New pyramid discovered in Egypt - USATODAY.com New pyramid discovered in Egypt Updated Enlarge By Ben Curtis, AP Archaeology workers dig at the site of a newly-discovered pyramid, the base of which is seen center-left, at Saqqara near Cairo. By Katarina Kratovac, Associated Press Writer SAQQARA, Egypt  Archaeologists have discovered a new pyramid under the sands of Saqqara, an ancient burial site that remains largely unexplored and has yielded a string of unearthed pyramids in recent years, Egypt's antiquities chief announced Tuesday. The 4,300-year-old monument most likely belonged to the queen mother of the founder of Egypt's 6th Dynasty, several hundred years after the building of the famed Great Pyramids of Giza, the country's antiquities chief Zahi Hawass said as he took media on a tour of the find. The discovery is part of the sprawling necropolis and burial site of the rulers of ancient Memphis, the capital of Egypt's Old Kingdom, about 12 miles (19 kilometers) south of Giza.

All that remains of the pyramid is a square-shaped 16-foot (5-meter) tall structure that had been buried under 65 feet (25 meters) of sand. "There was so much sand dumped here that no one had any idea there was something buried underneath," said Hawass. Hawass' team has been excavating at the location for two years, but he said it was only two months ago when they determined the structure, with sides about 72 feet (22 meters) long, was the base of a pyramid. They also found parts of the pyramid's white limestone casing — believed to have once covered the entire structure — which enabled them to calculate that the complete pyramid was once 45 feet (14 meters) high. The pyramid is the 118th discovered so far in Egypt. "To find a new pyramid is always exciting," said Hawass. "And this one is magical. It belonged to a queen." Hawass said he believes the pyramid belongs to Queen Sesheshet, who is thought to have played a significant role in establishing the 6th Dynasty and uniting two branches of the feuding royal family.

Her son, Teti, is believed to have ruled for around 20 years until he was possibly assassinated, a sign of the time's turbulence. Evidence of the identification is still indirect. The pyramids of Teti's two wives, already discovered 100 years ago and in 1994 respectively, lie next to it as part of the burial complex alongside the collapsed pyramid of Teti himself. The Egyptian team is still diging and is two weeks from entering the burial chamber inside the pyramid, where Hawass hopes they will find proof of its owner — a sarcophagus or at least an inscription of the queen, he said. Finding anything more would be next to impossible, as robbers in antiquity looted the pyramid, Hawass added, pointing to a gaping shaft on the structure's top that remains a testament to the thieves' actions. Dieter Wildung, head of Berlin's Egyptian Museum and a leading Egyptologists in Europe, said Hawass' claim is plausible because it was common in the Old Kingdom for kings to build pyramids for their queens and mothers next to their own. "Hawass is likely right," Wildung, who is not involved in the dig, said in a phone interview.

"These parallel situations give a very strong argument in favor of his interpretation." Joe Wegner, an associate professor of Egyptian archaeology at University of Pennsylvania who has been involved in other expeditions at Saqqara, cautioned that until "inscriptional confirmation is found, it's still an educated guess" that the pyramid is Sesheshet's. Although evidence of the queen's existence was found elsewhere in Egypt in inscriptions and a papyrus document — a medical prescription to strengthen the queen's thinning hair — the site of her burial was not known. The find is important because it adds to the understanding of the 6th Dynasty, which lasted from 2,322 B.C. to 2,151 B.C. It was the last dynasty of the Old Kingdom, which spanned the 3rd millennium B.C. and was the first peak of pharaonic civilization. Saqqara is most famous for the Step Pyramid of King Djoser, built in the 27th century B.C. Only a third of the Saqqara complex been explored so far, and recent digging has turned up a number of key finds.

The last new pyramid found there three years ago is thought to belong to the wife of Teti's successor, Pepi I. In June, Hawass' team unveiled a "rediscovery" at Saqqara — a pyramid believed to have been built by King Menkauhor, an obscure pharaoh whose pyramid was first discovered in 1842 by German archaeologist Karl Richard Lepsius. But desert sands later covered the pyramid and archaeologists were unable to find Menkauhor's resting place until three months ago. Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Posted E-mail | Print | To report corrections and clarifications, contact Reader Editor Brent Jones . For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com . Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. Guidelines: You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. Read more .

Egypt: Sakkara (Saqqara), history of ancient Egypt near Cairo, Egypt Contact Us About us Tour Egypt aims to offer the ultimate Egyptian adventure and intimate knowledge about the country. We offer this unique experience in two ways, the first one is by organizing a tour and coming to Egypt for a visit, whether alone or in a group, and living it firsthand. The second way to experience Egypt is from the comfort of your own home: online. Egypt: Sakkara (Saqqara), history of ancient Egypt near Cairo, Egypt An Overview of Saqqara Proper in Egypt by Jimmy Dunn writing as Alan Winston >> Pyramid Index / Saqqara Sakkara is one section of the great necropolis of Memphis , the Old Kingdom capital and the kings of the 1st Dynasty as well as that of the 2nd Dynasty . are mostly buried in this section of the Memphis necropolis. It has been of constant interest to Egyptologists. Three major discoveries have recently been made at Sakkara, including a prime ministers tomb, a queens pyramid, and the tomb of the son of a dynasty-founding king. Each discovery has a fascinating story, with many adventures for the archaeologists as they revealed the secrets of the past.

