The pyramids are the most famous monuments of ancient Egypt and still hold enormous interest for people in the present day. Djosers mummified remains were even stolen. Controversial information can be understood as less define facts (define = determined). It is located in the pyramidfield at Saqqara, on the north-east of the step pyramidof Djoser(reigned c. 2670 BC). His reign, which probably lasted 19 years, was marked by great technological innovation in the use of stone architecture. Djoser was highly respected during his reign and still, centuries after, was held in high regard as evidenced by the Famine Stele from the Ptolemaic Dynasty (332-30 BCE) which tells the story of Djoser saving the country from famine by re-building the temple of Khnum, the god of the source of the Nile River, who was thought to be holding back his grace because his shrine was in disrepair; once Djoser restored it, the famine was lifted. A-Z Index - Art Timeline - Architecture Timeline - Contact - Terms - Privacy Policy - About Art Facts, 1. [16][20][a], In the early stages (M1 to M3) the structure had the form of a mastaba before alterations (P1 to P2) were made to create its step pyramidal form. The Pyramid of Djoser was built in the 27th century BCE by ancient Egyptian pharaoh Djoser of the 3rd Dynasty. Built in the middle of the 27 th century BCE, the Pyramid of Djoser is the oldest pyramid in Egypt. According to legend, Memphis was founded by Pharaoh Menes, who united the Upper and Lower Kingdoms of Egypt over 5000 years ago. The ancient Egyptian pharaoh that gave the pyramid its name, Djoser . This fits into the theory proposed by Barry Kemp, and generally accepted by many, that suggests the whole step pyramid complex symbolizes the royal palace enclosure and allows the king to eternally perform the rituals associated with kingship. Updates? The Step Pyramid of Djoser holds the record of being the worlds first large-scale stone monument. The Djoser Pyramid has appeared again and again in popular culture throughout the millennia that have passed since its construction. [9] These would have allowed Djoser to claim control over all of Egypt,[9] while its presence in the funerary complex would allow Djoser to continue to benefit from the ritual in the afterlife. Only the privileged few with permission were able to enter the extraordinary monument. Its astonishing because if we would try to recreate for example the Great Pyramid of Giza with our modern technologies, we wouldnt actually be capable to do it! While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Djoser, British Broadcasting Corporation - Djoser, aqqrah, Egypt: Step Pyramid complex of Djoser. The south court is a large court between the south tomb and the pyramid. Only one of the doors opened. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. When these tourists began to travel to the ancient ruins of north Africa in the 18th and 19th centuries, the Djoser Pyramid was a key attraction. The Pyramid of Djoser wasnt the first structure to be built at the Saqqara Necropolis. 10. After this, it appears a plan to build a 4-step pyramid was created which was changed yet again to its final form with 6 steps. [44][45] The entrance was flanked by two towers leading to a passage past which lay the colonnaded entrance. King Djoser Facts 2. Plan of Djoser's Stepped Pyramid complex, Saqqara, Egypt, Old Kingdom, 3rd Dynasty, c. 2675-2625 B.C.E. He was also the one who discovered the secret chambers inside the Djoser Pyramid that were decorated with blue tiles. Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University. Along with his soldiers, Napoleon travelled with a team of scholars and scientists who studied and documented the remains of Egyptian culture, their most important find being the Rosetta Stone. D. When finally completed, the Step Pyramid rose 62 meters high and was the tallest structure of its time. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Despite these challenges, its sturdy foundations kept the Egyptian pyramid standing, but in 2006 it was deemed to be at risk of collapse. The initial mastaba, however, was a square, which makes historians believe that the structure was never meant to be a mastaba and that the steps were part of the general plan. A granite plug sealed the passageway to the actual tomb. Many centuries later, the phenomenon of the Grand Tour emerged. World History Encyclopedia, 14 Feb 2016. Maahes: the Ancient Egyptian Lion-Headed God of War, The Boston Massacre: The American Revolution, Serapis: Graeco-Egyptian God of Healing, Fertility, and Unity, Egyptian Pyramids: History and Interesting Facts, Pyramid Texts: Definition, Purpose, Hieroglyphs, & Facts. (2016, February 14). Imhotep seems to have first begun building a simple mastaba tomb. What is clear, however, is that Djoser promoted some of Egypts most impressive and innovative building projects. Built as tombs for the pharaohs of the Old Kingdom, the earliest was the "Stepped Pyramid" at Saqqara, tomb of Djoser, great-great grandfather of Khufu, the builder of the largest of the. The entrance to the 28m shaft was built on the north side of the pyramid, a trend that would remain throughout the Old Kingdom. (Egypt's Ministry of Antiquities) CAIRO, EGYPT ABC News reports that the 14-year restoration of the step pyramid of Djoser, which is located in the Saqqara necropolis . It is decorated with niches which are suggested by Nabil Swelim to have hosted the spirits of members of the king's court, there to serve the king in his afterlife. 