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Saqqara

Saqqara is an ancient necropolis in Lower Egypt, northwest of the ancient capital Memphis. It served as the burial ground for Memphis and its surrounding region from the Early Dynastic period through the Ptolemaic era.

The site is best known for the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the earliest colossal stone-cut pyramid, built

In addition to the Step Pyramid, Saqqara contains numerous tombs and mastabas of high officials, notably the

The site forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage site Memphis and its Necropolis – the Pyramid

Today, Saqqara is accessible to visitors and features museums and on-site interpretive displays that contextualize its

in
the
27th
century
BCE
as
part
of
a
large
mortuary
complex
designed
by
the
architect
Imhotep.
The
complex
includes
a
temple,
courtyards,
and
a
system
of
subterranean
galleries,
reflecting
an
early
stage
in
the
evolution
of
pyramid
construction.
Mastaba
of
Mereruka
and
the
tomb
of
Ti,
as
well
as
later
royal
and
noble
burials.
The
Serapeum
of
Saqqara,
a
lengthy
underground
necropolis
for
the
Apis
bulls,
was
discovered
there
by
Auguste
Mariette
in
the
19th
century.
Fields
from
Giza
to
Dahshur
and
Saqqara,
inscribed
in
1979.
Saqqara
spans
a
broad
period,
from
the
Early
Dynastic
to
the
Ptolemaic
periods,
and
remains
a
focus
of
archaeology
and
research,
with
ongoing
excavations
and
conservation
efforts.
dynastic
significance.