step Pyramid of Saqqara

Djoser's Step PyramidToday recognised as the first building ever to be built of nothing else but stone, Djoser’s step pyramid is a masterpiece of ancient engineering. It is situated in a massive enclosure – the walls were 34 ft (10.5 m) high and c.5,347 ft (1,645 m) long and enclosed an area of approximately 37 acres (15 ha). In contemporary terms, this was roughly the area taken up by a large town. In the middle of this vast area was the pyramid itself – 6 steps rising to about 197 ft (60 m). The pyramid alone contained something like 11,668,000 cubic feet (330,400 cubic metres) of clay and stone.

It was not planned on this great scale right from the start. Initially, it was only supposed to be a traditional mastaba (bench-like) tomb. However, as building progressed, it was decided to build another mastaba on top of the previous one, and so on until there were the six steps we visible there today.

What we can see above ground is only part of the story of the Step Pyramid. Underneath there are approximately 3.5 miles (5.7 km) of tunnels, shafts, galleries and chambers. The original tunnels have been supplemented by a number of passages dug out by robbers seeking to remove anything valuable from the burial. Sadly, it seems as though they succeeded, as little of value remained to modern times.

 

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