Sakkara is best known for the Step Pyramid , the oldest known of Egypt's 97 pyramids. It was built for King Djoser of the 3rd Dynasty by the architect and genius Imhotep , who designed it and its surrounding complex to be as grand as it was unique and revolutionary. Imhotep was the first to build stone tombs in honor of the king's majesty. His many titles included 'Treasurer of the King of Lower Egypt', 'Administrator of the Great Palace', and 'Imhotep the Builder, the Sculptor, the Maker of Stone Vessels'. Imhotep may have also designed the pyramid of Djoser's successor, Sekhemkhet . Pyramid of Unas 5th Dynasty kings such as Userkaf ( pyramid ) and Djedkare-Izezi built their pyramids at Sakkara. The last king of 5th Dynasty, Unas , decorated his burial chamber with the famous 'Pyramid Texts', spells written to help the king ascend to the heavens and descend again, which reveal the relationship of the king to the gods.

6th Dynasty kings such as Pepi I , Merenre and Pepi II built their pyramids to the south of Sakkara . Sakkara is also famous for its private Old Kingdom tombs ( see our feature story on 1st Dynasty Tombs ), which contain beautiful and revealing scenes: men force- feeding geese, cattle crossing a canal, men dragging a statue on a sled to the tomb. The best-known tombs are those of Ti , Kagemni , the 'Two Brothers', and Ptahhotep ; the most famous is that of Meruruka . During the New Kingdom (c 1570-332 BC) Memphis took second place to Thebes as Egypt's capital. But although the administration was established at Thebes, the government officials who ruled Upper Egypt lived in Memphis and were buried at Sakkara. Here Geoffrey Martin found the famous tomb that Horemheb built for himself before he became pharaoh, while he was still the overseer of Tutankhamun's army. The Goddess Isis Martin also found the tomb of Mava, Tutankhamun's Treasurer. The first of the recent discoveries at Sakkara dates from the New Kingdom.

This site is being developed by the French Archaeological Mission of the Bubasteion at Sakkara under the direction of Alain Zivie, Director of Research at the Centre Nationale de la Recherche Scientifique at Paris. Zivie started work at a place in Sakkara called Abwab el-Qotat, 'The Doors of the Cats', so called because hundreds of cat mummies were found here. The Ancient Egyptians worshipped the cat goddess Bastet, whose main place of worship was at Tel-Basta near Zagazig in the east of the Delta. At Sakkara her sanctuary or Bubasteion stood above a cliff in which some New Kingdom tombs were cut, some of which were re-used much later for cat burials connected with the Bubasteion. The Abwab El-Qotat site had been neglected for many years. It was dangerous because the cliff was crumbling and the tombs were falling apart, but the French archaeological team has been working here for the last 14 years. The main focus of their work has been the tomb of the Vizier Aperel or Aperia.

In the 14th century BC he served as the prime minister of Lower Egypt under the Pharaohs Amenhotep III and his son Amenhotep IV , known as 'Akhenaten'. (The latter worshipped a single god, the sun's disk or ' Aten '.) Aperia's tomb was discovered in 1987, and several seasons of excavation and consolidation of the tomb gave Zivie the opportunity to clear almost completely a huge burial complex on four levels. The last level still contained a large part of the funerary treasure of Aperia, his wife Tauret and their son Huy, a prominent general. The big surprise was the discovery of the funerary chamber, which was found hidden behind the stairway. Despite an ancient plundering this was still full of funerary equipment and other furnishings which was an extraordinary find for archaeology as well as for art history. Statue from the Tomb of Mery-Sekhmet Aperia and his Dautgher Aperia and his Dautgher The remains of the Vizier, his wife and their son were found in beautiful coffins, along with canopic jars of alabaster, objects of daily and religious use, and many jewels.

The gold was transferred to the Cairo Museum and is on exhibit there. The beautiful rings and bracelets can be compared only with those found at Thebes at the beginning of this century. Dr. Zivie's report, referring to the funerary chamber as the 'chapel', stated that: "...until the end of 1993, only a small part of the chapel itself, near the entrance, was known. A late masonry, very compact and thick, was present almost everywhere at the first level of the tomb, preventing investigation. This masonry is no only present in Aper-El's tomb, with its representations of the Vizier. Three cult niches were revealed when we removed the masonry and gebel (dry stones) which had blocked the entire chapel.. The decoration on the main, central, niche remained in a very good state of preservation. On the sides are paintings of the Vizier, each with his complete name, Aper-EI, receiving offerings of flowers or purification from two sons previously unknown to us. Their names and titles are present: one, Seny, was a high official; the other, Hatiay, was a priest.

The representations are important because they illustrate the art of the time of Akhenaton (the Amarna Period) and its aftermath not at Amarna or at Thebes, but rather at Memphis, which remained the main city of the country. But also in some neighboring tombs. This masonry can almost certainly be dated to the beginning of the Ptolemaic (Greek) Period. The site would have been consolidated then for re-use in cat burials at the sanctuary of Bastet above the cliff. It was necessary to remove the blocking (late masonry) in order to explore the chapel completely... a technical task, not a work of excavation. We undertook it with the agreement of the Egyptian Antiquities Organization. The operation provided the Mission with a chance discovery: the larger part of the chapel of the tomb had been hidden by the masonry. The decoration had been very well preserved behind the stones and mortar. The work took several months, but the chapel is now completely cleared... Now we have a complete picture of the first level of the tomb. The result is impressive. There are three square pillars, one completely unknown before, on the inner faces of which one can still discern representations of the Vizier and of his son.

The fourth pillar is no longer present. A splendid ceiling, beautifully decorated in brilliant colors, is also almost completely preserved. The most important discovery in the chapel was the back wall, side of the burial chamber. Near the sarcophagus was found the canopic chest of the king, with his viscera wrapped in bandages of fine linen. " Examining the high sand mounds on the south side of Pepi I's pyramid , the expedition found small pyramids of queens and others who may have been queens . We know that Pepi I married two sisters, the daughters of the Mayor of Abydos (which could be the first recorded case of an Egyptian god-king marrying a commoner). From the French team's work we now know for the first time the queens for whom these pyramids were built. The first, for example, was built for Queen Nwb-wnt. In 1995 they found the pyramid of Queen Meryt-it-is. We already knew this name as that of the wife of King Khufu (Cheops) , builder of the Great Pyramid . She enjoyed the titles of 'King's Wife' and 'King's Daughter'.

