Building the First Pyramid: The History of the Ancient Egyptian Religious Beliefs and Archaeology Behind Djoser?s Step Pyramid
Author:
Genre: History
Book Type: Paperback
Author:
Genre: History
Book Type: Paperback
This book was an eye-opener; I had no idea there were so many different pyramids. It is only logical that there would be, but, until reading this book, I was unaware there were any except the two in Giza and the Step Pyramid of Djoser in the Saqqara necropolis (a large, designed cemetery with elaborate tomb monuments), northwest of the city of Memphis. It was constructed during the 3rd Dynasty, generally dated between 2686 and 2613 BCE.
The pyramids of Giza are thought to have been built in the 4th Dynasty. Between those points, Egyptians refined their funerary rites and tried various tomb sites and configurations. This is a fascinating tour through the Egyptian mind and changes in religious tomb-making. There is also a fascinating character who was vitally important during these times -- Imhotep. He was so important, even though he was a commoner, that he had the rare distinction of being deified 2000 years after his death.
The author makes an interesting comment that Egyptians were obsessed with the afterlife. This book proves that premise. The images in this story add greatly to the understanding of the text.
The pyramids of Giza are thought to have been built in the 4th Dynasty. Between those points, Egyptians refined their funerary rites and tried various tomb sites and configurations. This is a fascinating tour through the Egyptian mind and changes in religious tomb-making. There is also a fascinating character who was vitally important during these times -- Imhotep. He was so important, even though he was a commoner, that he had the rare distinction of being deified 2000 years after his death.
The author makes an interesting comment that Egyptians were obsessed with the afterlife. This book proves that premise. The images in this story add greatly to the understanding of the text.
