Saqqara
represents the beginning of the pyramid age. The very first significant stone
pyramid was bulit here, a creative variation on previous tombs, called mastabas.
Prior to this, Egyptian Kings were buried in these mastabas, which are bench-like
mounds that loam over a series of elaborate underground passageways. Here
at Saqqara in the late 3rd Dynasty, King Zoser, with the help of his Chief
Architect Imhotep, decided to improve on the simple bench-like design with
a series of steps that formed the first step pyramid. The continuing evolution
of the pyramid design woule eventually lead to the Great Pyramid at Giza.
Many
of the unsung heroes of ancient Egypt were artisans, architects and builders.
Sadly, their names have not survived the light of modern day. It was far more
common for all of the attention to be left to the king, and often his family
and nobility. There are a few notable exceptions and none more legendary than
Imhotep. The name of Imhotep has miraculously survived, on a statue base,
in Saqqara. This fortunate discovery has shed some light on one of the few
ancient known architects. Although reputed to be much more than an architect,
Imhotep is credited with design and execution of the Step Pyramid of Zoser.
He was later hailed by theGreeks
as a god and was admired for also being a physician, healer and magician.
