King Zoser
We don't know much about king Zoser, but we know that his father and predecessor
was king Khasekhemwy, whose reign was remarkable for the use of stone in
building, and due to the manufacture of many stone vases. The name Zoser did not
occur on any monument before the XIIth dynasty. He was called Try-Khet-Neter on
his contemporary monuments.
As a matter of fact Zoser's name was closely associated with the region found at
the south of Aswan, and for more than 2700 years after Zoser's death his name
together with that of his architect Imhotep had been recorded on the well-known
famine-stela, which back dated to the ptolemaic period. It was carved on a rock
on the island of schel at the south of Aswan. According to the inscription, a
great famine took place during the reign of king Zoser because the Nile failed
to rise for seven years, accordingly, Zoser asked Imhotep's advice. Imhotep
advised him saying that the main solution to overcome the famine could only be
fulfilled by gaining the favor of god Khnum; the god of the first cataract the
birth place of the Nile. After this, Zoser went southwards to the first cataract
and conferred great niches upon the temple of Khnum. Afterwards, the Nile rose
to its proper height as result Egypt was saved. the stela showed how far Zoser's
name has emerged on the Egyptian's memory, and that his cult continued till the
end of Ancient Egyptian history.
Imhotep:
It remained unknown whether Imhotep had stated his career Zoser's rule or with
his father. As a matter of fact an inscription on the pedestal of one of Zoser's
statues, which is regarded to be a contemporary work gave Imhotep us his titles
as the chancellor of the king of lower Egypt, the first one under the king, the
administrator of the great mansion, the hereditary Noble, the high priest of
Heliopolis, the chief sculptor, and finally the chief carpenter. Moreover, It is
worth mentioning that Imhotep did not belong to the royal family but he was a
self made man as his titles had indicated. As a matter of fact, a vague and
brief reference mentioned by one of the classical writers suggested that the
village of Gebelein, lay at the south of Luxor, was his home.
Imhotep's titles proved how far he was directly connected with the artistic
activities of that period. Generally speaking, he enjoyed great authority in the
royal house being high priest of Heliopolis, accordingly, he has held the
highest religious position in the land.
As time passed, Imhotep became a legendary god like figure. Manetho, the
Egyptian historian, mentioned these words "under king Zoser lived Imhotep,
whom the Greeks consider as Askelepios because of his skill as a physician. This
man also discovered the art of building with hewn stones, and occupied himself
with enthusiasm in writing".
Imhotep was respectably remembered during the reign of the Middle Kingdom.
Moreover, the New Kingdom scribes regarded him as their patron, and they used to
pour few drops of water from their water pets as a libation to him before they
wrote on their papyrus rolls. Later, on during the sixth century BC, Imhotep was
firstly defied, and this occurred during the Persian period or perhaps a little
earlier when the temple was built in his honour and he was called "son of
Ptah"
Any how during the time of the "famine stela" Imhotep was worshiped
and temples were built for him. Moreover, people sought his advice through
crackles and held his decisions with respect. Furthermore, he was worshiped by
the Egyptians as a magician, skilled in charms and as being the inventor of
stone Masonry. In addition to this, They regarded him as being the wise
physician whose prescriptions contained all the secrets of medicine. Finally, we
have to say that Imhotep's temples were the refuge of the sick and pilgrims
flocked to them to be cured and his cult center was in Memphis.
Introduction to the step pyramid.
As a matter of fact, step pyramids predated true pyramids reflecting a different
religious and theological concept. It is worth mentioning that the step pyramid
was not truly a symbol of the sun, but it was rather a gigantic stairway, which
facilitated the access of the pharaoh's soul to heaven, and his mortal body was
not placed in a burial chamber within the pyramid, but in a shaft which covered
the pyramid itself.
The pyramid itself
It lay for about 3.2 km to the west of Memphis, where Imhotep has chosen a rocky
plateau on which he would build the tomb. From the very beginning, Imhotep has
chosen stone as his medium the pyramid, which was originally about 60m high (its
height now is 58, 70m) has lay out that runs east-west. The Ancient name of this
pyramid is unknown.
