Step Pyramid of Djoser (Saqqara)
Memphis Necropolis › Saqqara · Egypt
The Step Pyramid of Djoser is the central monument of a large Old Kingdom funerary complex at Saqqara, within the Memphis necropolis World Heritage area in Egypt.
Part of
Claims about Step Pyramid of Djoser (Saqqara)
- The monument is widely described as an early milestone in large-scale stone construction and pyramid building in Egypt
- The complex includes a large enclosure and a formal entrance arrangement associated with a colonnaded corridor
- Subterranean parts of the complex included decorated galleries, including faience tile work
- A major conservation project culminated in reopening visitor access around 2020
- Scholars interpret the complex as a symbolic 'eternal residence' and a ritual landscape tied to royal ideology
- Artifacts in major museum collections are attributed to subterranean architectural decoration from the complex
Evidence
- Reference works describe the monument as an early major stone construction
- Met Museum object record links blue-green faience tiles to the underground galleries
- Sources describe the complex as including many 'dummy' buildings and courts
- Restoration completion reported in 2020 (14-year project)