2650). These grand, impressive tributes to the memory of the Egyptian kings have become linked with the country even though other cultures, such as the Chinese and Mayan, also built pyramids. [15] In a modern context, the same element would be built by laying out the blocks to form the recesses. There was enough left to examine throughout the pyramid and its complex, however, to amaze the archaeologists who excavated it. 3. The wall had 13 false doors cut into it with only one true entrance cut in the south-east corner; the entire wall was then ringed by a trench 2,460 feet (750 meters) long and 131 feet (40 meters) wide. That was about 100 years before the Great Pyramid of Giza was built. The Great Trench was about 750 meters (2,360 feet) long and 40 meters (130 feet) wide and historians believe it also served as extra protection for the complex. Reopened on 5 March, 2020, visitors are now invited to explore the pyramids labyrinthine passageways and surrounding structure, all of which were constructed several thousand years ago. Djoser, also spelled Zoser, second king of the 3rd dynasty (c. 2650-c. 2575 bce) of ancient Egypt, who undertook the construction of the earliest important stone building in Egypt. He uncovered the shafts and burial chambers, found and restored the blue faience rooms, and devoted himself to bringing the ancient site back to life. The Step Pyramid of Djoser A. The social implications of such a large and carefully sculpted stone structure are staggering. A huge renovation project was started in 2006 but was halted in 2011 and 2012 for security reasons, only to resume in 2013. Originally 146 or 147 meters (479 or 482 feet) high, the Great Pyramid required 300,000 blocks and more than two million tons of stone. What we see on the outside is a step pyramid. It's signature structure is Djoser's Step Pyramid one of the earliest pyramids built in ancient Egypt. A lot of the Djoser Complex was uncovered by a French Architect named Jean-Philippe Lauer. [9], Djoser's Pyramid draws ideas from several precedents. The Pyramid of Djoser was built roughly 4,700 years ago during the Third Dynasty of the Egyptian Old Kingdom. These hosted false double-doors, while a fifteenth situated in the south-east corner of the east faade held the real entrance. 3. Pyramid of Djoser Historical Facts and Pictures. The step pyramid has great significance in understanding the antiquity of pyramids in ancient Egypt. These grand, impressive tributes to the memory of the Egyptian kings have become linked with the country even though other cultures, such as the Chinese and Mayan, also built pyramids. It consists of six huge mastabas, one on top of the other, in what were six distinctive revisions and developments of the original plan: a mastaba with a square base, 63 meters on a side, and eight meters high. Djoser's political activities: While the Pyramid was built for Djoser, the mastermind behind its construction was Djosers chancellor, high priest, and main architect, Imhotep. The false doors and the trench were incorporated into the complex to discourage unwanted guests. The buildings in the surrounding complex were in an even worse state of disrepair, which may have been down to an engineering flaw in their construction. [15] For example, the Egyptians hand-carved 1,680 9m (30ft; 17cu)-tall niches out of the limestone enclosure wall. Djoser's step pyramid is astounding in its departure from previous architecture. [38], Under the step pyramid is a labyrinth of tunneled chambers and galleries that total nearly 6km in length and connect to a central shaft 7m square and 28m deep. [50][57] Lauer believes this chamber contained a statue of Djoser on a pedestal that bore his name and Imhotep's titles. The king's ka inhabited the ka statue, in order to benefit from daily ceremonies like the opening of the mouth, a ceremony that allowed him to breathe and eat, and the burning of incense. The Step Pyramid was constructed during the Third Dynasty roughly 4,700 years ago (27th century BCE) for King Djoser. These proposals stem from the fact that the granite burial vault is much too small to have facilitated an actual burial. Before the Djoser