Her newly- found pyramid raises Egypt's total of pyramids with superstructures to 97. It is expected that the expedition will find more 8th Dynasty pyramids in this area. We know that Sakkara was the burial-place of those kings, and have already located the pyramid of King Iby.. The third recent discovery at Sakkara was made while excavating in the vicinity of the pyramid of Queen Iput I, a wife of Teti , first king of 6th Dynasty. His reign was about 68 years and he married two queens, Iput and Khuit. The new Pyramid of Meryt-it-is Obelisks, Temple of Queen Inti The historian Manetho stated that King Teti was assassinated by his bodyguard, but some scholars believe that Teti's eventual assassination was motivated by resentment at the eclipse of priestly authority. Naguib Kanawati of Macquarie University, Sydney, has uncovered evidence to support the murder theory. The name of Teti's pyramid was 'The Pyramid Which Is Enduring Of Palaces'. Its original height was 52.5m/172ft.

It was first opened in 1881 and was found to resemble other 6th Dynasty pyramids. Inside was a sarcophagus of gray basalt, and near it were found Teti's viscera in a canopic chest like that of Pepi I. Queen Iput's and Khuit's pyramids are located about a ninety meters north of Teti's. In 1897-99 V. Loret excavated it and found a large limestone sarcophagus, containing the cedar wood inner coffin of the Queen. Inside the coffin were her remains. On the bones of her right arm were found scattered remains of her necklace and a gold bracelet. We excavated around Queen Iput's pyramid, and found most of the rooms of its funerary temple. It was decorated with beautiful scenes. Also found in the temple was a monument dating from the 3rd Dynasty reign of Djoser, for whom the Step Pyramid of Sakkara was built. This monument resembles a pillar. The shape of its top is called a Serelh, which means 'palace facade'. On it is written the name of Djoser, and above it is the falcon god Horus wearing the Double Crown on Upper and Lower Egypt.

Beneath Horus is a lion or lioness followed by a jackal. They are arranged in 12 registers. We believe that it could have been part of an entrance gate for the pyramid complex of Djoser. On its top would have been a lintel with Djoser's titles. Another monument similar to this one has also been found. Another major discovery near Queen Iput's funerary temple is the tomb of Teti's son Teti-ankh-km, which means 'Teti-ankh the Black'. The false door of the tomb bears his name, the title of 'King's Son', and his most important title of 'Overseer of Upper Egypt'. The tomb contains beautiful scenes of daily and religious life, including ladies bringing offerings, the slaughtering of animals, the deceased standing with his wife (represented in smaller scale), the lotus flower, and many other scenes. The colors in the scenes are distinctive, and the style is characteristic of the tombs of Sakkara during the Old Kingdom . Even during the later New Kingdom, most of the tombs at Sakkara display the same style and colors. Statues from the Tomb of Mery-Sekhmet discovered by A.

Zivie 'The back wall of the niche was originally decorated with a painted scene of Aper-El, Huy, and other members of the family before the god Osiris. In the 19th Dynasty [c13191200 BC] an important alteration was made. The painting was partly defaced and the wall was carved with a new and very impressive representation of Osiris flanked by the goddesses Isis and Nephthys . This example is hard to explain, but it seems clear that the figures were used as cult representations, like statues. Because of the large size of the figures the niche, now cleared and visible from a distance, is really striking. 'The smaller western niche was found empty, but the Ptolemaic masonry of the eastern niche contained the mummies of cats, the most notable one in a limestone coffin with a superb cat mummy in linen wrappings. This was the first in situ cat burial found at Sakkara. It has nothing to do with Aper-El's tomb or time period. It was dedicated to Bastet when the site was blocked up and re-used, probably in the early Ptolemaic Period (4th century BC).

Pyramid text inside the Pyramid of Pepi I In order to consolidate and protect the fragile parts of the cliff, as well as to study and understand the site, the masonry from other tombs in the vicinity were removed. Excavation work then concentrated on the tomb of the Royal Scribe and Chief of the Granaries, Mery-Sekhmet, who lived in the 19th Dynasty. This tomb, unknown before the Mission began to explore the site, is only partly preserved, but what is left is quite exceptional. The stone masonry of the Ptolemaic Period was systematically removed to reach and protect the original decorated walls of the tomb. The task was difficult and has proceeded slowly over several years. The preserved walls of the chapel are now almost cleared and cleaned. They are decorated with superb relieves, partly inspired by the mastabas [tombs] of the Old Kingdom. In addition to religious scenes, they depict Mery-Sekhmet and his wife Iuy attending to agricultural work. Partly blackened by fire in ancient times, the reliefs and their color have been excellently cleaned and reinforced.

The main surprise awaited the Mission at the back of the tomb, where the removal of the masonry led to the discovery of a walled niche. The high humidity led to fears that nothing had been preserved in this remote part of the tomb, but this was not the case. The niche was slowly and methodically cleared in January 1994 and the winter of 1995. It contains a pair of superb statues carved in the rock. These are standing figures more than 3ft high, still colored, of Iuy and Mery-Sekhmet, who holds a standard with small figures of Osiris and Re-Harakhte . This is the first time that such New Kingdom statues, carved into the rock, have been discovered at Sakkara. The faces of the man and woman are quite beautiful. Despite the fragility of the stone and the colors, the statues are well preserved. The joint team of Egyptian and French conservators pooled their efforts to stabilize and restore them.' The second recent discovery at Sakkara was also made under the supervision of a famous French E gyptologist : Jean Leclant.

