STEP PYRAMID
ZOSER'S (also spelled DJOSER'S) COMPLEX
Close-up:
(c) Copyright Mark Cottier and Farah Zaidi 1997
EGYPTIAN PYRAMID INDEX
PYRAMIDS INDEX
SACRED PLACES AND TEACHINGS INDEX
CRYSTALINKS MAIN PAGE
Subj: Have you ever seen this before?? Date: 99-02-01 00:12:42 EST From: rac474@PRIMARY.NET (Richard Coombes) To: Phikent@aol.com (Kent at Orbit) Kent, scroll down to the last 2 pictures... Have you ever seen an Egyptian Pyramid drawing of an alien "gray"? I don't recall ever seeing this before...maybe you have. I wonder what its implication is regarding your earlier articles on Pyramids?? STEP PYRAMID Supposedly the oldest pyramid known is the Step Pyramid of King Zoser at Saqqara, the main necropolis of Memphis. It was built during the Third Dynasty (ca. 2800 B.C.) Djoser's Step Pyramid is generally considered the first tomb in Egypt to be built entirely of stone anywhere in the world. As its name suggests, it is a series of six levels of stone decreasing in size as they ascend to about 200 feet/60 meters in height. Until this time, mastabas have been the principal form of tomb architecture. A mastaba (Arabic for "bench") is a low rectangular structure which was built over a shaft which descended to the burial location. The Step Pyramid originally began as a mastaba, and it may have been visualized as a series of mastaba shapes, decreasing in size, stacked one on top of another. Whatever the origin, it creates an impressive geometrical form rising from the floor of the desert. In the center is a large mastaba. Around this are six terraces of descending sizes, one built on top of the other. Nearby were other buildings whose function related to the cult of the dead. The person responsible for the step pyramid was Imhotep, Zoser's (Djoser's) vizier. He is credited as being the inventor of building in stone and was a man of many talents - Architect, physician, master sculpture, scribe, and astronomer. He could be the first true genius in recorded history and his impression on the Egyptians was profound because later generations revered him as a god of wisdom. ZOSER'S (also spelled DJOSER'S) COMPLEX Schematics of Step Pyramid 1. Map of Lower Egypt, showing location of Saqqara 2. Axonometric reconstruction of Precinct of Djoser 3. The Chamber of Blue Tiles 4. Plan of Precinct of Djoser 5. Entry hall viewed from the south west 6. Reconstruction of entry hall 7. Processional way 8. East portico, Hall of Columns 9. Stepped pyramid and Heb-Sed Court 10. Heb-Sed Court 11. House of the North (east side), with engaged columns (papyrus stalks) 12. Statues in the east court 13. Schematic drawing of successive pyramid construction stages 14. Reconstruction by Firth of south tomb chamber 15. Inscription depicting Djoser THE JUBILEE COURT The Jubilee Court is located to the southeast of the Step Pyramid. On the west side of the court (pictured here) are "dummy" buildings which replicate the shape of canonical shrines of Upper Egypt. On the east side of the court are buildings which replicate the shrines of Lower Egypt. Note the base of a double throne kiosk for the king (as ruler of the two parts of Egypt) in the left center (south end of court). THE TOMB OF HOREMHEB The tomb of Horemheb is in the necropolis of Saqqara, south of the Step Pyramid. Horemheb was general under both Tutankhamun (c.1332-1322 B.C.E.) and Ay (c.1322-1319 B.C.E.). This tomb was under construction when he succeeded Ay as king. Then, of course, he began construction on a tomb in the Valley of the Kings. This round-topped stela in the forecourt has a winged sun disk spreading its protection over the scene below. Horemheb (far right) offers to (from left to right) Maat, Thoth, and Re-Horakhty. HoremhebÕs linen garment flares beyond his arms and legs as he bows and raises his arms in reverence before the deities. The depiction of his body reveals the continuing influence of the naturalistic Amarna style. Notice his rolls of flesh, round belly, and thin limbs. The deities reflect the traditional style of representation with the slender waist and broad shoulders. Each stands on a small plinth, and each holds in the right hand an ankh, the hieroglyphic symbol for life. Maat, goddess of truth, order, and the harmony of the universe, is on the far left. Her headdress is the single feather of truth, and the staff in her left hand has a papyrus blossom finial, probably symbolizing prosperity/beneficence. Thoth, god of wisdom, writing, and the moon, has the body of a man and the head of an ibis. He holds in his left hand a was scepter, symbolizing dominion. Re-Horakhty (Horus as god of the sun) has the body of a man and the head of a falcon. He also holds in his left hand a was scepter. The hieroglyphs on this stela are beautifully executed and indicative of the flexibility of the written language. Above and within the figures are vertical columns of hieroglyphs to be read from right to left. The direction to read is determined by which way the birds/animals/humans face. The horizontal lines of hieroglyphs below the scene are also to be read from right to left and consist of an adoration of the setting sun. Extraterrestrial Images on the Saqqara Pyramid Close-up: (c) Copyright Mark Cottier and Farah Zaidi 1997 EGYPTIAN PYRAMID INDEX PYRAMIDS INDEX SACRED PLACES AND TEACHINGS INDEX CRYSTALINKS MAIN PAGE --------------------Kent, scroll down to the last 2 pictures... Have youever seen an Egyptian Pyramid drawing of an alien "gray"?I don't recall ever seeing this before...maybe you have.I wonder what its implication is regarding your earlier articles on Pyramids??STEP PYRAMID
