Saqqara

Imhotep, who? Never heard of him. Who is King Zoser? Tutankhamen, I've heard of, Rames, I know. To go to the pyramids at Saqqara, one has to go to the Imhotep museum first, I didn't know why. Our taxi driver gave us those instructions which we executed, understand that, he's not a tour guide. It was only after we've seen the Imhotep museum that we drove to the funerary complex of King Zoser and to see the step pyramid. As I began to write these postings and had to read up more that I realised that Imhotep was King Zoser's architect, the guy who was commissioned to build the funerary complex at Saqarra which predates all other pyramids. He was the builder of the first pyramid, the step pyramid. It was around 2700 BC, it is hard to fathom how long ago it was. This complex is huge and they are still digging and uncovering more things. According to 'The Rough Guide to Egypt', 'the Step Pyramid heralded the start of the pyramid age.' Saqqara is huge and we only touched the surface, there is reason to go back and see it again, the next time, slowly and probably with a professional guide. I do recommend a professional guide and a taxi. It is too mind boggling to be rushed. I'm only just now realising its impact.

The entry to the funerary complex of King Zoser, which is next to the step pyramid, it goes on for miles and work is still being done, they are locating more and more buildings. Notice the condition of these stones, they are like new.

The step pyramid, the grandfather of all pyramids. One has to be there and read up first before going. Even then, it wouldn't do it justice. It is that amazing, I'm still in awe as I write this.

The funerary complex, in its relationship to the step pyramid. Wow!

Inside the complex.

Work is being done to restore this pyramid, you should see the size of the stone blocks, it takes 4 people with a wheel barrow to move each one. I don't know how they did it almost 5000 years ago and to stack them that high....... you do the math!

Between the complex and the step pyramid is a huge quadrangle.

Here we are climbing out out of the complex to look over the other side where they are still excavating. Notice the carved cobras on top of this wall.

Detail of the cobras. They are like new.

The rest of the field, the excavation goes on for miles.

From here we can see the red pyramid and the bent pyramid which we will later visit. All the pyramids, including the Giza trio are in the same desert.

The Giza pyramids are also in sight though much further away to the North. The bent pyramid is to the south of Saqqara.

Again, the Giza pyramids. There are other pyramids, scattered all over these same desert, all in all there are over 100 pyramids, 130, I think the taxi driver said.

Most people only visit the Giza pyramids and they think they've seen the pyramids in Egypt. There were a few visitors at Saqqara even though it is much more spectacular. By the time we get to Dashur to see the bent pyramid, we were the only ones there. It is much further away from Cairo and to think we've heard comments that there's not much to see in Cairo. There are pyramids in Abu Sir, there are pyramids in Memphis, in Fayyum.... we didn't have time this trip, maybe next trip. Here's to you, Imhotep.