This French expedition worked around the pyramid of Pepi I , the third king of the Old Kingdom's 6th Dynasty. In his reign Egypt reached a peak in art and culture. One of the king's courtiers, Weni, recounts that Pepi I appointed him to investigate a conspiracy on the part of Queen Imtis. But Weni does not say what she plotted against the king, nor what kind of punishment she suffered. Jean Leclant and Jean-Phillippe Lauer studied the Pyramid Texts in the pyramids of the 6th Dynasty. Unfortunately the hieroglyphic inscriptions on the inner walls of Pepi I's pyramid had crumbled to the floor. The French team accomplished one of its most important tasks, reconstructing the inscriptions by computer. It took them almost five years to complete this impressive achievement, of which everyone is all proud. As an amendment to this article, note that there is now an Museum with a special room dedicated to Jean-Phillippe Lauer's work located in Saqqara, with many other exhibits on this archaeological site, named the Imhotep Museum.

Map of the Saqqara Area General Travel Saqqara | Ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt For Kids Saqqara The Egyptian burial ground at Saqqara is vast and ancient, serving as the main necropolis of the ancient capital of Memphis. It houses the famous Step Pyramid of Djoser within its grounds as well as numerous mastaba tombs. The importance of Saqqara as a burial complex lasted for well over 3,000 years, stretching into Roman times. Location of Saqqara The Nile Delta entrance marks the location of Saqqara. This is the West bank, where the river begins to branch off in a number of arms. The very first tombs, built in the First Dynasty, were built on a desert plateau here. To the North, about 10 miles, is Giza ; to the South at six miles is Dahshur; and to the South-West, at about 25 miles, is the modern capital of Cairo. The monuments of Saqqara furthest to the north are the Archaic Tombs, slightly to the South of the Abusir necropolis, which was built in the Fifth Dynasty.

Some consider Dahshur to be part of Saqqara at its southernmost point, however, the monument furthest to the south of Saqqara was built by Shepseskaf, who was the final king of the Fourth Dynasty. At the beginning of that dynasty, there were already pyramids being built in Dahshur and a large expanse of untouched desert between it and Saqqara. The area of Saqqara covers about 3.5 square miles and is usually split in two, to contain Saqqara North and Saqqara South. Each of these two parts can be further divided to contain several smaller necropolises. Saqqara North is considered to be the area between the Archaic Tombs and a complex called Sekhemkhet, which remains unfinished. It contains the following cemeteries: Northern, Teti, Netjerikhet and Unas. The Netjerikhet Cemetery contains the Djoser Step Pyramid and surrounding complex. Saqqara South begins to the south of the unfinished Sekhemkhet complex. It contains a number of pyramids, royal monuments and other tombs. Its defining characteristic might be the strangely-shaped tomb of Shepseskaf.

History of Saqqara The earliest noble burials in Saqqara go all the way back to the First Dynasty. The graves were located on the North side of the complex. At this point in time, the royal burial ground was considered to be Abydos . The last king of the Second Dynasty, Khasekhemwy, was buried at Abydos as was custom, but he also had a monument built known as Gisr el-Mudir. This monument was a large rectangular enclosure that is thought to be the inspiration for the enclosures around Djoser's Step Pyramid. Some of the earliest dynastic monuments at Saqqara include: King Hotepsekhemwy's tomb King Sekhemkhet's burial complex including the Buried Pyramid King Khasekhemwy's burial complex including Gisr el-Mudir King Djoser's burial complex including the Step Pyramid In the Fourth Dynasty, the majority of the kings chose to build their pyramids and complexes elsewhere. In the Fifth and Sixth Dynasties, the kings returned to Saqqara for their burial complexes and pyramids. The pyramids in these dynasties are not as well preserved as others because the cores were made of rubble.

At this time, nobles were usually buried in mastabas near the king's pyramid. Consequently, a variety of tombs cluster the complexes of these pyramids. © Vincent Brown - Layout of Saqqara and Abusir Some of the Old Kingdom monuments in Saqqara include: King Userkaf's pyramid complex from the Fifth Dynasty King Shepseskaf's tomb from the Fourth Dynasty King Djedkare's pyramid complex Haram el-Shawaf King Teti's pyramid complex from the Sixth Dynasty King Pepi I and II's pyramid complexes In the Middle Kingdom, Memphis was no longer the capital of Egypt and the kings constructed their burial complexes elsewhere. Very little from this period has been found in Saqqara. That changed in the New Kingdom when Memphis was once again the center of the military and administration. Various monuments from this period are located in Saqqara, including the tombs of several top officials. After the New Kingdom and into Roman times, Saqqara continued to be used as a burial ground. Several monuments remain from this time, including the Philosophers Circle, Coptic monasteries, the Serapeum and a number of shaft tombs for high officials.

The Serapeum was a burial ground for Apis bulls, which were believed to be avatars of Ptah. It was believed they became immortal after they died. © Ashley van Haeften - Apis Bull Figurine The Step Pyramid of Djoser The Step Pyramid of Djoser is probably the most famous monument located in the necropolis of Saqqara. It was the tomb of King Djoser , as built for him by his vizier, Imhotep , who was also a genius architect. The pyramid is actually a series of mastabas built atop each other, thus giving the step-like appearance. It appears that this eventual construction of mastabas as building blocks was a revision of the original plan. It was built in the 27th century BC in the Third Dynasty of the Old Kingdom. Djoser was either the first or second king of that dynasty. © Ed Yourdon - Djoser's Step Pyramid The Step Pyramid was an innovative building for its time. It was the first monument constructed of stone. Most other monuments at this time and earlier were mostly constructed of mud-brick. The amount of labor required to build something like the Step Pyramid is staggering all by itself.

