Step Pyramid of Djoser: the First Pyramid the Egyptians Ever Built
By Miguel Brown
Jul 01, 2022 02:45 PM EDT
This picture taken on September 14, 2021 shows a view of the side of the step pyramid of
the third dynasty Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Djoser (27th century BC) at the Saqqara
Necropolis south of Egypt's capital Cairo.
(Photo : Photo by KHALED DESOUKI/AFP via Getty Images)
The Step Pyramid of Djoser is the oldest pyramid in Egypt, built about 4,700 years ago, and the nation's first Pyramid.
The archaeological site in the Saqqara necropolis, Egypt was built with six-stepped layers above ground and a series of tunnels below, according to LiveScience. It was the largest building of its time at a height of 204 feet (62 meters). Designed by the famous architect, Imhotep, who was later deified for his accomplishments, it was built during the Third Dynasty as the tomb for Pharaoh Djoser (sometimes spelled Zoser, though he was actually called Netjerykhet).
"Djoser is the name given to this king by New Kingdom visitors to the site over a thousand years later," Egyptologist Mark Lehner wrote in his book "The Complete Pyramids: Solving the Ancient Mysteries" (Thames & Hudson, 2008).
The Old Kingdom Monument
Tura limestones were used on a large scale as a construction material for the royal tomb, most of which is gone today. Through a series of expansions, it evolved into a 197-foot-high (60 meters) pyramid, with six layers, one built on top of the other. Without exaggeration, the Step Pyramid complex indeed constitutes a milestone in the evolution of monumental stone architecture, both in Egypt and in the world as a whole, the Egyptian Museum wrote.
More:
https://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/51665/20220701/step-pyramid-of-djoser-egypts-first-pyramid-4700-years-ago.htm