Saqqara - Step Pyramid

Trip Start Mar 08, 2008
1
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Trip End Mar 24, 2008


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Flag of Egypt  ,
Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Saqqara means Sugar Cane. Saqqara is a farming area and we saw lots of crops. Mum was very interested in the crops growing.  The main things we saw were Date Palms and Mint.  Mint Tea is a big thing in Egypt and with nearly the entire population (70million) drinking it, they need alot of it! Saqqara - Date palms were everywhere
Saqqara - Date palms were everywhere


Mum and I at the Step Pyramid
Mum and I at the Step Pyramid
 The step pyramid is 5122 years old.  This was the starting point for the pyramids we know now.  It is made up of 6 levels of stone (called a Mastaba) and built on top of the tomb, which was underground.  The idea was to make it harder for grave robbers but it didn't work.

In the nearby funerary temple there was a shaft which dropped down 127 feet.  It was at the bottom of this shaft that they found the canopic jars (containing internal organs except heart).  How did they do it? Saqqara bottomless pit
Saqqara bottomless pit

Left aligned photo tag: Bees Wax Walls at Saqqara
Bees Wax Walls at Saqqara
 Originally there was a wall surrounding the Pyramid but most of it was destroyed in an earthquake centuries ago.  The remaining piece of wall looks brand new.  They didn't use mortar but laid one stone directly on top of the next.  Their accuracy was so good that you can't fit a piece of paper between the stones.  It is assumed, they used a vaccum method of getting rid of air between stones and then they sealed with bees wax.  Much of the remaining wall remains shiny and sealed to this day.  Unbelievable.

Next Stop- Memphis
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