Describe the pyramid
1- The step pyramid is 62 m in height and the base measures 109 by 125 m .
2- The burial chamber of the pharaoh was located almost the center of the pyramid.
3- At the bottom of a large vertical shaft 28 m deep from here a labyrinth of rooms , corridors , chambers and passageways protecting the eternal rest of the sovereign spread outwards over an area of more than 5 kilometer .
4- The shards of about 4000 alabaster pots , plates , bowls and vases were found here and some 4000 have been restored to their original form .
The complex consist of several elements
1- The enclosure wall
1- The complex of Saqqara is enclosed by arectangular peripheral limestone wall 10 m high with 14 false doorways creating recesses and reliefs in imitation of the facade of the royal palace of Memphis .
2- The single real enterance of the 14 false doorways was on the south was a gallery formed by 2 rows of 20 columns over 6 m high .
Each ribbed to appear like wood and joined to the side wall by a low tongue wall
The vissual effect must have been striking as one passed from the relative shadow of the gallery to the brilliant light that floods the courtyard .
The enclosure wall
1- The inner core is made of local limestone and its outer faces from Tura limestone .
2- it’s height is 33 feet and its length is one Mile .
3- Its decorated with recess , panelling and bastions .
4- This enclosure wall decorated also with an imitation of 13 closed dummy doors
5- The body of the enclosure wall on the north side is divided into small rooms.
There are also rooms cut in the underground.
It may have served as a place for storing the offerings.
6- The only enterance leads to a-narrow passage ending with an imitation of a dummy doubled swing open door .
7- The roof of the passage was decorated with an imitation of wooden rafters .
The colonnade
This narrow passage leads to the collonade
1- it consisted of 40 engaged ribbed columns 20 on each side .
2- The roof of this collande was flat while the bottom was decorated perhaps by the imitation of wooden rafters like those of the passage .
3- The space between 2 columns are perhaps used for placing the statues of the king once wearing the red crown in the north side , the other wearing the white crown in the south side or perhaps placing group statues of king with name deities unfortunately , nothing remains in these spaces to support the above suggestion.
The transverse hall
1- the colonnade ends with a transverse hall .
2- this hall contains 4 pairs of engaged ribbed columns .
3- This hall leads to the open court through an imitation of a dummy open door
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