Giza and Saqqara are the two main necropolises of Memphis, the administrative capital of Egypt. The monuments of Saqqara cover every period of Egyptian history, from the pre-dynastic era to Christianity. Most famous is the Step Pyramid, the first major pyramid of the 3rd Dynasty. Legend has it that this was built by Imhotep, master engineer and vizier to Zoser. The design is based on the traditional mastaba tomb, with additional steps added during construction to create the full six seen today. The construction uses small stone block similar to bricks, rather than the massive blocks that would be used shortly afterwards in Giza. This is the architectural link between the earlier mud-brink mastaba tombs and the later large-stone smooth-sided pyramids. The pyramid is situated in a large complex, surrounded by walls and several smaller temples. Among the other sites of Saqqara are several 1st and 2nd Dynasty mastaba tombs with wonderful painting, as well as several smaller pyramids, one of which features the earliest depiction of the Pyramid Texts.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Go to Egypt Photo Database Page