This points to Djoser's government at the time having a much wider access to both resources and human control. The structure of the Step Pyramid set the precedent for the other pyramids that would follow. The area around the Step Pyramid was just as vast and impressive as the pyramid itself. It included a number of chapels around the base and then a huge courtyard surrounding it. To finish, the entire complex was enclosed within a huge rectangular structure. Outside of the enclosure wall is a great trench dug into the rock. The entire vast complex consists of the following identified parts: Enclosure Wall Saqqara | Travel 2 Egypt Home > Places in Egypt > Attractions > Cairo > Saqqara Saqqara Saqqara is the most important archeological site in the land of the Nile, new explorations and discoveries are carried out in this marvelous historical site until today by missions from different countries around the world with the help and the support of the Egyptian government. Situated in the West Bank of the Nile, the same as the Valley of the Kings in Luxor , like all the necropolises of ancient Egypt, Saqqara was the royal burial site of the Old Kingdom.

The centerpiece and the most important monument of Saqqara is definitely the step pyramid of Saqqara, the oldest surviving rock structure in the whole world. It was constructed in 2816 BC, with a height of 130 meters, and it consists of six layers of limestone one on top of the other. The pyramid was an important benchmark in the history of pyramids building in ancient Egypt. Other important highlights of Saqqara include the Pyramid of Unas, Pyramid complex of king Teti, Pyramid complex of king Userkaf, and the tombs of The Irukaptah, Kagemni, and the tomb of Mehu. Tours to Saqqara Saqqara Saqqara Saqqara (or Sakkara, Saqqarah; Arabic : سقارة) is a vast, ancient burial ground in Egypt , serving as the necropolis for the Ancient Egyptian capital, Memphis. Saqqara features numerous pyramids, including the world famous Step Pyramid, as well as a number of mastabas . Located some 30 km south of modern-day Cairo , Saqqara covers an area of around 7 km by 1.5 km.

At Saqqara, the oldest complete hewn-stone building complex known in history was built: Djoser's step pyramid, built during the third dynasty. 16 other Egyptian kings have built pyramids at Saqqara, which are now in various states of preservation or dilapidation. High officials have added private funeral monuments to this necropolis during the entire pharaonic period. It remained an important complex for non-royal burials and cult ceremonies for more than 3,000 years, well into Ptolemaic and Roman times. North of the area known as Saqqara lies Abusir; south lies Dahshur. The area running from Giza to Dahshur has been used as necropolis by the inhabitants of Memphis at different times, and it has been designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979. The name Saqqara is possibly derived from Sokar, an ancient Egyptian funerary god. History Early Dynastic The earliest burials of nobles can be traced back to the First Dynasty, at the north side of the Saqqara plateau. During this time, the royal burial ground was at Abydos.

The first royal burials at Saqqara, comprising underground galleries, date to the Second Dynasty. The last Second Dynasty king Khasekhemwy was buried in his tomb at Abydos, but also built a funerary monument at Saqqara consisting of a large rectangular enclosure, known as Gisr el-Mudir. It probably inspired the monumental enclosure wall around the Step Pyramid complex. Djoser's funerary complex, built by the royal architect Imhotep, further comprises a large number of dummy buildings and a secondary mastaba (the so-called 'Southern Tomb'). French architect and Egyptologist Jean-Philippe Lauer spent the greater part of his life excavating and restoring Djoser's funerary complex. Early Dynastic monuments Buried Pyramid, funerary complex of king Sekhemkhet Gisr el-Mudir, funerary complex of king Khasekhemwy Step Pyramid, funerary complex of king Djoser Old Kingdom Nearly all Fourth Dynasty kings chose a different location for their pyramids. During the second half of the Old Kingdom, under the Fifth and Sixth Dynasties, Saqqara was again the royal burial ground.

The Fifth and Sixth Dynasty pyramids are not built of massive stone, but with a core consisting of rubble. They are consequently less well preserved than the world famous pyramids built by the Fourth Dynasty kings at Giza. Unas, the last ruler of the Fifth Dynasty, was the first king to adorn the chambers in his pyramid with Pyramid Texts. It was custom for courtiers during the Old Kingdom to be buried in mastaba tombs close to the pyramid of their king. Clusters of private tombs were thus formed in Saqqara around the pyramid complexes of Unas and Teti.

Old Kingdom monuments Mastabet el-Fara'un, tomb of king Shepseskaf (Dynasty 4) pyramid complex of king Userkaf (Dynasty 5) Haram el-Shawaf, pyramid complex of king Djedkare pyramid of king Menkauhor mastaba of the Two Brothers (Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum|Niankhkhnum and Khnumhotep) pyramid complex of king Unas mastaba of Ptahhotep pyramid complex of king Teti (Dynasty 6) mastaba of Mereruka pyramid complex of king Pepi I pyramid complex of king Merenre piramid complex of king Pepi II First Intermediate Period monuments pyramid of king Ibi (Dynasty 8) Middle Kingdom From the Middle Kingdom onwards, Memphis was no longer the capital of the country, and kings built their funerary complexes elsewhere. Few private monuments from this period have been found at Saqqara. Second Intermediate Period monuments pyramid of king Khendjer (Dynasty 13) pyramid of an unknown king New Kingdom During the New Kingdom Memphis was an important administrative and military centre, second only to the capital.

From the Eighteenth Dynasty onwards many high officials built tombs at Saqqara. When still a general, Horemheb built a large tomb here, though he was later buried as Pharaoh in the Valley of the Kings at Thebes. Many monuments from earlier periods were still standing, but dilapidated by this period. Prince Khaemweset, son of Pharaoh Ramesses II , made repairs to buildings at Saqqara. Among other things, he restored the Pyramid of Unas and added an inscription to its south face to commemorate the restoration. He enlarged the Serapeum, the burial site of the mummified Apis bulls, and was later buried in the catacombs. The Serapeum, containing one undisturbed interment of an Apis bull and the tomb of Khaemweset, were rediscovered by the French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette. New Kingdom monuments Several clusters of tombs of high officials, among which the tombs of Horemheb and of Maya and Merit. Reliefs and statues from these two tombs are on display in the National Museum of Antiquities at Leiden, the Netherlands, and in the British Museum, London.

