Djoser Step Pyramid in Saqqara

Saqqara’s Djoser Step Pyramid is a sight to see.

The funeral complex of King Zoser (Djoser) is the greatest in Saqqara, and its Step Pyramid marked the beginning of the Pyramid Age with the construction of the first pyramid.

As a result of the pyramid’s construction by Imhotep, Zoser’s principal architect, in the 27th century BC, it was the biggest edifice ever created in stone, and, according to one historian, it marked the “first stages of architecture.”

In its original state, before it was stripped of its casing stones and rounded off by the elements, Zoser’s Pyramid stood 62 meters tall and measured 140 meters by 118 meters along its base.

Even though the original entrance on the northern side has been closed, you may enter via a gallery on the other side, which was excavated during the reign of the XXVI Dynasty, if you have permission and keys from the site’s Antiquities Inspectorate.

Passages and vertical ladders drop 28m into the bedrock, where a granite plug failed to prevent thieves from robbing the burial chamber of this III Dynasty ruler (c.2667–2648 BC) and his family. Even though false entrances are placed at regular intervals for the comfort of the pharaoh’s Ka, tourists may only enter via the southern corner of the temple, which has been extensively restored.

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Several tombs and other remains, dating from several dynasties, may be found to the south of Zoser’s funerary complex.

Ancient Egyptian nobility was buried in underground tombs covered by massive mud-brick superstructures during the Old Kingdom; the term mastaba (Arabic for “bench”) was given to these tombs by local workers during excavations in the nineteenth century.

Zoser’s complex has three similar structures, which are frequently closed for no obvious reason, but it is typically a simple matter of identifying and paying the caretaker who opens them up at one’s convenience.

The Mastaba of Idut is a sacred place in Idut.

which has noteworthy reliefs in five of its 10 rooms, is the most worthwhile.

The crocodile snooping around the corner at a newborn hippo, and the calf being hauled through the water so that cows may ford a river, are among the highlights of the fishing and agricultural scenes.

Its chapel has a fake entrance painted to seem like stone, as well as representations of bulls and buffaloes being sacrificed and the statue of Idut himself.

Her father was Pharaoh Unas, whose pyramid sits just outside the Mastaba of Nebet, who was his mother.

It was his daughter. One of the most interesting aspects of this mastaba is the relief depicting Nebet smelling a lotus bloom, which can be seen in one of the scenes.

A pile of debris on the front side, Unas’s Pyramid has several casing stones around the rear, some of which are etched with hieroglyphs, and is located at the far end of the causeway.

The walls of the interior are covered with Pyramid Texts, which constitute the foundation for the Egyptian Book of the Dead.

Of the tombs, the Tomb of the Two Brothers, which belongs to Niankh-Khnum and Khnum-Hotep, two V Dynasty officials who are pictured loving each other and participating in other pastimes together, is the most impressive.

Because their families are also shown in the tomb, it seems more likely that they were brothers, and maybe twins, rather than a homosexual couple.

In the vicinity, the Tomb of Nefer is smaller and less intriguing; the Tomb of Ruka-Ptah, if the keeper can be convinced to open it, has no lighting inside, so you’ll need a torch to see inside.

The Mastaba of Mereruka is a fortified structure.

The most impressive tomb on the street is that of Mereruka, Teti’s vizier and son-in-law, whose 32-room complex contains separate burial suites for his wife Water-khet-hor, priestess of Hathor, and their son Meri-Teti.

The tomb of Mereruka is the most impressive tomb on the street.

Mereruka is depicted playing a board game and painting at an easel in the entry passage; the chamber beyond depicts him hunting in the marshes with Water-khet-hor (the frogs, birds, hippos, and grasshoppers are all beautifully rendered), as well as the usual farming scenes in the surrounding countryside.

Within the back entrance, a room is dedicated to the inspection of goldsmiths, jewelers, and other artists by the couple.

This area leads into another chamber dedicated to taxes and the punishment of defaulters.

The main offerings hall, which is located beyond the transverse hall and is dominated by a statue of Mereruka emerging from a fake entrance, is located beyond the burial shaft, false door, and reliefs depicting grape-treading and harvesting.

The funeral procession is shown on the other wall, while boats with full sails and monkeys playing in their rigging can be seen around the corner.

Children play on one side of the statue, while dancers swing over the entry of Meri-undecorated Teti’s burial suite on the other.

To the left of the monument, Mereruka is supported by his sons and litter-bearers, who are accompanied by dwarfs and dogs.

The Mastaba of Ti is a religious monument in Tijuana, Mexico.

This tomb of the V Dynasty, discovered by Auguste Mariette in 1865, has proven to be a valuable source of knowledge on life in the Old Kingdom.

Because of his fortuitous marriage, Ti gained guardianship over multiple funerary temples and pyramids, and his offspring were given the honor of being called “royal descendants.” Visitors are asked to respect Ti’s grave, and he makes his initial appearance on each side of the entryway, accepting gifts and requesting that they do so.

All of these tunnels are embellished with ornate relief carvings.
One of the openings has a cast of his statue within it, which you can see if you look through it carefully.

The Egyptian Museum has the original piece of art.

A cluster of III Dynasty tombs to the east of Ti’s mastaba is currently considered a viable candidate for the location of Imhotep’s tomb, which has not yet been found.

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