Pyramid, however, pharaohs were typically buried in rectangular tombs constructed out of slabs made from mud, called mastabas (literally benches). The Third Dynasty, based in Memphis, was the beginning of the Old Kingdom, a period of stability . Djoser Pyramid is made up of 6 mastabas one above the other, giving the building its unique shape. The necropolis is located close to the entrance to the Nile delta in Egypt's Lower Kingdom. [1] He is known for the building of the first pyramid built in Egypt, the Step Pyramid at Saqqara. The pyramid complex of Userkafwas built c. 2490 BC[1]for the pharaoh Userkaf(reigned 2494-2487 BC), founder of the 5th Dynastyof Egypt (c. 2494-2345 BC). This article was most recently revised and updated by. The pyramid was not only a singular structure, but accompanied by a vast complex which included courtyards, shrines, temples and lodgings for priests. The pyramids are the most famous monuments of ancient Egypt and still hold enormous interest for people in the present day. Three sides were extended and built out to create eight shallow steps rising at an angle of 49. [10], Djoser's mortuary complex comprises the great trench, enclosure wall, colonnaded entrance, 'T' temple, Sed festival complex, north and south pavilions, south tomb and court, western mounds, mortuary temple, and the crowning feature of it all, the step pyramid with its substructure. [16], Complex layout: 1) step pyramid, 2) south tomb and chapel, 3) Sed festival complex, 4) 'T' temple, 5) south court, 6) south pavilion, 7) north pavilion, 8) mortuary temple, 9) western mounds, 10) colonnaded entrance, 11) north court, 12) north galleries, 13) step tombs, 14) serdab, and 15) north altar, The crowning feature of the complex is the Step Pyramid which rises from the Saqqara plateau in six steps[16][17] to a height between 60m (200ft; 110cu)[18] and 62.5m (205ft; 119.3cu). [30] Lauer believed that the alteration was made to have the tomb visible from Memphis. [9] Another well accepted theory is that it facilitated the king's ascension to join the eternal North Star. Djoser is best known for his innovative tomb, which dominates the Saqqara landscape. American poet Charles Olson uses it as a symbol of mortality: Djoser imaged his pyramid all his life and had it built and set down inside the sand, which then. In March 2020, the pyramid was reopened for visitors after a 14-year restoration. Djoser's grave goods, and even his mummy, were stolen at some point in the past and all archaeologists found of the king was parts of his mummified foot and a few valuables overlooked by the thieves. The life-sized statue of Djoser, located to the north of the pyramid, was intended to serve as host of the. (2670-2650) during the Third Dynasty of Ancient Egypt. The soul was thought to consist of nine aspects and one of them, the ba (the bird-shaped image often found on tomb engravings), was able to fly from earth to the heavens at will. Corrections? The Pyramid of Djoser is an important symbol in the Assassin's Creed universe, and it's sure to continue inspiring gamers for years to come. Mastabas were always built pointing from North to South, as the Egyptians believed this would help the soul inside to reach the afterlife. Until then, Egyptian royal tombs had been underground . Over 40,000 of these vessels, of various form and shape, were found in two of the descending shafts of the pyramid (the 6th and 7th shafts). The following Facts about Djoser will tell the readers about an ancient pharaoh from Egypt during the Old Kingdom which took place in the third dynasty. Many of these pre-dated him as well. [45] This is followed by a wider corridor flanked by 40 limestone columns, arranged in pairs, that fronted projecting walls, which formed alcoves. The Step Pyramid of Djoser A. The outer facade of the building is plain and shows no efforts at ornamentation but the inside is beautifully constructed with Djed pillars (representing stability) throughout. Djoser's complex, in fact, was larger than the city of Hierkanpolis at the time. [29], Egyptologists are split on the motivations behind the conception of the pyramidal form that the mastaba was converted into. This made it one of the Titanic's sister ships . The most relevant precedent is found at Saqqara mastaba 3038 (c. 2700 BC). To further deter unwanted visitors, a 40m wide trench was dug around the outer wall. Fast Facts: Step Pyramid of Djoser Culture: 3rd Dynasty, Old Kingdom Egypt (ca. The pyramid is an impressive sight, but it would have been even more so after it was first finished. The Step Pyramid has been thoroughly examined and investigated over the last century and it is now known that the building process went through many different stages and there were a few false starts. The Step Pyramid of Djoser. The Pyramid of Djoser, also called the Step Pyramid is the