In my presentation ‘From Nomads to Nation’ – I discuss the settling of the Nile Valley; and having settled the land, the pyramids then soon appeared. But how and why?
A few miles south-west of Cairo, at Saqqara, lies an ancient Royal Necropolis; a burial site of the Pharaohs and elite of Egypt for around 3000 years.
Today, the Step Pyramid; the first in the history of mankind, still stands tall and dominates the desert horizon and area of Saqqara.
Yet it poses so many questions:
* From what religious, cultural and political motivation did this pyramid spring?
* How did it evolve?
* How and why was it conceived and built?
* From where did the manpower and resources come?
With this presentation I endeavour to answer these questions, as I give an insight into the incredible achievement of this awe-inspiring and vast Pyramid Complex of King Djoser.
This presentation investigates the deep theology that motivated the Ancient Egyptians; it moves through the evolution of the skills, artistic and architectural influences of their early funerary monuments; and covers the political unification of Egypt that was the foundation of the royal power, control and fabulous wealth of the early kings.
These were all factors which made possible the building of this pyramid some 5000 years ago; the world’s first monumental building in stone – the colossal funerary monument of the powerful King Djoser – the 1st pharaoh of the 3rd dynasty; who set the standard and motivation for many centuries to come.
We finish with a ‘guided tour’ of Djoser’s monument: investigating the development, architecture, skills and wonderful ‘hidden gems’ of this pyramid complex: ‘The World’s First Pyramid – the Step Pyramid at Saqqara’ …
… the pyramid which was the inspiration and bench-mark for the mighty kings and pyramids of the 4th Dynasty of the Old Kingdom, which sees:
‘The Steps to Giza – Absolute Power and Divine Kingship’
Unearthing Egyptology - Talks on Egyptology 