The Djoser Pyramid In Egypt: 10 Facts on The First Pyramid, The Step Pyramid of Djoser, photograph by Eliot Elisofon, The restoration works at the Djoser Pyramid, The main entrance leading to the Colonnade and part of the niched enclosure of Djoser s complex, photograph by Eliot Elisofon, 11 Most Expensive American Art Auction Results in the last 10 Years, 12 Things to Know of the Neoclassicism Movement. He is thought to be the son of the last king of the Second Dynasty of Egypt, Khasekhemwy (c. 2680 BCE). The Step Pyramid of Djoser is the first Pyramid built in Egyptian History in the 27 th century. [2][18][35], Much of the rock for the pyramid was likely quarried from the construction of the great trench. Institute for the Study of the Ancient World (CC BY). Many of these pre-dated him as well. The complex has a monumental entrance, 17. The masonry was laid not vertically but in courses inclined toward the middle of the pyramid, thus significantly increasing its structural stability. The final monument was about 21 meters (70 feet) and was the first real pyramid in Egypt. Djoser probably succeeded his brother to the throne. This structure provided a place in which the daily rituals and offerings to the dead could be performed, and was the cult center for the king. Djoser's pyramid held a life-sized statue of him which is currently in the Cairo Museum. It was built for the pharaoh Djoser who actually had another name. Before the Djoser Pyramid, however, pharaohs were typically buried in rectangular tombs constructed out of slabs made from mud, called mastabas (literally benches). Thank you for your help! Napoleon's expedition was the first systematic study of the civilization and, later, led to the first western museum to install a permanent Egyptian wing at the Louvre in Paris. It originally stood over 481 feet high; today it is 450 feet high. It consists of six mastabas, rectangular structures with a flat roof used for building tombs, which were put atop each other. Djoser had everything he needed for the afterlife, 12. The Pyramid of Djoser was built roughly 4,700 years ago during the Third Dynasty of the Egyptian Old Kingdom. Historian Mark Van de Mieroop comments on this, writing: Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter! 01 Mar 2023. Djoser, also spelled Zoser, second king of the 3rd dynasty (c. 2650c. [8] He reigned long enough to allow the grandiose plan for his pyramid to be realized in his lifetime.[9]. It is not only the first Egyptian pyramid but actually the first pyramid in the world! Much experimentation was involved, which is especially clear in the construction of the pyramid in the center of the complex. [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. The Djoser Pyramid is found in the Saqqara necropolis, situated in the ancient Egyptian capital of Memphis. Just like Django, the D is silent. The worlds first pyramid was built for the Pharaoh Djoser. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Some experts claim that Hetphernepti was also his half-sister. The pyramid was not only a singular structure, but accompanied by a vast complex which included courtyards, shrines, temples and lodgings for priests. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. [46] Jean-Philippe Lauer suggests that the wall was modelled after the 'White Walls' of Memphis, though Verner notes that the presence of so many doors renders this unlikely. 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! What is clear, however, is that Djoser promoted some of Egypts most impressive and innovative building projects. 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. The pyramid itself, which was the first massive pyramid ever built, would serve as the main inspiration of all the other pyramids that were ever built in the future. [28] The mastaba had a new, rectangular ground plan 71.5m (235ft; 136cu) by 79.5m (261ft; 152cu). [16] In earlier projects, this element was built with wooden planks, ropes, and poles hung with reed mats. Thus, paragraph A is equivalent to heading iv. 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. The 6-tier, 4-sided structure is the earliest colossal stone building in Egypt. As a result, the Egyptian government promised to fund extensive repairs to the Djoser Pyramid and the surrounding complex, in order to preserve this important piece of the nations history. Pharaoh Djoser was actually called Netjerykhet. Temple T is among the most fascinating and mysterious structures in the complex. Here are some top 15 facts about the Pyramids of Giza. The pyramid went through several revisions and redevelopments of the original plan. The Step Pyramid of Djoser. Djoser pyramid Facts. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. Three chambers of this substructure are decorated in blue faience to imitate reed-mat facades, just like the pyramid. It had several plans with mastaba forms before it became the first Step Pyramid in history, piling six mastaba-like levels on top of one anotherThe weight of the enormous mass was a challenge to the builders, who placed the stones at an inward incline in order to prevent the monument breaking up (56). Saqqara had long since been the site of burial for Egypts rulers, but Imhoteps step pyramid absolutely transformed the landscape, setting a new precedent that would be replicated in the famous pyramids at Giza. In 1992, an earthquake caused even more damage to the internal structure. The Pyramid of Djoser is an incredible structure that reflects ancient Egyptian engineering and artistry. Djoser Pyramid is made up of 6 mastabas one above the other, giving the building its unique shape. On completion the step pyramid had a base length of 109m (358ft; 208cu) by 121m (397ft; 231cu) that rose to a height of 6062.5m (197205ft; 115119cu) and occupied a volume of 330,400m3 (11,670,000cuft). It wasnt until the New Kingdom, between the 16th and 11th centuries B.C., that Netjeriykhet was being referred to as Djoser. the 4,600-year-old step-pyramid of Zoser (or . King Djoser Facts 2. Djoser's step pyramid is astounding in its departure from previous architecture. Its architectural design remains unparalleled and scientists continue to conduct research on how it was constructed. 