After the New Kingdom In the periods after the New Kingdsom, when several cities in the Delta served as capital of Egypt, Saqqara remained in use as a burial ground for nobles. Moreover the area became an important destination for pilgrims to a number of cult centres. Acitivities sprang up around the Serapeum, and extensive underground galleries were cut into the rock as burial sites for large amounts of mummified ibises, baboons, cats, dogs, and falcons.

Monuments of the Late Period, the Ptolemaeic Period and the Roman Period several shaft tombs of officials of the Late Period Serapeum (the larger part dating to the Ptolemaeic Period) the so-called 'Philosophers circle', a monument to important Greek thinkers and poets, consisting of statues of Hesiod , Homer , Pindar, Plato , and others (Ptolemaeic) several Coptic monasteries, among which the Monastery of Apa Jeremias (Byzantine and Early Islamic Periods) (Wikipedia) Ancient Pyramids | Pyramids of the World REGISTER Ancient Pyramids | Pyramids of the World Most people thinking of ancient pyramids jump straight to ancient Egypt. While that’s not wrong, it’s not necessarily right either. In fact, there are ancient pyramids all around the world, from a number of different cultures and civilisations and representing many different architectural styles and approaches. It’s not surprising to learn therefore that the list of world pyramids really does span the globe.

From the famous pyramids of Egypt to Mesoamerican pyramids, Chinese tomb pyramids, South American step pyramids, Mesopotamian ziggurats, North American mound pyramids and even Roman ceremonial pyramids, these ancient structures pop up across the globe right through the centuries in cultures who often have no connection to one-another. While some examples of the pyramids of the world are accepted by all to be pyramids in the classic sense, others are the subject of debate. It has even been claimed that the biggest pyramids of all are found in Bosnia, though much discussion still rages about that particular issue … So while those looking to visit pyramids may want to start with Egypt’s famous ancient pyramids, there’s also a wealth of other countries to consider. Check out our ancient pyramids map above and the list of pyramids of the world below and click on each entry for more information on each pyramid. Ancient Pyramids | Pyramids of the World: Site Index Saqqara - 必应 Saqqara (, ), also spelled Sakkara or Saccara in English (), is a vast, ancient burial ground in Egypt, serving as the necropolis for the Ancient Egyptian capital, Memphis.

An Overview of Saqqara Proper in Egypt by Jimmy Dunn writing as Alan Winston >> Pyramid Index / Saqqara. Sakkara is one section of the great necropolis of Memphis ... The Ancient Egypt Site - Saqqara, City of the Dead The Ancient Egypt Site created by Jacques Kinnaer Last update: 25 July, 2009 Saqqara is located near the entrance of the Nile Delta, at the point where the river starts dividing into several arms, on the west bank of the Nile. Its first tombs, dated to the beginning of the 1st Dynasty , were built on the ridge of the desert plateau, probably immediately to the west of the new capital of Memphis . On a clear day, its most prominent monument, Djoser's Step Pyramid , can be seen from Giza, which lies some 17 kilometres to the North, and from Dashur , about 10 kilometres to the South. From Egypt's modern-day capital, Cairo, Saqqara is some 40 kilometres away. Its northern most monuments, the Archaic Tombs, are located slightly to the south of the 5th Dynasty necropolis of Abusir .

It is believed by some that the oldest remains of Memphis are to be found underneath the modern-day village of Abusir, immediately to the east of the Archaic Tombs. To the south, Saqqara borders on Dashur , which some Egyptologists consider only to have been an extension of Saqqara. Against this view, however, it must be noted that when the first pyramids were built at Dashur, in the beginning of the 4th Dynasty , there was a large area of unexploited desert between the two sites. The southern-most royal monument at Saqqara was built by Shepseskaf , the last king of the 4th Dynasty. Saqqara is located to the West of Memphis and was used as necropolis for some 3.000 years. Saqqara North stretches between the Archaic Tombs just south of Abusir, and the unfinished complex of Sekhemkhet. It can be divided into the following cemeteries: Northern cemetery: This cemetery was an extension to the west of the Archaic Tombs that were built on the edge of the Saqqara plateau during the 1st Dynasty.

It was used and extended during the Old Kingdom , with most of the oldest mastabas closest to the Archaic Tombs. The large majority of these mastabas are dated to the 5th and 6th Dynasty and only a few to the 4th. This can be explained by the fact that during the larger part of the 4th Dynasty, Giza was the main burial place and by the fact that there appear to have been fewer high officials during this 4th Dynasty . To the West of the Old Kingdom necropolis are located several cemeteries for the embalmed remains of the sacred animals. Teti cemetery: Before Teti built his pyramid at the southern extension of the row of Archaic Tombs, this part of Saqqara appears to have been virtually unexploited. Several of Teti's high officials chose to build their mastabas directly to the North of their king's monument. Among them is the mastaba of vizier Mereruka . The cemetery continued to be used well into the 1st Intermediate Period .

During the Middle Kingdom and the 2nd Intermediate Period few burials were made here, but when, from the first half of the New Kingdom on, when nearby Memphis regained its importance, it became popular again. The use of this cemetery in the New Kingdom is closely related to the worship Teti enjoyed during this period, but it is not clear what was the cause of what: did the New Kingdom Memphites grant Teti a special status because of the extended use of his cemetery, or did they chose this cemetery because of his already established status? Djoser cemetery: To the north and west of the Djoser complex, several tombs were built during the 3rd Dynasty and later. Among these tombs, the mastaba of Ptahhotep of the 5th Dynasty is the most famous. To the west of this cemetery, a gallery of tombs for the sacred bulls of Apis, and known today by its Greek name Serapeum, was constructed from the 19th Dynasty on. It would continue to be used until well into the Roman Period . Unas cemeteries: To the north and the south of the causeway of Unas' mortuary complex evolved several cemeteries.

