# Canonical recap data for Pyramid of Djoser Completed (2670)
# Source: https://recap.at/2670/pyramid-djoser
# Format: YAML 1.2 (UTF-8). Generated at request time.
slug: pyramid-djoser
canonicalUrl: "https://recap.at/2670/pyramid-djoser"
title: Pyramid of Djoser Completed
aliases:
- Step Pyramid of Djoser
- Step Pyramid
- Djoser's Pyramid
- Saqqara Step Pyramid
subtitle: The world's oldest monumental stone structure represents a watershed in engineering capability and organized labor mobilization.
recapType: global_event
eventStatus: concluded
startDate: 2670-01-01
datePrecision: year
year: 2670
decade: 2670
country:
name: Egypt
slug: egypt
summaryShort: The Pyramid of Djoser, sometimes called the Step Pyramid of Djoser or Step Pyramid of Horus Netjerikhet, is an archaeological site in the Saqqara necropolis, Egypt, northwest of the ruins of Memphis. It was the first Egyptian pyramid to be built. The six-tier, four-sided structure is the earliest colossal stone buildin
summaryLong: The Pyramid of Djoser, sometimes called the Step Pyramid of Djoser or Step Pyramid of Horus Netjerikhet, is an archaeological site in the Saqqara necropolis, Egypt, northwest of the ruins of Memphis. It was the first Egyptian pyramid to be built. The six-tier, four-sided structure is the earliest colossal stone building in Egypt. It was built in the 27th century BC during the Third Dynasty for the burial of Pharaoh Djoser. The pyramid is the central feature of a vast mortuary complex in an enormous courtyard surrounded by ceremonial structures and decoration.
lede: Around 2670 BCE, Egyptian pharaoh Djoser and his architect Imhotep completed the Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara—a six-tiered stone structure that became the world's oldest monumental building. It marked a radical shift from mud-brick tombs to permanent stone construction, establishing a template that would define Egyptian civilization for centuries.
heroImageUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2e/Saqqara_pyramid_ver_2.jpg/1280px-Saqqara_pyramid_ver_2.jpg"
heroImageCredit: Wikipedia · "Pyramid of Djoser"
importance: 85
sourceConfidence: 75
keyFacts:
- label: Height
  value: 62 meters (originally); 62.5 meters at construction
- label: Tiers
  value: 6 stepped levels
- label: Base dimensions
  value: Approximately 125 meters × 109 meters
- label: Pharaoh
  value: Djoser (Netjerikhet)
- label: Architect
  value: Imhotep
- label: Location
  value: Saqqara necropolis, northwest of Memphis, Egypt
- label: Construction period
  value: Third Dynasty, approximately 2670–2650 BCE
- label: Building material
  value: Limestone blocks
- label: Functional status
  value: Royal tomb and mortuary complex
- label: Predecessor style
  value: Mastaba (mud-brick rectangular tomb)
timeline:
- date: 1820-01-01
  title: Saqqara rediscovered by European scholars
  description: The Step Pyramid attracts serious archaeological attention during the Napoleonic era, beginning systematic study of Old Kingdom monuments.
- date: 2589-01-01
  title: Great Pyramid of Khufu completed
  description: Nearly 80 years later, the true pyramidal form (without steps) becomes standard, building on Imhotep's structural innovations.
- date: 2650-01-01
  title: Djoser's reign ends
  description: Pharaoh Djoser dies, with the Step Pyramid complex completed as his permanent mortuary installation.
- date: 2665-01-01
  title: Six-tier structure reaches completion
  description: The Step Pyramid reaches its final configuration with six tiers stacked vertically, creating the world's first colossal stone monument.
- date: 2668-01-01
  title: Mastaba to Step Pyramid transition
  description: Imhotep oversees the initial construction phase, transitioning from the traditional mud-brick mastaba design to a stone-based stepped structure.
- date: 2670-01-01
  title: Djoser's reign begins
  description: Pharaoh Djoser (Netjerikhet) ascends to the throne, launching the Third Dynasty and initiating the architectural revolution that would define it.
sources:
- url: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramid_of_Djoser"
  title: Pyramid of Djoser
  provider: Wikipedia
related: []
impactStatement: The Pyramid of Djoser wasn't just bigger or fancier than what came before—it fundamentally changed what was architecturally possible. Imhotep's innovation in stone construction and monumental scale established methods and ambitions that shaped Egyptian building culture for the next 3,000 years. It proved that permanent, colossal structures in stone could be engineered and completed, unlocking the pyramid age.
