Imhotep Museum at Saqqara

Egypt’s foremost Old Kingdom architect, Imhotep, has been credited with many feats of engineering. At the top of the list is pharaoh Djoser’s stepped pyramid, allegedly the first planned, and executed stone structure in the world. Imhotep was also pharaoh Djoser’s chancellor, a position analogous to a prime minister, high priest to the sun god Ra at the nearby city of Heliopolis, and the court physician.

The Stepped Pyramid
Imhotep is the probable architect of pharaoh Djoser’s stepped pyramid, and the surrounding enclosure which doubled as a medical complex. The pyramid’s exterior means to represent a stairway to heaven, while its underground a palatial maze inlaid with lapis lazuli tiles. The pyramid’s interior is too unstable for the public to enter.

An Egyptian Saint
Imhotep had been attributed near-divine powers, and was worshiped as a god during the Middle and New Kingdom periods. He is one of only two ancient Egyptian commoners to have been deified, on account of his healing skills, and would be equated with the Egyptian god of learning, Thoth. It is believed that Imhotep’s tomb is located at Saqqara, but has not been discovered to-date.

A Magician
The later cult of Imhotep attributed feats of magic to the man. Demotic papyri from the Roman period speak of Imhotep dueling with an Assyrian sorceress. Ancient historians such as Manetho state that Imhotep was the first to clad buildings fully out of stone, although archaeologists have proven that he could not have been the first.

• Admission rates are in Egyptian pounds (EGP). Foreign currencies are not accepted by site authorities.
• Tickets can only be purchased with cash. Cheques, debit and credit cards are not accepted.