Peak practice – the art of building pyramids in ancient Egypt | Apollo Magazine

Pyramids at Giza. Photo: Garry Shaw

The pyramids at Giza, the three monuments built for kings Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure from c. 2470–2396 BC, have come to symbolise the achievements of ancient Egypt. But the recent opening to the public of the ‘Bent Pyramid’ at Dahshur, 30 km south of Cairo, has brought attention to an important reality: most pyramids aren’t as gigantic as the famous ones at Giza, or as well constructed. Over the years, there was quite a bit of variation and experimentation in their design.

Take, for example, the Step Pyramid of King Djoser (r. c. 2584–2565 BC) at Saqqara, 20 km south of Cairo. This was the world’s first monumental stone building, rising as six steps to a height of 60 metres. According to one theory, the pyramid form was intended to represent the first mound of creation that the Egyptians believed rose from the waters of chaos at the beginning of time. Why huge steps? No one knows for sure, but later religious texts describe the king’s soul ascending to the sky on a stairway or ladder, perhaps offering a clue. Underground, a network of rock-cut tunnels and storage magazines surround the king’s burial vault. Some corridors are decorated with ornate blue faience tiles, representing the reed-matting decoration of contemporary palace chambers.

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