Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt

HORIZON. The divine patrons of the pylons were the god-
desses ISISand NEPHTHYS.

pyramid The monument erected as a tomb and stage
for mortuary rituals and immortalized at GIZA, the pyra-
mid, called mrby the Egyptians, was considered the place
of ascent, the point of departure for the royal deceased on
his journey to eternity, and was normally given special
names to signify the special status as a tomb of the
pharaoh. Architecturally, the pyramid represented the
culmination of the mortuary structures elaborated from
the Early Dynastic Period (2920–2575 B.C.E.).
The MASTABAS, the brick tombs of the early historical
periods, were provided with burial and offertory cham-
bers, and they represent the original mortuary buildings
of Egypt. Some, such as those erected for the rulers and
queens in SAQQARA and ABYDOS, were designed with
facades having recessed and projecting walls, after the
palaces of the era, and became known as “mansions for
eternity.” One such mastaba, that of an official in the
reign of DENin the First Dynasty named Nebtiu, started
out to resemble a pyramid but was then altered to its tra-
ditional form.
In the reign of DJOSER(2630–2611 B.C.E.), in the
Third Dynasty, IMHOTEP, his vizier, placed a series of stone
mastabas atop one another in a graduated design, form-
ing the STEP PYRAMIDin SAQQARA. The Step Pyramid was
originally 204 feet high, composed of six separate layers
or “steps,” each one successively smaller in size. The base
measured 358 feet by 411 feet. The layers of the pyramid
were faced with limestone and were surrounded by a vast
complex of buildings, replicas of those erected to cele-
brate sedfestivals, and a wall, which was carved in relief
to resemble a palace facade. The entire enclosure mea-
sured 1,800 by 900 feet and was paved with limestone.
The walls contained 211 bastions and 14 gateways.
The Step Pyramid contained a 90-foot shaft that led
to underground chambers and passageways. The burial
vault was 13 feet high, encased entirely in granite, with a
plug to seal the entrance made of the same material. The
eastern section of the pyramid contained tombs of
Djoser’s wives and sons. Eleven shafts have been discov-
ered, sunken to almost 100 feet. The enclosure around
the pyramid contained shrines, altar chambers, courts, a
heb-sed hall, storerooms, and the tombs of Djoser’s
courtiers. The site was actually a miniature city, with its
own priests and liturgical schedules. Other step pyramids
were started soon after Djoser’s reign. Some have been
discovered at SEILA, Zawiyet el-Mayitin, El-KULA, EDFU,
and on the ELEPHANTINE; they appear to be mostly tombs
of nobles.
The true pyramid appeared in the Fourth Dynasty, in
the reign of SNEFRU(2575–2551 B.C.E.), who built two
pyramids at DASHURand finished his father’s pyramid at
MEIDUM. The traditional pyramidal complex evolved from

that tomb, which contains the various components that

were considered necessary to the purpose of the monu-

ment. The first attempted pyramids rose on the fringes of

the desert area west of MEMPHIS, between Meidum and

ABU ROWASH. The great pyramids at GIZAare best known

today, but there are more than 70 other such monuments,

large and small, stretching the length of the Nile as far

south as modern Sudan, where other pyramids were

The complex at Saqqara of the Step Pyramid of Djoser

pyramid.

The pyramid was a solar symbol, stemming from the

cult at HELIOPOLIS. Its four sides were designed to face the

cardinal points of the earth. The entrance was normally

on the north side, sometimes above ground level and

sometimes level with the ground. Beside the pyramid was

placed an offertory shrine, a chapel for holding mortuary

rites and rituals in commemoration of the royal cult. This

building contained ceremonial chambers and the manda-

tory FALSE DOORfor the use of the ka(“soul”) of the

deceased ruler. Religious insignias and statues adorned

the chambers, and the walls were inscribed and covered

with reliefs.

A MORTUARY TEMPLEwas constructed near the pyra-

mid, with an elaborate entrance corridor and central

court. Most of these have disappeared over the centuries,

but when the pyramids were built they were lavish

shrines, with offertory chambers, rooms containing

ALTARS, storage rooms, and the traditional SERDAB.The

serdabcontained statues of the deceased pharaohs posi-

tioned so that their eyes could peer through slits in the

wall to view the daily ceremonies conducted in the

320 pyramid

The narrow corridor of stone leading into the interior of the

Great Pyramid of Khufu at Giza.(Courtesy Steve Beikirch.)