Djoser's pyramid
In 30 kilometers from the pyramids of Giza, in Saqqara there is a necropolis of the first capital of Egypt - Memphis.
The center of this vast necropolis is the stepped pyramid of Djoser, the first pharaoh of the 3rd dynasty.
The Pyramid of Djoser, called by scientists "the mother of the pyramids", is the world's first grandiose structure made of stone. The dimensions of its base are 160 by 120 meters, the height is 60 meters.
The pyramid consists of 6 mastabs decreasing upward (translated from Arabic - "stone bench") and burial chambers located deep underground.
The first Egyptian pyramid, the stepped tomb of Pharaoh Necherihet Djoser in the necropolis of Sakkara, was created by one of the most prominent personalities of ancient Egyptian history - the architect Imhotep.
The latest studies of the Djoser pyramid suggest that Imhotep erected this building on an earlier mastaba, built for the pharaoh Sanakht. Perhaps the pyramid of Djoser, which has six ledges once lined with blocks of limestone, is only the core of the huge original structure.
Promotional video:
Imhotep
During the excavation of the step pyramid at Saqqara, fragments of a statue of Pharaoh Djoser were found. On its pedestal, along with the name of Pharaoh Djoser, the following inscription is written:
Manetho, an ancient Egyptian historian and priest, credits Imhotep (Imutes) with the invention of the stone architecture of Egypt. Simultaneously the vizier of Djoser and the renowned sage, Imhotep was revered as the author of several texts, the most important of which was the Doctrine of Life. No less famous was the book of the architectural canon, which Imhotep, accepted into the host of the gods, according to legend, threw from heaven to humanity. Imhotep was also considered in the Egyptian tradition to be the creator of the calendar system.
Imhotep is the first architect and scientist known in world history, he is considered the creator of the temple in Edfu and the inventor of columns in architecture.
For his colossal wisdom and architectural genius, Imhotep was revered for two millennia after his death, which was the greatest rarity for an Egyptian of non-royal origin.
Imhotep was considered the god of medicine, astronomy and art, he was identified with Thoth and Ptah.
At the court of Djoser, Imhotep occupied such a high position that no one could compare with him in the fullness of power, only the pharaoh himself stood above him. Imhotep was the High Priest and the first advisor to the Pharaoh. In addition, he was involved in construction issues, the royal treasury, conducted active correspondence with foreign rulers on behalf of the pharaoh, and practically ruled the country.
Imhotep's authority was so great that he was considered the greatest sage of all time, possessing "magical powers". Under the leadership of Imhotep, excavations were carried out in Egypt, which led to the creation of the richest collection of objects belonging to the heritage of the ancient Gods of Egypt.
Pharaoh Djoser's collection
As a result of excavations carried out in Sakkara in the XX century, underground galleries were discovered under the Djoser pyramid, where a unique collection of Pharaoh Djoser was found, numbering more than 30 thousand items.
Among them: plates made of transparent stone 1.5-2.0 mm thick, stone vessels with a convex surface, objects similar to laser disks made of granite and quartzite with holes in the middle, and many other unusual objects.
The collection testifies to the fact that ancient craftsmen possessed perfect technologies, tools and secret knowledge, creating a variety of forms from very hard rocks.
The ancient Egyptians knew that an older civilization existed before them, the pharaohs themselves were looking for knowledge of the powerful civilization of the Gods. From the scroll of Pharaoh Cheops, it is known that the pharaoh was looking for the secret rooms of the pyramid, in which the sacred formulas of God Thoth were kept.
In the 4th century AD, the Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus sent expeditions to Egypt in search of manuscripts preserved from antediluvian times, suggesting that they are stored under pyramids or in temples.
Imhotep - Asclepius
Imhotep is credited with the founding of Egyptian medicine, he is considered the author of "Edwin Smith's papyrus", in which the causes of many diseases are determined for the first time. The Greeks identified Imhotep with the god of medicine Asclepius.
According to legend, Hippocrates was descended from the ancient Greek god of medicine Asclepius. Perhaps the "father of modern medicine" is Imhotep, and the medical oath should not be called "Oath of Hippocrates", but "Oath of Imhotep"?
Imhotep - biblical Joseph
The project "Latest Biblical Archaeological Discoveries" offers different versions of Imhotep's "identification" and the functional purpose of the complex at the step pyramid of Djoser. Within the framework of this version: Imhotep is the biblical Joseph, and the structures in Sakkara are huge granaries, which were under the jurisdiction of Imhotep / Joseph. To prove this version, the authors cite the following comparison of Imhotep's activities and written artifacts with Bible texts.
- Imhotep occupied an exceptionally high position in Egypt during the time of Djoser, a similar high position was held by the biblical Joseph. Joseph is the supreme minister (deputy of the pharaoh), Imhotep is "the first after the king."
- An inscription was found on the rock of the island of Sekhel, near Aswan, which says that it is a copy of a document written by Djoser in the eighteenth year of his reign, and testifies to seven years of abundance and seven years of famine. According to the biblical texts, Joseph interpreted two of Pharaoh's dreams, predicting that the next seven years would be fertile, followed by seven years of poor fertility.
- Imhotep is the first doctor about whom historical evidence has survived to this day. Joseph is not mentioned as a doctor, but the Bible says: "Joseph commanded his servants - doctors, to embalm his father …".
- The biblical scriptures speak of the wisdom of Joseph: "… and Pharaoh said to Joseph: since God has revealed all this to you, there is no one so intelligent and wise as you." Imhotep was also revered for his wisdom. In several inscriptions from much later times, reference was made to the "wise words of Imhotep."
- The authors of the Newest Biblical Archaeological Discoveries project suggest that Joseph's brothers, persecuted by hunger, arrived in Saqqara for bread, where eleven extremely large bunkers similar to granaries survived. One of the large grain storage bunkers in Sakkara has dimensions - 9 * 12 * 27 meters, which is comparable in size to a single-access 9-storey building in depth.
Based on materials from the book “Sensei. Primordial Shambhala”by Anastasia Novykh (volume 4), the place chosen by Imhotep for the construction of the Djoser pyramid was not accidental. It was located on the edge of a plateau on which the Great Sphinx was located a few kilometers to the north. The Great Sphinx, erected long before this time, was an important landmark for the exact location of the Djoser pyramid.
As Anastasia Novykh writes, for the construction of the pyramid, Imhotep attracted the best people of Egypt, in whom the seeds of spirituality and humanity were visible. The group, which was taught by Imhotep himself, included people of different specialties, but initially it was based on masons. Therefore, Imhotep called his group "Free Masons", that is, those who strove for freedom of the soul, and acquired faith and knowledge as solid as a monolith of stone.
Free masons
The main goal of the "Free Masons" was to comprehend the spiritual stages of perfection, while maintaining an external belonging to their Gods, in fact, they worshiped only one One God, who was secretly called the "Great Architect of the Universe."
Gradually, the symbolism of Imhotep's "Free Masons" was born: a bricklayer's apron, a stone, a hammer, a pyramid with an all-seeing eye, Phoenix, Sphinx, numbers 3, 7, 13, 33 (the number of people forming a certain circle of power) and others. The sign of the pentagram, a five-pointed star, which became popular among the Freemasons, was one of the most important symbols of the Freemasons. In ancient Egypt, a star in a circle denoted the kingdom of Duat, as the kingdom of reincarnation of human souls.
Ancient Egyptian legends say that the Gods gave Imhotep into his hands an invaluable treasure of the greatest ancient knowledge, the possession of which gave rise to the myth of his "magical power".
Imhotep's sayings:
Author: Valentina Zhitanskaya
