Iconic Architecture: Djoser's Step Pyramid

Egypt's first pyramid, and perhaps the first stone structure on its scale in world history, the pyramid that served as the tomb of Djoser ignited an architectural revolution. Its legacy is alive and well to this day.

I'll look at the construction of the pyramid, and talk a bit about the man most seem to think was its architect: the vizier Imhotep.

Look out for a new Armchair Egyptology video every Wednesday.

-----

-----

Thanks to my patrons:
Becca Miles, Edmund Kyberd, ITU Trash Crew, Jo, kailajay,
Ken Poyner, Michael Bowman, photosynthetic, Richard Hawkes, RoninX777, Thinkcork

-----

Title card design by Lazy Hunny Bee

Intro theme & backing music by Sassyy Dragon

Writing by Lucas Justinian (me)

All materials herein remain property of their respective owners. Material included is either with permission, by Creative Commons licence, is in the public domain, or falls under fair use. If you think you have copyright on anything used in this video and the above doesn't apply to your work, get in touch by email or DM me on Twitter. We are not a thief, and will only use something if we can prove it's justified.

[ArmchairEgyptology]

I think one of the images of Imhotep I used was an image of someone else, maybe Ptahhotep? On the one hand oops, on the other... if nobody notices or knows which one, then I got away with it!

[varyolla]

Putting aside its architectural representation I tend to view its creation as reflective of a "sea change" in Egyptian development. It was one thing to create larger and larger mastabas for tombs as you could accomplish this with a relatively small workforce using easily sourced materials. To construct progressively larger stone structures on the other hand necessitated the development of large scale infrastructure and organizational skills on par with what is seen today.

Think the creation of the railroads in the US in the latter 19th Century. When the West Coast was connected to the Eastern part of the country that opened up travel + communications + and allowed for what were local industries to become national ones - and some eventually international. Thus creating a system of rail lines allowed for subsequent economic expansion.

So by creating the infrastructure necessary to build pyramids like this Egypt expanded upon its own abilities and allowed for it to grow in wealth and power. Harbors needed to be created to source the raw materials needed - which meant extending trade routes + improved technologies for quarrying etc. needed to be developed + agriculture expanded to support the larger workforces = all of which invariably stimulated new industries given rise.

"Death" was an important concept to the ancient Egyptians and they developed extensive rituals and needs to support their belief in the afterlife. Thus as those beliefs changed over time that invariably led to an expansion in production of items deemed to be needed which expanded their technological base much as we see today. Having developed cell phones as an example we 30 years later now have "smartphones" because someone determined the need for such and that stimulated R&D towards that and subsequent spinoff technologies. By building the pyramids the Egyptians set the stage for building what became a more extensive civilization. 🤔

[nyeti]

I love your style and humour, and the editing is as ever spot-on.
One nitpick: would "ashlar" be the appropriate word for what you call "stone bricks"?

[paperkay]

Yup, putting expensive shiny stone on the outside of your funeral pile sounds like an invitation to the next generation where everyone's house on that side of the Nile had a fancy shiny stone facade. Can you guess how many European castles "suddenly just, like, they just fell down, old age and whatnot"... and every big church and main building was made of that exact same stone? Recycled architecture :)))