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. Kids Encyclopedia Facts Djoser (other names include Netjerikhet, Tosorthos, and Sesorthos) was the first Pharaoh, or king of the Third Dynasty of Egypt, c. 2670 BCE. [18] The builders used larger and better quality, roughly dressed limestone blocks but instead of horizontal beds, they built successive inclined accretion layers 23m (6.69.8ft) thick. Mark, J. J. One of the most remarkable facts about the Pyramid of Djoser is that his body was never recovered from his tomb. Miroslav Verner suspects that a single entrance was built at the south-east corner granting access to the area. There was enough left to examine throughout the pyramid and its complex, however, to amaze the archaeologists who excavated it. A majestic limestone structure in the heart of the Pyramid Complex of Saqqara, the Pyramid of Djoser (or Zoser) stands as one of the most renowned archaeological sites in the world. The Step Pyramid was built in the 27th century BC during the 3rd dynasty rule of Djoser. Menkaure's pyramid may be the smallest of the well-known Egyptian pyramids of Giza, but in its day it was the most beautiful. - A pyramid design that others copied. This made it one of the Titanic's sister ships . 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. After his death, Djosers sarcophagus was placed inside the burial chamber, deep within the great step pyramid. The Pharaoh was so impressed by Imhoteps almighty construction that he immortalized the architect by having his name carved beside his own on a plinth inside the Egyptian pyramid. Lauer preserved Imhotep's grand design and brought to light the intricacies of the complex which had been overlooked by Firth and those who'd worked with him. He carried out some campaigns, in the Sinai, where he mostly subdued outspoken subjects. Unlike most of the other pyramids that were built, the Pyramid of Djoser is a step pyramid and consists of 6 steps. [40] Each of the chapels has a sanctuary accessed by a roofless passage with walls that depict false doors and latches. His mother was queen Nimaathap, while his father was king Khasekhemwy. This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. 10. 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. It was meant to provide a space in which the king could perform the Heb-sed ritual in the afterlife. He is known for the building of the first pyramid built in Egypt, the Step Pyramid at Saqqara. The South Tomb has three carved panels depicting Djoser performing the Heb Sed ritual. (2670-2650) during the Third Dynasty of Ancient Egypt. The Djoser Pyramid is the oldest big pyramid in all of Egypt. The entrance to the 28m shaft was built on the north side of the pyramid, a trend that would remain throughout the Old Kingdom. The Serdab ('cellar') is a limestone box near the northern entrance of the pyramid where a life-sized statue of Djoser was found. Was it the oldest large-scale stone structure ever built? In the storerooms along here over 40,000 stone vessels were found, many of which predate Djoser. On the east side of the pyramid, eleven shafts 32m deep were constructed and annexed to horizontal tunnels for royal family members. When he was the pharaoh, he wasnt known as Djoser though but by his Horus name Netjeriykhet. Once covered in pink The Djoser Pyramid In Egypt: 10 Facts on The First Pyramid This courtyard, which contains the House of the North and the House of the South, also has thirteen small chapels. The ancient Egyptian pharaoh that gave the pyramid its name, Djoser . Pharaoh Djoser was buried in the burial chamber of the Step Pyramid along with his eleven daughters. 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. The entire complex was enclosed by a wall, 16. Beneath the pyramid lies a labyrinth of tunnels that total about 3.5 miles (5.5 kilometers) long. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. the famous Temple of Hatshepsut was only built 1,200 later! This is where Djoser got his inspiration from, 8. Its also assumed that one of the chambers was supposed to be the pharaohs harem (to have some fun in the afterlife), but this is contested by some historians. [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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); World History Edu 2023. King Djoser Achievements 4. Imhotep, the architect behind the Pyramid of Djoser. Although he was Pharaoh for around two decades, little is known about his reign. 3. 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. A freelance writer and former part-time Professor of Philosophy at Marist College, New York, Joshua J. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. 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 size of the entire complex was staggering. *It marks an unprecedented leap forward in the history of world architecture. In March 2020, the pyramid was reopened for visitors after a 14-year restoration. King Djoser Family 3. In parts, the trench doubles into two with distinct entries. We care about our planet! The Djoser Pyramid has appeared again and again in popular culture throughout the millennia that have passed since its construction. [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. 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