oldest known Egyptian Pyramid. We care about our planet! It sets several important precedents, perhaps the most important of which is its status as the first monumental structure made of stone. Unfortunately, all of the precautions and intricate design of the underground complex did not prevent ancient robbers from finding a way in. Yes, the afterlife palace of the pharaoh was meant to be just as luxurious as his palace in real life! It is also considered the first pyramid in Egypt, being a model and predecessor of the iconic Pyramids of Giza. It is rectangular in shape, oriented on the northsouth axis. Scientists estimate that its stone blocks average over two tons apiece, with the largest weighing as much as fifteen tons each. His great, towering mastaba pyramid would have the same delicate touches and resonant symbolism as the more modest tombs which had preceded it and, better yet, these would all be worked in stone instead of dried mud. The Pyramid of Djoser, also known as the Step Pyramid, a UNESCO world heritage site, was reopened on March 5, after a restoration took 14 years and nearly $6.6 million. [54] Near the beginning of the colonnade, at its eastern end, is a corridor which leads to the heb-sed court. Step Pyramid Complex at SaqqaraDennis Jarvis (CC BY-SA). Lauer restored, excavated, and explored the Step Pyramid and its complex for the next fifty years. The Step Pyramid stands at a height of 204 feet (62 meters) with six stepped layers. Roughly 4600 years after it was built, the Pyramid of Djoser has at last been restored to its original majesty. It was commissioned by Djoser himself to serve as his final burial place, and the design is attributed to his vizier, Imhotep. - A pyramid design that others copied. With a total volume of 330,400 cubic meters (11,667,966 cu ft), the construction of the Step pyramid and . The wall reached a height of about 10.5 meters (34 feet). It had one opening, which was sealed with a 3.5 ton block after the burial. On March 5, 2020 the UNESCO world heritage site was reopened to tourists after $6.6 million and 14 years of renovation work. The south tomb has been likened to the satellite pyramids of later dynasties, and has been proposed to house the ka in the afterlife. The pyramid of Djoser is the centerpiece of a vast mortuary complex that contains multiple structures and decorations. Hopefully, preservation efforts at Djoser's Step Pyramid will improve in time to save this unique site for visitors to appreciate and admire in the future as they have for the past 4,000 years. During his years in power, larger and longer-lasting monuments began to be constructed across his kingdom, often under the eye of Imhotep. The worlds first pyramid was built for the Pharaoh Djoser. With his base in Memphis, Djoser most likely. The complex was reopened to the public after 14 years, The Laughing Cavalier by Frans Hals Top 8 Facts, The Caf-Concert by douard Manet Top 8 Facts, Top 10 Famous Paintings at the Frans Hals Museum, 8 Historic Facts about the Szchenyi Chain Bridge. When completed, the Step Pyramid rose 204 feet (62 meters) high and was the tallest structure of its time. License. His design would go on to win him legendary status. For nearly 3,000 years he was venerated in Egypt as a semi-divine philosopher, and during the Ptolemaic period, as the god of medicine and healing. The pyramid contains a huge labyrinth of tunnels, 11. There is direct evidence for some of these stages, though others remain hypothetical in nature as confirming or disproving them would require dismantling the pyramid. Why Imhotep decided to change the traditional rectangular mastaba shape is unknown but it is probable that Imhotep had in mind a square-based pyramid from the start. Napoleon brought a team of scholars and scientists along with his army who explored, examined, recorded, and studied the monuments of ancient Egyptian culture and who, among other accomplishments, discovered the Rosetta Stone in 1799 CE, the trilingual inscription stele which enabled French scholar Jean-Francois Champollion (1790-1832 CE) to decipher the Egyptian hieroglyphs and open up the history of ancient Egypt for the world. Djoser is believed to have been the first pharaoh of the ancient Egyptian Old Kingdom. He has taught history, writing, literature, and philosophy at the college level. The festival was held in the 30th year of the king's reign and then every three years afterwards to revitalize his rule by re-enacting his coronation. Cleopatra: Seductress of Men or an Intelligent Leader? [16][34] These leaned on each other from opposite ends providing greater stability preventing a collapse. It originally stood over 481 feet high; today it is 450 feet high. The oldest of them, the Pyramid of Djoser, was built about 4500 years ago. The pyramids of Giza were the first to be built The pyramids of Giza