The north cemetery consists mainly of late 5th Dynasty tombs, with the tombs of two of Unas' queens. Its tombs were built between and on top of the tombs of Hotepsekhemwi and Ninetjer , which are, perhaps, the oldest royal tombs at Saqqara. The area south of the causeway was developed mainly from the late 18th Dynasty on. It contains such tombs as those of Horemheb and Maya, the most beautiful tombs in Saqqara. The areas around the unfinished pyramid of Sekhemkhet and the so-called Great Enclosure have not yet been fully explored. Airview of Saqqara-North, showing the main pyramid complexes, around which several private cemeteries developed over the years. Saqqara-South At some distance to the South of Sekhemkhet's unfinished complex, three kings built their pyramids. The first was Djedkare of the 5th Dynasty , whose attention may have been drawn by the high plateau that dominates this part of the area.

He was also the first king to return to Saqqara after several of his predecessors had preferred Abusir, to the North of Saqqara, for their burials. The two other royal monuments built here belong to Pepi I and his son Merenre I , both of the 6th Dynasty . Such was the importance or fame of Pepi I's funerary complex, that its name, mn-nfr was applied to the nearby city of Memphis by later generations. It is possible that during Pepi's time, Memphis, which probably had started out along the East-side of the edge of the Northern plateau of Saqqara, had grown to have its centre located almost directly to the East of Pepi's pyramid. Archaeological research in and around this pyramid, conducted by the French in the 1980's and 1990's has revealed several smaller pyramids that were used for the burial of Pepi I's many queens. Further to the South still the oldest royal tomb that was constructed at Saqqara-South also marks the the southernmost point of the site.

The uniquely shaped tomb of Shepseskaf is paralleled only by the tomb of Queen Khentkaus I at Giza , approximately dated to the same period. The penultimate and last royal funerary monuments that were built at Saqqara are the pyramid complex of Pepi II, at some distance to the Northwest of Shepseskaf's tomb; and the small pyramid of Ibi, to the Northeast. Saqqara-South requires much more research for us to better understand not only the evolution of Saqqara as the most important Memphite necropolis, but also of the history of Egypt as a whole. Archaeologists Unveil New Tombs in Egypt Archaeologists Unveil New Tombs in Egypt TOOLBOX The Associated Press Tuesday, February 20, 2007; 11:31 PM SAQQARA, Egypt -- Archaeologists unveiled the tombs Tuesday of a pharaonic butler and a scribe that have been buried for more than 3,000 years _ proof that Egypt's sands still have secrets to reveal.

Although archaeologists have been exploring Egypt intensively for more than 150 years, some estimate only one-third of what lies underground in Saqqara, site of the country's most ancient pyramid and burial site of kings, has been uncovered. "The sands of Saqqara reveal lots of secrets," said Egypt's antiquities chief, Zahi Hawass, as he showed reporters a 4,000-year-old mud brick tomb that belonged to a scribe of divine records, Ka-Hay, and his wife. The tomb, along with the butler's 3,350-year-old limestone grave and two painted coffins, were discovered earlier this year near the famous Step Pyramid of King Djoser _ the oldest of Egypt's more than 90 pyramids. Hawass said the three discoveries are just the tip of what remains undiscovered at Saqqara, which was the burial grounds for Memphis, the capital of Egypt's Old Kingdom. In December, archaeologists in Saqqara discovered the mummified remains of a doctor who was buried along with surgical tools more than 4,000 years ago.

Two months earlier, the graves of three royal dentists were discovered in Saqqara after the arrest of tomb raiders led archaeologists to the site. Hawass said the mud-brick tomb unveiled Tuesday, which also featured wooden statues and a door with intricate hieroglyphic carvings _ including one of the scribe and his wife _ "could enrich our knowledge about the people who actually surrounded the kings of Saqqara." "It doesn't look great because it was built from mud brick and not built of limestone, but I really believe that this tomb is very important," said Hawass, who donned his signature Indiana Jones-style hat. Three wooden statues also were found in the tomb. Two of them, each about 3 feet tall and depicting the scribe, were laid out on pieces of foam on the ground. One was missing a left arm. The third was not shown because it was in poor condition. After Hawass presented the tomb, workers picked up the ancient statues, placed them in the back of a pickup truck _ while tourists, surprised at the media commotion, quickly snapped photographs _ and drove them to another building in the complex.

On the other side of the Step Pyramid, archaeologists then unveiled the second tomb, which belonged to a butler who died some 3,350 years ago. Carved out of limestone, it contained murals that showed scenes of people performing rituals and monkeys eating fruit. The blue and orange colors of the paint were surprisingly well preserved. "This is a very, very lively scene," said Maarten Raven, the excavation's director and a curator at the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden, Netherlands. Raven said he believed other tombs from the New Kingdom, similar to the butler's, had yet to be uncovered in Saqqara, which is famous for Old Kingdom antiquities. Many of the New Kingdom tombs, which date from 1570 B.C. to 1070 B.C., can be found in the southern Egyptian city of Luxor. "We hope one day this area will be open to visitors so people can see that Saqqara is not only Old Kingdom but New Kingdom as well," Raven said. Hawass also unveiled two wooden coffins, 4,000 years old, that were found south of the Step Pyramid.

