Saqqara: Exploring Egypt’s Oldest Step Pyramid and Ancient Necropolis

Saqqara, located 30 kilometers south of Cairo, is an area used as a burial place for the ancient Egyptian capital, Memphis. It contains many pyramids and other smaller burial cemeteries; including the famous Saqqara Step Pyramid or Step Pyramid of Zoser which is thought to be one of Egypt’s must-see sites.

Saqqara Step Pyramid is one of Egypt’s most iconic monuments—and rightfully so. It constitutes a significant historical turning point in ancient Egyptian funerary monuments, revolutionizing stone architecture and royal burials. In addition to its beauty and monumental scale, it is not only the very first pyramid that the ancient Egyptians ever built; but also the oldest known ancient Egyptian stone structure. It is an archeological remains in the Saqqara necropolis that was built 4700 years ago. It was also built in the 27th century during the third dynasty of the pharaoh Zoser by his great architect, Imhotep. This pyramid was built totally from limestone. And it took about twenty years to build it with about 100,000 free skilled workers.

Saqqara Step Pyramid has a unique structure since it is made from six steps of stones which is why it became a distinctive monument. It is 60 m high with a base of 358 feet by 397 feet. It is also surrounded by a vast funerary complex, enclosed by a 1645m‑long paneled limestone wall. Part of the enclosure wall survives today, as well as a section near the entrance restored to its original 10m height. It is one of the most enigmatic structures built outside of the Giza Plateau. It is also essential both as a feat of engineering in itself and for paving the way to the construction of the “true pyramids” of Giza and the rest of Egypt.

Saqqara's step pyramid has four sides. Firstly the northern side is the main entrance of the pyramid. There is also a room on the north-western side of the pyramid; where there is a beautiful limestone statue of King Zoser. However, the government removed this statue from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Secondly the southern side of the Pyramid, there is the second entrance that people have to get in to enter the pyramid.

This entrance leads to a colonnade consisting of 40 columns built to ensure the safety of the ceiling. There are small rooms in between these columns; where you can find an amazing statue of Zoser as a ruler for Upper and Lower Egypt. Imhotep has built a temple for Zoser so that he can practice his rituals throughout his afterlife. This temple is known as a Hep-Sed temple. There are also two buildings behind the temple known as the Northern and Southern houses; in which the king was supposed to host his dignitaries who came to attend his rituals.

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