---
title: "Egyptian Pyramid Age Begins"
year: 2670
country: "Egypt"
canonical: "https://recap.at/2670/pyramid-age"
slug: "pyramid-age"
recapType: "global_event"
startDate: "2670-01-01"
---

# Egyptian Pyramid Age Begins

> Construction of the Step Pyramid at Saqqara inaugurates monumental stone architecture and represents a quantum leap in organizational capacity.

Around 2670 BCE, Egyptian pharaoh Djoser commissioned the first monumental stone structure in human history: the Step Pyramid at Saqqara. This architectural leap—designed by architect Imhotep—marked the beginning of Egypt's Pyramid Age, a roughly 1,000-year period that would define ancient Egyptian civilization and demonstrate unprecedented mastery of engineering, labor organization, and stone construction.

## Summary

The construction of the Egyptian pyramids can be explained with well-established scientific facts; however, there are some aspects that even today are considered controversial hypotheses. The construction techniques used seem to have developed over time; later pyramids were not constructed in the same way as earlier ones. It is believed that huge stones were carved from quarries with copper tools, and these blocks were then dragged and lifted into position. Disagreements chiefly concern the methods used to move and place the stones.

## Key facts

- **Pharaoh**: Djoser (also called Netjerikhet)
- **Architect**: Imhotep
- **Monument**: Step Pyramid at Saqqara
- **Dynasty**: Third Dynasty
- **Height of Step Pyramid**: 62 meters (203 feet)
- **Construction material**: Limestone blocks, hand-quarried and fitted
- **Duration of Pyramid Age**: Approximately 1,000 years (2670-1670 BCE)
- **Number of pyramid construction phases**: Six major stages, refined over time

## Timeline

- **2589-01-01** - Great Pyramid of Khufu begins construction
  Nearly 80 years after the Step Pyramid, Pharaoh Khufu initiates construction of the Great Pyramid at Giza, representing the refinement of techniques developed in Djoser's era.
- **2650-01-01** - Pyramid construction spreads to other pharaohs
  Following Djoser's success, subsequent pharaohs adopt pyramid building as the standard royal tomb, establishing the practice across Egypt.
- **2664-01-01** - Step Pyramid reaches final form
  Construction completes on the six-tiered Step Pyramid, the world's first large-scale stone monument and a radical departure from mudbrick mastabas.
- **2668-01-01** - Step Pyramid construction begins
  Under Imhotep's direction, work commences on the Step Pyramid at Saqqara, beginning with a mastaba (flat-roofed tomb) that would be expanded vertically.
- **2670-01-01** - Djoser ascends to Egyptian throne
  Pharaoh Djoser (Netjerikhet) begins his reign during the Third Dynasty of Egypt.

## Impact

The onset of pyramid construction fundamentally reshaped Egyptian society, establishing the organizational systems, technical knowledge, and religious frameworks that would sustain the civilization for centuries. This era produced the world's oldest large-scale stone architecture and created a template for monumental building that influenced cultures across the Mediterranean and beyond.

## Sources

- [Egyptian pyramid construction](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Construction_of_the_Egyptian_pyramids) - Wikipedia

---
Canonical: https://recap.at/2670/pyramid-age