were the first to be built. Once covered in pink The Djoser Pyramid In Egypt: 10 Facts on The First Pyramid Few monuments hold a place in human history as significant as that of this Pyramid. Last modified February 14, 2016. It was eventually displaced as the capital when the city of Alexandria was founded in the 4th century BC, but still remains an important historical and archaeological site. An extensive network of underground galleries was located to the north, west and south of the central burial chamber and crude horizontal magazines were carved into these. [14] It was the advent of the pyramidal form of the royal tomb and the first instance of the mass use of limestone in construction,[15] replacing mudbrick which had been the staple building material prior. [51] The ceiling blocks here were carved into the shape of tree trunks. Furthermore, the Djoser complex has one niched enclosure wall, whereas later pyramids have two enclosure walls with the outside one being smooth and the inside one sometimes niched. His mother was the queen Nimaathap and his wife the queen Hetephernepti, who was probably his half-sister. [43] The external faade of the wall had a bastion at a regular interval of 4.1m (13ft) adorned with 1,680 hand-carved niches 9m (30ft) tall. 2. It was designed by the famous architect, Imhotep, who was later deified. [58] The remaining chapels on the west side are decorated with fluted columns and capitals flanked by leaves. THE GREAT PYRAMID WAS CONSTRUCTED BETWEEN 2560 and . This article lays out all the facts you need to know about the important ancient monument. As with many of the monuments of Egypt, visitors and thieves explored the pyramid complex for centuries after it was abandoned but no systematic exploration was undertaken until Napoleon's Egypt campaign 1798-1801 CE. The Pyramid of Djoser is a step pyramid that originally had a height of 62.5 meters (205 feet) and a base of 121 meters (397feet) by 109 meters (358 feet). When he was the pharaoh, he wasnt known as Djoser though but by his Horus name Netjeriykhet. [37] For transport, apparatuses like rollers were used in which the heavy stone could be placed and then rolled. Some experts claim that Hetphernepti was also his half-sister. The pyramid of Djedefre was built on a natural mound as it symbolizes the Ancient Egyptian creation myth and the chambers were constructed using a ramp. The Egyptian authorities expect it to attract a huge number of tourists, who are now allowed to enter inside the dense network of passageways and even visit the inner burial chamber where the legendary Pharaoh was laid to rest. It dates back to around 2630 BCE, while construction on the Great Pyramid of Giza began in 2560 BCE, roughly 70 years later. The pyramid of Djoser is made of stone. The GPS coordinates of the Pyramid of Djoser are 295216.56N 311259.02E. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); World History Edu 2023. The extensive restoration work to preserve the Djoser Pyramid has ensured that the monument survives for thousands of years to come as a key piece of world history, and is accessible to visitors eager to learn about the wonders of the ancient world. The tunnels were clad with blue wall tiles, 14. Through his mother, he was related to the last ruler of the 2nd dynasty (c. 2775c. Its generally accepted though that a major shift in construction took place after the initial mastaba was built. Menkaure's pyramid may be the smallest of the well-known Egyptian pyramids of Giza, but in its day it was the most beautiful. [45] The remaining doors are known as false doors, and were meant for the king's use in the afterlife. He is thought to be the son of the last king of the Second Dynasty of Egypt, Khasekhemwy (c. 2680 BCE). It was built for the pharaoh Djoser who actually had another name 4. [16] This shift to limestone a hard, dense material compared to mudbrick presented novel challenges to the architects, though they kept to earlier tradition, copying architectonic elements and carving them into the stone. Mark, Joshua J.. "The Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara." Table of Contents hide 1. Many historians believe that Djosers Pyramid is the oldest large-scale cut stone construction project in history. [8] He reigned long enough to allow the grandiose plan for his pyramid to be realized in his lifetime.