# Canonical recap data for Egyptian Pyramid Age Begins (2670)
# Source: https://recap.at/2670/pyramid-age
# Format: YAML 1.2 (UTF-8). Generated at request time.
slug: pyramid-age
canonicalUrl: "https://recap.at/2670/pyramid-age"
title: Egyptian Pyramid Age Begins
aliases:
- Step Pyramid construction
- Pyramid Age begins
- Imhotep's era
- Third Dynasty Egypt
subtitle: Construction of the Step Pyramid at Saqqara inaugurates monumental stone architecture and represents a quantum leap in organizational capacity.
recapType: global_event
eventStatus: concluded
startDate: 2670-01-01
datePrecision: year
year: 2670
decade: 2670
country:
name: Egypt
slug: egypt
summaryShort: 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 on
summaryLong: 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.
lede: "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."
heroImageUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/59/Great_Pyramid_of_Giza_edge.jpg/1280px-Great_Pyramid_of_Giza_edge.jpg"
heroImageCredit: Mgiganteus1 at English Wikipedia · via Wikipedia
importance: 89
sourceConfidence: 75
keyFacts:
- label: Pharaoh
  value: Djoser (also called Netjerikhet)
- label: Architect
  value: Imhotep
- label: Monument
  value: Step Pyramid at Saqqara
- label: Dynasty
  value: Third Dynasty
- label: Height of Step Pyramid
  value: 62 meters (203 feet)
- label: Construction material
  value: Limestone blocks, hand-quarried and fitted
- label: Duration of Pyramid Age
  value: Approximately 1,000 years (2670-1670 BCE)
- label: Number of pyramid construction phases
  value: Six major stages, refined over time
timeline:
- date: 2589-01-01
  title: Great Pyramid of Khufu begins construction
  description: 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.
- date: 2650-01-01
  title: Pyramid construction spreads to other pharaohs
  description: Following Djoser's success, subsequent pharaohs adopt pyramid building as the standard royal tomb, establishing the practice across Egypt.
- date: 2664-01-01
  title: Step Pyramid reaches final form
  description: Construction completes on the six-tiered Step Pyramid, the world's first large-scale stone monument and a radical departure from mudbrick mastabas.
- date: 2668-01-01
  title: Step Pyramid construction begins
  description: Under Imhotep's direction, work commences on the Step Pyramid at Saqqara, beginning with a mastaba (flat-roofed tomb) that would be expanded vertically.
- date: 2670-01-01
  title: Djoser ascends to Egyptian throne
  description: Pharaoh Djoser (Netjerikhet) begins his reign during the Third Dynasty of Egypt.
sources:
- url: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Construction_of_the_Egyptian_pyramids"
  title: Egyptian pyramid construction
  provider: Wikipedia
related: []
impactStatement: 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.
categories:
- launch
taxonomy:
domain: scientific
eventTypes:
- discovery
canonicalClasses:
- creation
- transformation
impactRadius: civilizational
velocity: gradual
predictability: emergent
intentionality: planned
domainCoupling: multi_domain
lifecycleClass: birth
metaDescription: "2670 BCE: Djoser's Step Pyramid launches Egypt's Pyramid Age, redefining architecture and power."
wikidataQid: Q1540169
archiveSnapshots:
- url: "https://web.archive.org/web/20260509175414/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Construction_of_the_Egyptian_pyramids"
  capturedAt: 2026-05-09
  label: Egyptian pyramid construction
  originalUrl: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Construction_of_the_Egyptian_pyramids"
