Institute of Egyptian Art & Archaeology

Saqqara

The Step Pyramid was designed for King Djoser (Dynasty 3) by his vizier Imhotep. The pyramid is located in Saqqara, the main necropolis of Memphis. The multiple uraei (plural of uraeus, a rearing cobra with a spread hood), on the left in the foreground, are divine protectors of the king. The view is across the South Court.

The Step Pyramid is the first known monumental structure made of stone anywhere in the world. As its name suggests, it is a series of six levels of stone decreasing in size as they ascend to about 200 feet/60 meters in height. Until this time, mastabas had been the principal form of tomb architecture. A mastaba (Arabic for "bench") is a low rectangular structure which was built over a shaft which descended to the burial location. The Step Pyramid originally began as a mastaba, and it may have been visualized as a series of mastaba shapes, decreasing in size, stacked one on top of another. Whatever the origin, it creates an impressive geometrical form rising from the floor of the desert.

The Jubilee Court is located to the southeast of the Step Pyramid. On the west side of the court (pictured here) are "dummy" buildings which replicate the shape of canonical shrines of Upper Egypt. On the east side of the court are buildings which replicate the shrines of Lower Egypt. Note the base of a double throne kiosk for the king (as ruler of the two parts of Egypt) in the left center (south end of court).

Horemheb began construction on this tomb when he was a general under Tutankhamun (c.1332-1322 B.C.E.) and Ay (c.1322-1319 B.C.E.). This tomb is in the necropolis of Saqqara, south of the Step Pyramid, and it was still under construction when he succeeded Ay as king. Then, of course, Horemheb began construction of a new tomb for himself in the Valley of the Kings.

This round-topped stela in the forecourt has a winged sun disk spreading its protection over the scene below. Horemheb (far right) offers to (from left to right) Maat, Thoth, and Re-Horakhty. Horemheb's linen garment flares beyond his arms and legs as he bows and raises his arms in reverence before the deities. The depiction of his body reveals the continuing influence of the naturalistic Amarna style. Notice his rolls of flesh, round belly, and thin limbs.

The deities reflect the traditional style of representation with the slender waist and broad shoulders. Each stands on a small plinth, and each holds in the right hand an ankh, the hieroglyphic symbol for life. Maat, goddess of truth, order, and the harmony of the universe, is on the far left. Her headdress is the single feather of truth, and the staff in her left hand has a papyrus blossom finial, probably symbolizing prosperity/beneficence. Thoth, god of wisdom, writing, and the moon, has the body of a man and the head of an ibis. He holds in his left hand a was scepter, symbolizing dominion. Re-Horakhty (Horus as god of the sun) has the body of a man and the head of a falcon. He also holds in his left hand a was scepter.

The hieroglyphs on this stela are beautifully executed and indicative of the flexibility of the written language. Above and within the figures are vertical columns of hieroglyphs to be read from right to left. The direction to read is determined by which way the birds/animals/humans face. The horizontal lines of hieroglyphs below the scene are also to be read from right to left and consist of an adoration of the setting sun.