[9]. The whole idea of building a pyramid is to allow the pharaoh to have an easy transition to the afterlife. [52] They supported a limestone ceiling whose blocks carved again into the form of palm tree trunks. It is still not clear whether Djoser was the direct heir of the king. The Djoser Pyramid is found in the Saqqara necropolis, situated in the ancient Egyptian capital of Memphis. [55] Between the twelfth and thirteenth alcove[56] is a 'transverse vestibule' with a passage flanked by eight 5m (16ft) tall columns and cross-walls leading to a sanctuary. The Pyramid of Djoser is built out of limestone. Web. His reign, which probably lasted 19 years, was marked by great technological innovation in the use of stone architecture. [26][27] This extension was built from locally sourced limestone rubble and cased by 1.5m (5ft; 3cu) thick limestone coating that formed an extension of M2. It was built for the pharaoh Djoser who actually had another name. a simple but effective costruction method was used. Owing to how far back in time the pharaoh reigned, not much is known about Djoser, his reign and his personality. Since it was the first massive pyramid and because the site was used as a burial for thousands of years to come, it was severely robbed, which includes apparently the body of the pharaoh who was buried there. Where is the pyramid of Djoser located? The pyramid of Djoser (or Djeser and Zoser), sometimes called the Step Pyramid of Djoser, is an archaeological site in the Saqqara necropolis, Egypt, northwest of the ruins of Memphis. Imhotep's most famous architectural work came during the reign of Pharaoh Djoser in the Third Dynasty. The complex consists of the Step Pyramid, the House of the North, the House of the South, the Serdab, the Heb Sed Court, the South Tomb, Temple T, and the Northern Mortuary Temple. Djoser's tomb predates that of Sneferu, whose Red Pyramid was the first completed true pyramid, built sometime between 2613 and 2589 BCE. 2630 The Step Pyramid was built during the Third Dynasty as the tomb for Pharaoh Djoser. Historian Margaret Bunson writes: The subterranean passages and chambers were adorned with fine reliefs and with blue faience tiles made to resemble the matted curtains of the royal residence at Memphis. The outer blocks of this second coat also had a steeper incline at ~76. His son Khufu built what is today known as the Great Pyramid. It was easily the tallest structure of its times, and made a striking addition to the otherwise two-dimensional landscape. In 1926 CE, Firth was joined on site by the French architect and Egyptologist Jean-Philippe Lauer (1902-2001 CE) who would make the major discoveries at the complex and contribute the most to modern-day understanding of pyramid construction generally and the Step Pyramid specifically. [16] This phase of the pyramid had four steps that rose to a height of 42m (138ft; 80cu). 21. There are no records documenting the construction of the Djoser Pyramid, but historians have speculated that it would likely have taken years to complete, as well as the labor of many hundreds of workers. The pyramid and its surrounding complex was designed to be stunning and inspire awe. This means that it started out being built with the shape of a mastaba, but 6 steps were added on top of it. The South Tomb has three carved panels depicting Djoser performing the Heb Sed ritual. Also, from this point on, kings of the Old Kingdom are buried in the North, rather than at Abydos. There are other historians, however, who claim the vessels were dumped into the shafts as yet another attempt to prevent grave robbers from getting to the king's burial chamber. At 750m (2,460ft; 1,430cu) long and 40m (130ft; 76cu) wide, the trench is the largest structure of this kind in the Memphis necropolis. The Oldest Pyramid in the World Is a Stunning Accomplishment! Located in the northwest of Memphis city, in Saqqara necropolis, the archaeological remain of the Pyramid of Djoser is the burial of Pharaoh Djoser. An architect named. Little is known of Djoser's reign. Our publication has been reviewed for educational use by Common Sense Education, Internet Scout (University of Wisconsin), Merlot (California State University), OER Commons and the School Library Journal. To the Greeks, Imhotep was known as "Imouthes". Miroslav Verner writes, "Few monuments hold a place in human history as significant as that of the Step Pyramid in SaqqaraIt can be said without exaggeration that his pyramid complex constitutes a milestone in the evolution of monumental stone architecture in Egypt and in the world as a whole (108-109)." This tomb is mastaba shaped and is thought to have been built to house another statue of the king. Monday, March 9, 2020. They functioned as portals through which the king's ka could pass between life and the afterlife. Older than the pyramids at Giza, a 4,600-year-old monument in southern Egypt, previously known but newly excavated by archaeologists, faces threats from modern development. Its unique design, fascinating . This ancient city is the ancient capital ofInebu-hedj, one of the regions, referred to as a Nome, of Lower Egypt. [49] It comprises two distinct passageways oriented approximately eastwest. Mark, Joshua J.. "The Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara." 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