The plan of the pyramid
The building of the step-pyramid has undergone through several phases. Before
workmen had constructed the first Mastaba - the bottom layer of the pyramid-
they sank a shaft on the rock 28 meters deep and 7 meters square. Moreover, they
built an oblong burial chamber of granite blocks at the bottom of the shaft, and
they also cut a tunnel extending northward a little over 20m. generally
speaking, this tunnel would have had its entrance outside the original mastaba,
but the burial chamber could only be reached through a round hole in its ceiling
from a limestone room (now is destroyed) above it.
As a matter of fact four long galleries were hollowed out of the native rock at
a distance for about 70 poet from the tomb-chamber and roughly parallel with its
sides, moreover, we found flights of steps, which led down from doors in the
east and west walls of the ramp giving access to passages, which connected the
galleries one with the other.
The passages leading away from the burial chamber in every direction. Many of
their walls bore relief carving of the king, and brief inscriptions on
hieroglyphs recording his name. Moreover, the walls in several small rooms
(galleries) were lined with rectangular blue faience tiles to emulate the mats,
which decorated the walls of houses.
Zoser's family was buried near his tomb, and generally speaking eleven shafts
whose depth was over than 32 meters were cut at the eastern side. Each ended in
a corridor 20m. long directed westward under the original mastaba. We have to
mention the fact that king Zoser wanted to incorporate the burials of his family
within his own tomb, consequently the mastaba extended westward. The entrances
leading towards the eleven shafts are now inaccessible, accordingly, they cut a
stairway to lead to the northern ones.
In the first place, Zoser has built a mastaba, which was composed for a core of
local stone faced with an outer layer of dressed Tura limestone. The height of
this mastaba was 26 feet. This mastaba was also a unique one, since it has a
square ground-plan where each side was oriented approximately to face one of the
four cardinal points and measuring about 207 feet. When it was finished 14 feet
extended it on all the four sides, moreover, a second facing of dressed
limestone was added. However, the height of this extension was about 2 feet less
than that of the original mastaba. Finally, the step mastaba was formed. At
third enlargement added about 28 feet to the eastern side, only making the tomb
oblong with the longer axis running from east to west.
Before the facing of the third enlargement had been dressed an entirely
different design was adopted. As a matter of fact the mastaba, which was
extended by 9.0 feet on each side became the lowest stage of a four-stepped
pyramid. By constructing a mortuary temple a beginning was made on its northern
side. However, the decision was issued to extend the pyramid towards the north
and west sides before either building had been finished. It is worth mentioning
that, If this enlargement had been completed, the height of the pyramid would
have been increased, and the number of the steps would have been augmented to
six, but this plan, was abandoned at the level of the fourth step. Finally, we
have to say that the next and last extension of the pyramid added little space
to each side, and the six steps were finished, all on all, the whole building
was closed with a final layer of dressed Tura limestone.
Language: Aspects of writing | Linguistic Features | Hieroglyphs etc.Gods
Gods: Isis | Ra | Set | Osiris | Qebhsennef | Maat
Pyramids: Building stones | Egypt Land of the pyramids | Canstruction of Pyramids | Huni's Pyramid | Zoser's step Pyramid | Sneferu's Pyramid | The solar Boat | The grest pyeamid of cheops | Chephren's pyramid | Senusert I's pyramid | Sphinx
Paint: Introduction | Subjects of paint scenes
sports: Introduction | Chariots-training horses | Running | Combating sports | Aquatic sports | Competition | Games and toys | Acrobtics
jewellery: Introduction | Gold | Silver | The precious & semi-precious Stones | The substitutes of precious stones | Same kinds of jewellery | Discoveries of jewellery
Sculpture: Introduction | Old kingdom statues | Middle kingdom statues | New kingdom statues