The rectangular coffins, painted light orange with blue hieroglyphics, held human-shaped coffins known as anthropoids, containing the mummies of a priest and a woman, who Hawass said was identified in the hieroglyphics as the priest's "girlfriend." Saqqara, a popular tourist site in the desert about 12 miles south of Cairo, hosts a collection of temples, tombs and funerary complexes. Its Step Pyramid is the forerunner of the more sophisticated pyramids in Giza, which are believed to have been built about a century later. © 2007 The Associated Press St. Louis museum proud of its ancient mask purchase, but Egypt calls it a steal - The New York Times The New York Times Africa |St. Louis museum proud of its ancient mask purchase, but Egypt calls it a steal Search St. Louis museum proud of its ancient mask purchase, but Egypt calls it a steal OCT. 24, 2008 Continue reading the main story CAIRO — More than half a century ago, a prominent Egyptian archaeologist unearthed a stunning ancient mummy mask at the Saqqara pyramids near Cairo - the golden image of a noblewoman's face.

Mohammed Zakaria Ghoneim deposited the 3,200-year-old relic in a warehouse at Saqqara, where he meticulously documented his discovery. Seven years later, in 1959, Egyptian records show it was still in the same storeroom. What happened to the burial mask of Ka Nefer Nefer in the four decades that followed is a mystery. It resurfaced in 1998 when the St. Louis Art Museum in Missouri acquired it. And now it is at the center of an acrimonious fight in the antiquities world. The case lays bare the complexities involved in growing efforts by Egypt and other countries to reclaim artifacts stolen or looted from their ancient civilizations. Continue reading the main story Local and international laws on reclaiming such objects are often inadequate. The process requires cooperation between government, law enforcement, museums and antiquities dealers. Frequently, there are gaps in historical records. Claims are attracting increasing attention after institutions like the J. Paul Getty Museum of Art in Los Angeles and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York agreed to return looted or stolen artwork or antiquities.

Advertisement Zahi Hawass, head of Egypt's antiquities authority, said his country has recovered about 5,000 stolen artifacts since 2002, and is pursuing dozens more. "This is the No. 1 case," he said. "Egypt has a right to the mask." Hawass said there was no record showing the mask ever left Egypt legally. But the St. Louis museum contends that Egypt has not proved that it was stolen. The museum's director, Brent Benjamin, said he took accusation of theft very seriously. "If that is true, there is no question that the museum would return the object," he said. But, he added, "To date, we have not seen information that we believe is compelling enough to return the object." After a recent request from Hawass, who does not shy away from using political pressure to get what he wants, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is looking into the case.

Egyptian records show that the burial cover for Ka Nefer Nefer's mummy was discovered in 1952 by Ghoneim, who oversaw excavations at the Saqqara pyramids, about 20 kilometers, or 12 miles, south of the more famous Great Pyramids of Giza. The sprawling necropolis of Saqqara is the burial site of the rulers of ancient Memphis, the capital of Egypt's Old Kingdom. Ghoneim found the mask in a burial site behind the unfinished Step Pyramid of King Sekhemkhef. The funerary cover was inside, dating from 1307 to 1196 B.C. Ka Nefer Nefer's golden burial mask was testimony to her position in the court of Pharaoh Ramses II. Her eyes are of glass, which was as valuable as gemstones at the time. In each hand she holds a wooden amulet, a symbol of strength and status. Her arms bear a relief showing her ascent into the afterlife on the boat of Osiris, Egyptian god of the underworld. Please verify you're not a robot by clicking the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. You must select a newsletter to subscribe to.

Sign Up Privacy Policy Ghoneim registered his discovery in the official ledger at the government warehouse, or magazine, at Saqqara. The page in the ledger book, a key document Egypt has presented to St. Louis to stake its claim, shows a high-quality photograph of the mask, the finder's name and ID number, and a detailed description. Advertisement Continue reading the main story In 1957, Ghoneim published his discovery in a book showing him and the mask at the site, which Egyptologists view as important evidence for Egypt's claim. A second record from Saqqara given to St. Louis showed the artifact was packed in a box with other antiquities in 1959 for a shipment to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Around that time, Egypt was beginning to exhibit its antiquities abroad, and the mask was considered important enough for a show planned for Japan. But Egypt says the mask never made it there. Because records were not kept or are lost, Egypt has not determined exactly when the mask was lost. Egyptian research concluded it was stolen in 1959, most likely from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo or en route to it from the Saqqara storeroom.

In 2006, Egypt made its first claim that the mask was stolen and asked the museum to return it. But it never reported the item as stolen to the international Art Loss Registry. The museum said it checked with the registry before buying the mask to see if it was listed as stolen. It was not. St. Louis also sent a letter to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo saying that it had acquired the mask and that in its response, the Egyptian museum did not indicate the item was stolen. Egypt accuses St. Louis of falsifying the provenance, which documents the history of an artifact's ownership. The museum's provenance puts the mask in the possession of a Belgian art dealer in 1952. However, Egypt can show that it was in the Saqqara storeroom in both 1952 and 1959, making it improbable it ever left there, especially to a foreign country, in the intervening years. "It did not leave Egypt legally," said Hawass. "There would have been a record of this." Benjamin acknowledged that "there is certainly uncertainty about how it moved from person to person." For Hawass, the fight is personal.

"This stupid man," he calls Benjamin, "he doesn't understand the rules here." Advertisement Continue reading the main story Hawass has written numerous letters to Benjamin, his board of directors, Representative William Lacy Clay of St. Louis, the FBI and Interpol. The law enforcement agencies declined to get involved. Hawass even urged the children of St. Louis to boycott the museum. Hawass said the authorities were still sifting through a trove of records in the Egyptian Museum and more documents could emerge to shed light on the case. Also, a new Egyptian law, expected to be passed by the end of this year, will make antiquities theft a crime. "Our new law will give us the power to take people to court in Egypt," Hawass said. Benjamin "will be wanted in Egypt." A version of this article appears in print on October 24, 2008, in The International Herald Tribune. Order Reprints | Today's Paper | Subscribe

Question: Saqqara is an ancient burial site in which country?
Answer: Egypt