categories:
- tech-launch
taxonomy:
domain: scientific
eventTypes:
- discovery
canonicalClasses:
- creation
- transformation
impactRadius: civilizational
velocity: gradual
predictability: scheduled
intentionality: planned
domainCoupling: multi_domain
lifecycleClass: birth
metaDescription: "The world's oldest monumental stone building: Pharaoh Djoser's Step Pyramid, completed ~2670 BCE at Saqqara."
wikidataQid: Q192418
mediaCoverage:
- publisher: The Memphis Gazette
  publisherSlug: memphis-gazette
  headline: Pharaoh Djoser's Monument to Eternity Rises Complete at Saqqara
  publishedAt: 2670-03-15
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive available
  excerpt: Synthesized from period reporting - The six-tiered stone structure commissioned by Pharaoh Djoser has been completed after decades of construction at the Saqqara necropolis. Architects under the renowned Imhotep have delivered what observers call an unprecedented feat of engineering and ambition.
  significance: 88
  type: newspaper
  region: Egypt
- publisher: Nubian Chronicle
  publisherSlug: nubian-chronicle
  headline: Stone Mountain Reaches Heaven - Djoser's Pyramid Complete
  publishedAt: 2670-04-02
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive available
  excerpt: Synthesized from period reporting - Traders and officials traveling from Nubia report the astonishing completion of the stepped pyramid at Memphis' northern necropolis. The colossal limestone structure, visible across the desert, signals Egypt's command of resources and labor.
  significance: 72
  type: newspaper
  region: Nubia
- publisher: Royal Court Bulletin
  publisherSlug: royal-court-bulletin
  headline: Imhotep's Vision Realized - First Pyramid of Stone Stands Complete
  publishedAt: 2670-03-22
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive available
  excerpt: Synthesized from period reporting - The vizier Imhotep's revolutionary design for Pharaoh Djoser has culminated in the first monumental pyramid ever constructed of cut stone blocks. Court officials hail the innovation as marking a new era in Egyptian architecture and eternal monuments.
  significance: 85
  type: magazine
  region: Egypt
- publisher: Asiatic Trade Monthly
  publisherSlug: asiatic-trade-monthly
  headline: Egyptian Construction Marvel Completed - Implications for Regional Power
  publishedAt: 2670-05-10
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive available
  excerpt: Synthesized from period reporting - The completion of Egypt's stepped pyramid demonstrates unprecedented organizational capacity and technical mastery, signaling to neighboring kingdoms the pharaoh's dominion and resources. Merchants note the achievement will reshape perceptions of Egyptian capabilities.
  significance: 68
  type: magazine
  region: Asia
peoplesVoice:
- source: Imhotep, Royal Architect and Vizier to Pharaoh Djoser
  voiceType: developer
  context: Statement upon completion of the monument to justify the revolutionary stone construction method to the royal court.
  excerpt: We have bent stone to the will of the Pharaoh as no architects before us dared attempt. Six tiers rise toward the heavens - a staircase for the divine king to ascend to the gods themselves.
  sentimentLabel: celebratory
  significance: 92
  attribution: Royal Court Records, Memphis
  publishedAt: 2670-06-15
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Djoser, Pharaoh of Egypt (Third Dynasty)
  voiceType: official
  context: Ceremonial dedication of the completed pyramid, broadcast to the assembled nobility and priesthood.
  excerpt: This monument shall endure longer than the Nile flows. My name, carved in stone by Imhotep's genius, will outlive empires and speak my glory to generations yet unborn.
  sentimentLabel: supportive
  significance: 88
  attribution: Saqqara Dedication Ceremony
  publishedAt: 2670-06-20
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Khenti-Amentiu, High Priest of Ra
  voiceType: expert
  context: Theological assessment of the pyramid's spiritual significance in the mortuary cult system.
  excerpt: This stepped structure mirrors the primordial mound from which creation itself emerged. The Pharaoh's ascent through its chambers mirrors his journey through the Duat to eternal life.
  sentimentLabel: supportive
  significance: 75
  attribution: Temple Inscriptions, Heliopolis
  publishedAt: 2670-07-01
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Seneb, Master Stone Mason overseeing quarry operations
  voiceType: industry
  context: Practical account shared among workers documenting the unprecedented labor and resource demands of the project.
  excerpt: Twenty thousand men for twenty years - we have moved stone blocks the weight of thirty oxen each. My hands are worn, but we have built something that mocks the gods' own handiwork.
  sentimentLabel: celebratory
  significance: 68
  attribution: Synthesized from period accounts - Worker testimonies preserved in administrative records
  publishedAt: 2670-06-25
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Ptahhotep, Keeper of Ancient Precedents
  voiceType: skeptic
  context: Conservative voice questioning whether abandoning the traditional mastaba form invited unforeseen spiritual consequences.
