Sakkara OR Saqqara | EGYPT KEY TOURS

Sakkara OR Saqqara

Saqqara Cemetery is one of the most important archaeological sites in Egypt and UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. In Saqqara, one can visit extraordinary tombs with walls covered with inscriptions of great beauty and splendor as well as pyramids, temples and the Serapeum cemeteries.

Located some 30 km (19 mi) south of modern-day Cairo, Covering a 7km stretch of the Western Desert, Saqqara, the huge cemetery of ancient Memphis, was an active burial ground for more than 3500 years and is Egypt’s largest archaeological site. The necropolis is situated high above the Nile Valley’s cultivation area, and is the final resting place for deceased pharaohs and their families, administrators, generals and sacred animals. The name Saqqara is most likely derived from Sokar, the Memphite god of the dead.

Important Note: You Can Visit the Step Pyramid from inside for extra Ticket.

North Entrance of The Step Pyramid of King Djoser

The Step pyramids, the tomb of the third dynasty king Djoser (2648-2667) BC. Currently has two entrances.

Unlike the south entrance, which was made around 2000 years after the pyramid was built , during the 26^th dynasty (525-664)BC. The entrance on the north side dates to Djoser,s regin.

The Step Pyramid is Egypt’s oldest pyramid, and it is clear that king Djoser and his genius architect Imhotep did not plan to build a Pyramid from the outset; rather they first built a monumental stone Mastaba.

This was already equipped with an entrance that led into the subterranean passages of the tomb. This alone would have already been one of , if not the oldest, fully stone monumental structure in the world .However , an efficient bureaucratic system, and a growing experience with building in stone meant that the Mastaba was expanded into an even larger one that was large enough to cover the original north entrance.

The larger Mastaba itself eventually grew several stages later into magnificent 60 meter high monument that we see today.

The substructure of Djoser,s tomb was made to rival its awe-inspiring superstructure .

The new entrance replacing the old one leads into a veritable labyrinth of shafts and underground passages.

These are reached through a trench that begins in the floor of the mortuary temple of the step pyramids complex, which lies against the north face of the pyramid.

Several of the subterranean passages lead down to the bottom of the great central shafts 28 meters below the earth.

This is the burial chamber,king Djosers final resting place.

2020 New Discoveries at Saqqara

It’s been an extraordinary year for archaeological discoveries at the UNESCO WOELD HERITAGE SITE, where where separate finds have unearthed scores of sarcophagi and a host of artifacts, including an obelisk and unique, bejeweled statues of the god Nefertum.

In early October, 59 sarcophagi for senior statement and priests around 2500 years old were uncovered, wonderfully preserved with their original colors and hieroglyphs.

In November 2020 the ministry of Tourism and Antiquities uncovered a new discovery includes:

– 100 wooden coffins sealed in mint condition inside burial shafts

– 40 gilded statues of the the Deity Ptah Soker God of the Saqqara necropolis and 20 wooden boxes of the god Horus

A new archaeological discovery in Saqqara was announced today. The The Egyptian archaeological mission working there uncovered 100 sealed wooden coffins in their initial condition and 40 statues of the deity, Ptah Soker, God of the Saqqara Necropolis, including gilded statues and 20 wooden boxes of the god Horus, and two statues of “Phnomus”, one of them is 120 cm high, and the other is 75 cm high made of acacia wood. In addition to the unveiling of a number of Ushabti statuettes and amulets, and 4 Golden masks of gilded cartonnage.

There are 11 Pyramids at Saqqara:

Step Pyramid of Djoser

Pyramid of Unas

Pyramid of Teti (Dynasty Six)

Pyramid of Userkaf of the Fifth Dynasty

Pyramid of Djedkare Isesi

Pyramid of king Menkauhor

Pyramid of Merenre

Pyramid complex of King Pepi II Neferkare

Serapeum (open for Visit)

Imhotep Museum (open for visit)

Some Mastaba located at Saqqara Complex.