Preferred Title:
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Funerary Complex of Djoser
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Alternate Title:
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Complex of Djoser: Step Pyramid and the enclosure
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Image View:
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The Entrance Corridor, north entrance, detail of entry wall, showing engaged column and stacked drums of stone simulating bundles of reed or palm stems
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Creator:
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Imhotep (Egyptian (ancient) architect, ca. 2630-ca. 2611 BCE)
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Location:
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site: Saqqara, Desert, Egypt
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Date:
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ca. 2630-2611 BCE (creation)
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Cultural Context:
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Egyptian (ancient)
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Style Period:
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Early Dynastic (Egyptian); Old Kingdom (Egyptian); Third Dynasty
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Work Type 1:
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pyramid (tomb)
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Work Type 2:
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temple
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Classification:
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architecture
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Material:
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stone
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Technique:
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construction (assembling)
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Relation Work:
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part of Saqqara [site]
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Subjects:
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architectural exteriors; death or burial; rulers and leaders; Djoser, King of Egypt; Egypt--Civilization; Egypt--Religion; column: engaged column
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Description:
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Saqqara is an Egyptian site on a desert plateau about 20 km south of Cairo and just west of the ancient city of Memphis, which flourished as a necropolis and religious centre in the Dynastic, Late and Greco-Roman periods. In the Coptic period it continued in use as a monastic centre. The most important structure of the Early Dynastic period, however, is the funerary complex of Djoser [Djoser, Zoser, Netjerikhet, ca. 2630-ca. 2611 BCE, first ruler of the 3rd dynasty], which marks the first appearance of monumental stone architecture in Egypt. Its central element is a massive stepped pyramid (140 x 118 x 60 m); of limestone masonry. The complex is surrounded by a recessed limestone wall with bastions and 14 imitation closed gates enclosing an area roughly 300 x 500 m. The single genuine entrance in the south-eastern corner leads into an entrance colonnade comprising 48 ribbed columns. The southern massif of the enclosure conceals a structure known as the 'Southern Tomb' which includes a shaft, a burial chamber,
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Collection:
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Archivision Addition Module One
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Identifier:
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1A3-EG-SQ-1-D9
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Rights:
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© Scott Gilchrist, Archivision, Inc.
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