Sakkara pyramid is an immense field of tombs, the final resting place of kings, noblemen, lesser Egyptians and mummified animals. In the course of the entire pharaonic period, but particularly the Old Kingdom and the Late Period, the desert sands of Sakkara witnessed the continuous activity of tomb building, funerary processions and cult ceremonies for the dead.
Sakkara Pyramid
After nearly 2,000 years of tranquillity, disturbed only by occasional tomb looting, Sakkara has come to life again. Teams of archaeologists are conducting productive excavations, and tourists eagerly follow in their footsteps.
Likely named after Sokkar, the mummified falcon-god of the dead, Sakkara served as the official necropolis of Egypt’s main capital, Memphis. Its most prominent landmark, the famous Step Pyramid, stands at the center of a vast quadrangular precinct dedicated to the afterlife of King Djoser of the Third Dynasty.
Sakkara Architecture
Imhotep, a high official and architect under Djoser, created this architectural wonder. The Third Dynasty initiated a period of tentative experimentation in monumental stone building. For the first time, architects used the elegance of white limestone to create impractical yet gracious features, such as embedded columns, false doors, and imitations of tree-log ceilings. Moreover, Djoser’s monument stands out due to the absence of the massiveness found in the oversized blocks of the Giza complex from the 4th Dynasty.
Sakkara Interior Design
The step pyramid stands as the earliest example of an Egyptian pyramid. Initially designed as a mastaba, it evolved into a step pyramid through several stages. The king’s granite burial chamber lies beneath the massive structure, accessible through a descending passage from the pyramid’s northern court. Additionally, beneath the pyramid, archaeologists uncovered many subterranean galleries and several rooms paneled with blue “faience” tiles. They also found thousands of stone vessels bearing Djoser’s name in these galleries.
On the southwest of Djoser’s complex, his successor, Sekhemhet, built a very similar enclosure but was unable to complete it. Some theories regarding pyramid-building techniques could be confirmed by the discovery of this unfinished pyramid.
to visit the pyramid just book a tour from our Egypt budget tours or book it from Egypt shore excursions if you have a free day at Egypt shores
