Zoser\u2019s step pyramid at Saqqara, built during the Egyptian Third Dynasty, around 2670 BC, is perhaps the world\u2019s first all-stone structure. \u00a0(Wikimedia Commons public domain)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
We drove down this morning to Saqqara, the marvelous necropolis of the Old Kingdom capital, Memphis.\u00a0 I\u2019ve always loved this place, for many reasons \u2014 including\u00a0the abrupt difference \u2013 very clearly visible on the short road up out of the Nile Valley onto the western plateau \u2013 between green fields and the sudden, utterly barren Sahara Desert.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
The centerpiece of Saqqara, of course, is the famous step pyramid of King Zoser, designed by the quasi-legendary Imhotep.\u00a0 But we also explored the complex that surrounds it, including a view southward toward the \u201cBent Pyramid\u201d and other large pyramids, as well as the ruinous but tremendously significant little pyramid of Unas, with its wonderful \u201cPyramid Texts.\u201d\u00a0 I\u2019ve been in it several times, but, alas, not on this go-round.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before leaving Saqqara, we entered into the mastaba-tomb of the vizier Kagemni, with its decorative scenes of agricultural life, bird-watching, and hunting and fishing along the Nile, as well as the pyramid of King Teti, the interior walls of which are decorated with at least portions of the Pyramid Texts.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Not far from Saqqara, we visited the Akhenaten Carpet School, where our group heard about carpet weaving and, in many cases, bought carpets.\u00a0 Then we went to the ruins of ancient Memphis, where we spent most of our time near the impressive colossus of Ramses II.\u00a0 After a quite late lunch, we made the lengthy drive back to our hotel.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tomorrow, we\u2019ll fly to Aswan, where we\u2019ll board a Nile riverboat for three nights.\u00a0 It\u2019s very likely, I think, that I\u2019ll have no internet while on the River.\u00a0 Will I survive that?<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Incidentally, we\u2019re planning to repeat pretty much this trip next year at about the same time.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Posted from Cairo, Egypt<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 We drove down this morning to Saqqara, the marvelous necropolis of the Old Kingdom capital, Memphis.\u00a0 I\u2019ve always loved this place, for many reasons \u2014 including\u00a0the abrupt difference \u2013 very clearly visible on the short road up out of the Nile Valley onto the western plateau \u2013 between green fields and the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1019,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-42128","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n
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<\/a>