Saqqara

Saqqara is an ancient Egyptian necropolis near Memphis, used for burials across several millennia. Its monuments include Djoser’s Step Pyramid and tombs from many periods of Egyptian history.

Step Pyramid of Djoser: A six-tiered stone pyramid built for King Djoser at Saqqara during Egypt’s Third Dynasty. This landmark monument made Saqqara famous and marks an early stage in pyramid construction.
Memphis: An ancient Egyptian city near the Nile Delta that served as a major political and religious center. Saqqara served as the principal necropolis for Memphis.
Mastaba: A rectangular ancient Egyptian tomb with a flat roof and sloping sides, built above a burial chamber. Mastabas form a major part of Saqqara’s landscape, especially for officials and elites.
Egyptian archaeology: The study of ancient Egypt through the excavation, recording, and interpretation of its material remains. Saqqara has supplied archaeological evidence spanning many dynasties and social groups.
Pyramid of Unas: The pyramid of Fifth Dynasty king Unas at Saqqara, containing the earliest known Pyramid Texts. Its inscribed burial chamber reveals a major development in royal funerary practice at the site.
Djoser: A Third Dynasty pharaoh of Egypt whose reign is associated with the Step Pyramid at Saqqara. His funerary complex established Saqqara as a setting for monumental royal architecture.
Pyramid Texts: Ancient Egyptian religious spells inscribed on the walls of royal pyramids to aid the king in the afterlife. The earliest known examples appear in the Pyramid of Unas at Saqqara.
Jean-Philippe Lauer: A French architect and Egyptologist known for decades of research and restoration at Djoser’s Step Pyramid complex. His work helped define modern study of Saqqara’s most prominent monument.
Serapeum of Saqqara: An underground complex at Saqqara where sacred Apis bulls were buried in monumental stone sarcophagi. The complex shows that Saqqara’s sacred burials extended beyond kings and human tombs.
Imhotep: An Egyptian official and architect traditionally credited with designing Djoser’s Step Pyramid complex. His design transformed the royal tomb at Saqqara into a monumental stone complex.

Linked from 16 pages