Saqqarah

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia: Saqqarah

Site of ancient ruins, northern Egypt. Part of the necropolis of the ancient city of Memphis, it is located southwest of Cairo and west of the modern village of Saqqarah. The earliest remains are from the Archaic Period, in a cemetery at the northern end of the site, where large mud-brick tombs, or mastabas, have been found dating to the beginning of Egyptian history. South of the Archaic cemetery lies the Step Pyramid, the oldest pyramid in Egypt, built by Djoser, second king of the 3rd dynasty, who ruled c. 2650 – c. 2575 BC. It is part of a UNESCO World Heritage site (designated 1979) centred on Memphis.

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