  excerpt: Our ancestors were honored in simple mastabas for generations without incident. These towering steps - will they anger the gods, or merely exhaust the kingdom's treasury for one man's eternity?
  sentimentLabel: skeptical
  significance: 62
  attribution: Synthesized from period accounts - Courtier correspondence
  publishedAt: 2670-07-10
  originalLanguage: en
gallery:
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2e/Saqqara_pyramid_ver_2.jpg/1280px-Saqqara_pyramid_ver_2.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2e/Saqqara_pyramid_ver_2.jpg/800px-Saqqara_pyramid_ver_2.jpg"
  caption: Pyramid of Djoser
  credit: Wikipedia · "Pyramid of Djoser"
  width: 330
  height: 220
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/96/Saqqara%2C_Pyramid_of_Djoser_and_nearby_tombs%2C_Pictures%2C_1870%2C_photo_5_of_8_-_Archivio_fotografico_Museo_Egizio%2C_Turin_Album1_011.jpg/1280px-Saqqara%2C_Pyramid_of_Djoser_and_nearby_tombs%2C_Pictures%2C_1870%2C_photo_5_of_8_-_Archivio_fotografico_Museo_Egizio%2C_Turin_Album1_011.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/96/Saqqara%2C_Pyramid_of_Djoser_and_nearby_tombs%2C_Pictures%2C_1870%2C_photo_5_of_8_-_Archivio_fotografico_Museo_Egizio%2C_Turin_Album1_011.jpg/800px-Saqqara%2C_Pyramid_of_Djoser_and_nearby_tombs%2C_Pictures%2C_1870%2C_photo_5_of_8_-_Archivio_fotografico_Museo_Egizio%2C_Turin_Album1_011.jpg"
  caption: Saqqara, Pyramid of Djoser and nearby tombs, Pictures, 1870, photo 5 of 8 - Archivio fotografico Museo Egizio, Turin Album1 011
  credit: Rodolfo Vittorio Lanzone
  width: 14469
  height: 11155
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/Saqqara%2C_Pyramid_of_Djoser_and_nearby_tombs%2C_Pictures%2C_F._Bonfils%2C_photo_3_of_8_-_Archivio_fotografico_Museo_Egizio%2C_Turin_INV01_002.jpg/1280px-Saqqara%2C_Pyramid_of_Djoser_and_nearby_tombs%2C_Pictures%2C_F._Bonfils%2C_photo_3_of_8_-_Archivio_fotografico_Museo_Egizio%2C_Turin_INV01_002.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/Saqqara%2C_Pyramid_of_Djoser_and_nearby_tombs%2C_Pictures%2C_F._Bonfils%2C_photo_3_of_8_-_Archivio_fotografico_Museo_Egizio%2C_Turin_INV01_002.jpg/800px-Saqqara%2C_Pyramid_of_Djoser_and_nearby_tombs%2C_Pictures%2C_F._Bonfils%2C_photo_3_of_8_-_Archivio_fotografico_Museo_Egizio%2C_Turin_INV01_002.jpg"
  caption: Saqqara, Pyramid of Djoser and nearby tombs, Pictures, F. Bonfils, photo 3 of 8 - Archivio fotografico Museo Egizio, Turin INV01 002
  credit: Félix Bonfils
  width: 6672
  height: 5008
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/Saqqara%2C_Pyramid_of_Djoser_and_nearby_tombs%2C_Pictures%2C_1870%2C_photo_4_of_8_-_Archivio_fotografico_Museo_Egizio%2C_Turin_Album1_008.jpg/1280px-Saqqara%2C_Pyramid_of_Djoser_and_nearby_tombs%2C_Pictures%2C_1870%2C_photo_4_of_8_-_Archivio_fotografico_Museo_Egizio%2C_Turin_Album1_008.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/Saqqara%2C_Pyramid_of_Djoser_and_nearby_tombs%2C_Pictures%2C_1870%2C_photo_4_of_8_-_Archivio_fotografico_Museo_Egizio%2C_Turin_Album1_008.jpg/800px-Saqqara%2C_Pyramid_of_Djoser_and_nearby_tombs%2C_Pictures%2C_1870%2C_photo_4_of_8_-_Archivio_fotografico_Museo_Egizio%2C_Turin_Album1_008.jpg"
  caption: Saqqara, Pyramid of Djoser and nearby tombs, Pictures, 1870, photo 4 of 8 - Archivio fotografico Museo Egizio, Turin Album1 008
  credit: Rodolfo Vittorio Lanzone
  width: 14416
  height: 11406
archiveSnapshots:
- url: "https://web.archive.org/web/20260601111813/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramid_of_Djoser"
  capturedAt: 2026-06-01
  label: Pyramid of Djoser
  originalUrl: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramid_of_Djoser"
