Saqarra Necropolis

Saqqara is a vast, ancient burial ground in Egypt, serving as the necropolis for the Ancient Egyptian capital, Memphis. Saqqara features a number of mastabas (ancient Egyptian tombs in the form of a flat-roofed, rectangular structure with inward sloping sides) and numerous pyramids, including the world-famous Step Pyramid of Djoser, the oldest, entirely from cut stone built construction known in history. It was built approximately 2500 years BC (for comparison: The first Maya cities developed around 750 BC). Royalty was buried deeply in the ground until the Pyramid of Djoser was built and bodies were buried inside the pyramid.

This first Egyptian pyramid consisted of six mastabas (of decreasing size) built atop one another. It is seven levels high and four-sided. The Pyramid of Djoser originally stood 203 ft tall, with a base of      358 ft × 410 ft and was clad in polished white limestone.

Roofed colonnade corridor leading to the entrance of the complex of pyramids.

No entry without payment.

The photo shows the uncovered staircase to the burial chamber under the mastaba.