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The Pyramids at Saqqara

Saqqara is an ancient necropolis located near Egypt's old capitol of
Memphis.
Click here to see a diagram of the Saqqara
site with links to all the pictures of the Step Pyramid and the Unis Pyramid
Complex. Click on the "Details" Page link at the top of
the page.
Memphis remained an administrative center when the capitol was moved
to Thebes (Luxor) in the New Kingdom. The nobles from Memphis and many
pharaohs were buried there.
Several pyramids are located there, the most famous and most visible
is the Djoser Step Pyramid. This pyramid was built before the Great Pyramids
at Giza. Its architect was Imhotep who was made a god for his services.
The Djoser complex includes a miniature city constructed so that the
Pharaoh could work in the afterlife, just as he did in this life. The
Djoser Pyramid complex had a heavy influence on the art deco movement
in architecture and objects d'art, as did all things Egyptian.
Other places of interest at Saqqara are the Tombs of the Apis Bulls
and many tombs and pyramids in various states of repair. We climbed down
a small pyramid to the burial chamber. We also climbed down a spiral stair
to reach a burial chamber. If you are claustrophobic, there are many other
sites of interest above ground.
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This model shows the typical components of a pyramid complex:
the Funerary Temple, the causeway up to the Pyramid, the Mortuary
Temple and the Pyramid and a smaller satelite pyramid. There are
often individual pyramids for the queens, as well.
As part of the Unis Pyramid Complex there is a reconstruction of
a portion of the covered causeway that led from the Nile up to the
pyramid
of Unis.
They mummy of the Pharaoh was brought accross the Nile in a boat
that was then preserved in special stone lined pits beside the pyramid.
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