The Step Pyramid of Djoser, in his mortuary complex at Saqqara south of Cairo, was built during his Third Dynasty reign in the 27th century BCE and predates the pyramids of Giza. Saqqara served as the necropolis of ancient Memphis; the Serapeum of Saqqara is a separate, later burial complex. Often described as the earliest large-scale cut-stone construction and called by Britannica the oldest important stone building in Egypt, the pyramid is not unequivocally the earliest stone building in all history. Its complex contains deep shafts and underground chambers, including a granite burial chamber, with sarcophagi, hieroglyphic reliefs and inscriptions. The range c. 2667–2648 BCE refers to Djoser’s reign, not an exact construction date.
Djoser’s Step Pyramid at Saqqara predates Giza’s pyramids
EgyptGeneral
Key facts
- Djoser’s Step Pyramid stands in his mortuary complex at Saqqara, the necropolis of ancient Memphis south of Cairo. It is distinct from the later Serapeum of Saqqara.
- The pyramid was built during Djoser’s Third Dynasty reign in the 27th century BCE and predates the pyramids on the Giza plateau.
- Britannica describes it as Egypt’s oldest important stone building, while other sources call it the earliest large-scale cut-stone construction. Calling it the earliest stone building in all history is too broad.
- The complex contains deep shafts and underground burial chambers, including a granite burial chamber, together with sarcophagi, hieroglyphic reliefs and inscriptions.
- The dates c. 2667–2648 BCE refer to Djoser’s reign and are not exact construction dates.
Sources
Step Pyramid complex at Saqqara - Smarthistorysmarthistory.org
While the complex had many innovations, among the most important are that it was the first mortuary structure in stone, the first stepped pyramid instead of a ...
Pyramid of Djoser - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
The six-tier, four-sided structure is the earliest colossal stone building in Egypt. It was built in the 27th century BC during the Third Dynasty for the burial ...
The Pyramid of Djoser: The World's Oldest Pyramid Is Often ...discovermagazine.com
The monument Imhotep designed for Djoser is the oldest-known step pyramid, which is constructed of stone and arranged in layers to create ...
Step Pyramid at Saqqara King Djoser 2667-2648bcdiscoveringegypt.com
The earliest graves were pits cut into the bedrock and covered in stones—but soon they developed into more elaborate structures made from mud brick and stone, ...
The Step Pyramid Complex of Djoser - Discover Egypt's Monumentsegymonuments.gov.eg
The sheer age of the Step Pyramid is astounding. It was built in the early Third Dynasty, during the reign of King Netjerykhet (c.2667–2648 BC), who is now more ...
Old Kingdom Monuments Step Pyramidegyptianmuseum.org
The Step Pyramid was built during the Third Dynasty as the tomb for Pharaoh Djoser. Here limestone was first used on a large scale as a construction material
Egypt's oldest pyramid reopens to public after 14-year ...abcnews.com
The 4,700-year-old step pyramid, built in the 27th century B.C. for third dynasty pharaoh Djoser, is deemed the oldest stone structure of its ...
Step Pyramid of Djoser |Description, Theories, & Factsbritannica.com
Step Pyramid of Djoser is the oldest important stone building in Egypt, the center of a large mortuary complex in the Saqqarah necropolis.
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