Supposedly the oldest pyramid known is the Step Pyramid of King Zoser at Saqqara, the main necropolis of Memphis. It was built during the Third Dynasty (ca. 2800 B.C.) Djoser's Step Pyramid is generally considered the first tomb in Egypt to be built entirely of stone anywhere in the world. As its name suggests, it is a series of six levels of stone decreasing in size as they ascend to about 200 feet/60 meters in height. Until this time, mastabas have been the principal form of tomb architecture. A mastaba (Arabic for "bench") is a low rectangular structure which was built over a shaft which descended to the burial location. The Step Pyramid originally began as a mastaba, and it may have been visualized as a series of mastaba shapes, decreasing in size, stacked one on top of another. Whatever the origin, it creates an impressive geometrical form rising from the floor of the desert. In the center is a large mastaba. Around this are six terraces of descending sizes, one built on top of the other. Nearby were other buildings whose function related to the cult of the dead. The person responsible for the step pyramid was Imhotep, Zoser's (Djoser's) vizier. He is credited as being the inventor of building in stone and was a man of many talents - Architect, physician, master sculpture, scribe, and astronomer. He could be the first true genius in recorded history and his impression on the Egyptians was profound because later generations revered him as a god of wisdom. Schematics of Step Pyramid 1. Map of Lower Egypt, showing location of Saqqara 2. Axonometric reconstruction of Precinct of Djoser 3. The Chamber of Blue Tiles 4. Plan of Precinct of Djoser 5. Entry hall viewed from the south west 6. Reconstruction of entry hall 7. Processional way 8. East portico, Hall of Columns 9. Stepped pyramid and Heb-Sed Court 10. Heb-Sed Court 11. House of the North (east side), with engaged columns (papyrus stalks) 12. Statues in the east court 13. Schematic drawing of successive pyramid construction stages 14. Reconstruction by Firth of south tomb chamber 15. Inscription depicting Djoser THE JUBILEE COURT The Jubilee Court is located to the southeast of the Step Pyramid. On the west side of the court (pictured here) are "dummy" buildings which replicate the shape of canonical shrines of Upper Egypt. On the east side of the court are buildings which replicate the shrines of Lower Egypt. Note the base of a double throne kiosk for the king (as ruler of the two parts of Egypt) in the left center (south end of court).THE TOMB OF HOREMHEB The tomb of Horemheb is in the necropolis of Saqqara, south of the Step Pyramid. Horemheb was general under both Tutankhamun (c.1332-1322 B.C.E.) and Ay (c.1322-1319 B.C.E.). This tomb was under construction when he succeeded Ay as king. Then, of course, he began construction on a tomb in the Valley of the Kings. This round-topped stela in the forecourt has a winged sun disk spreading its protection over the scene below. Horemheb (far right) offers to (from left to right) Maat, Thoth, and Re-Horakhty. HoremhebÕs linen garment flares beyond his arms and legs as he bows and raises his arms in reverence before the deities. The depiction of his body reveals the continuing influence of the naturalistic Amarna style. Notice his rolls of flesh, round belly, and thin limbs. The deities reflect the traditional style of representation with the slender waist and broad shoulders. Each stands on a small plinth, and each holds in the right hand an ankh, the hieroglyphic symbol for life. Maat, goddess of truth, order, and the harmony of the universe, is on the far left. Her headdress is the single feather of truth, and the staff in her left hand has a papyrus blossom finial, probably symbolizing prosperity/beneficence. Thoth, god of wisdom, writing, and the moon, has the body of a man and the head of an ibis. He holds in his left hand a was scepter, symbolizing dominion. Re-Horakhty (Horus as god of the sun) has the body of a man and the head of a falcon. He also holds in his left hand a was scepter. The hieroglyphs on this stela are beautifully executed and indicative of the flexibility of the written language. Above and within the figures are vertical columns of hieroglyphs to be read from right to left. The direction to read is determined by which way the birds/animals/humans face. The horizontal lines of hieroglyphs below the scene are also to be read from right to left and consist of an adoration of the setting sun.Extraterrestrial Images on the Saqqara Pyramid