The First Pyramid Builder | Imhotep | Ancient Egypt Documentary

During the 27th century BC, ancient Egypt experienced a time of relative peace and prosperity which paved the way for great advancements to be made. The most prominent figure to emerge during this period was an intellectually gifted man named Imhotep, who designed Egypt's first pyramid and advanced several early fields of science. His contributions to ancient Egyptian society were so significant that he was deified centuries after his death, becoming the son of Ptah, the god of architects. Born a commoner in the city of Memphis, Imhotep, whose name means he who comes in peace, is considered to be the first genius and polymath in recorded history. Imhotep's many roles in ancient Egyptian society included being a scribe, a priest, a stonemason, a physician, an astronomer, and most famously, an architect. As described on the Famine Stellar, an eight-foot-tall stele inscribed into granite, the Nile River stopped flooding during the reign of Pharaoh Djoser, the first ruler of Egypt's Third Dynasty, resulting in a drought and famine that lasted seven years. Along with the drought, crime and suffering intensified throughout the kingdom. Djoser turned to the most revered man in all of Egypt for guidance, Imhotep, who was the high priest of the sun god Ra in the lower Egyptian city of Heliopolis at the time. The stele goes on to say that Imhotep set out on a spiritual journey, during which Khnum, the god of the Nile River, appeared to him in a dream and explained that he had placed a curse on the kingdom as punishment for the Pharaoh failing to appease him. Imhotep returned to Djoser with his discovery and upon hearing the news, the Pharaoh issued a decree that Khnum's temple be restored and that offerings to the god be made regularly. The floods soon returned and the kingdom once again enjoyed the peace and prosperity that it had prior to the drought. For saving the kingdom, Djoser appointed Imhotep to chief vizier, the highest title available underneath the Pharaoh, and a position given only to those thought to possess extraordinary intelligence and supernatural abilities. As chief vizier, Imhotep was the Pharaoh's most trusted advisor in all matters of state and religion. Following the long drought and famine, Djoser wished to prove to his kingdom that the gods had not abandoned him and his rule. The Pharaoh's plan was to construct a colossal tomb, which would act as a symbol of his divine kingship and would also facilitate his ascension into the eternal realm upon his death. All previous Pharaohs had been buried in the upper Egyptian city of Abydos, however Djoser parted with tradition and sought to be buried elsewhere. He chose an area called Saqqara, which functioned as a necropolis for the lower Egyptian city of Memphis. Djoser enlisted his chief vizier, Imhotep, who was regarded as the greatest architect in Egypt to design the structure and oversee its construction. Previously, all funerary monuments had been built in a form called a mastaba, meaning house of A mastaba is a large rectangular flat-roofed structure made of dried mud brick that covers an underground burial chamber. Imhotep cleverly conceived of stacking six square mastabas on top of one another, gradually making them smaller to form a pyramidal shape. He used limestone blocks instead of traditional dried mud brick, which allowed the structure to remain exceptionally well-preserved for nearly five millennia. The pyramid's interior was designed as a labyrinth, complete with tunnels, shafts, burial chambers, and even chapels. Imhotep constructed an entire complex surrounding the pyramid as well, which included courtyards, temples, shrines, and houses for priests who maintained the premises. Once completed, the step pyramid towered 205 feet or 62 meters above the ground, making it the tallest structure in the world at the time. Its radical design would go on to spark an architectural revolution, providing the basis for all future pyramids. Djoser was so impressed with the result that he ordered Imhotep's name inscribed alongside his own, disregarding tradition, which permitted only the name of a pharaoh to appear on a monument. The base of this statue of Djoser, located inside the pyramid's complex, bears Imhotep's name along with several of his many titles. He who belongs to nobility, first man under the pharaoh, sealer of the bee goddess, the great stargazer, high priest of Heliopolis, master of architects. Imhotep established an organization for builders, which laid the foundation for Freemasonry. It's believed by some Egyptologists that Imhotep authored the earliest medical text ever discovered, referred to as the Edwin Smith Papyrus. The text contains 48 medical case histories, presented in a clear, rational, and scientific manner that is remarkably advanced for its time. The Edwin Smith Papyrus leads some to argue that Imhotep is the true father of medicine, rather than Hippocrates, who lived 2,000 years later. Imhotep is also considered to be the first astronomer in history, and is credited with inventing the world's first calendar that was divided into 12 equal months, each consisting of 30 days. Imhotep preached the importance of maintaining a positive attitude in life. His best-known proverb is, eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we shall die. After Djoser's death, Imhotep retained his role as chief vizier under each succeeding pharaoh that followed, until his own death, which occurred during the reign of Pharaoh Huni, the final ruler of the Third Dynasty. Imhotep developed a cult following centuries after his death, which eventually elevated him to the status of a god in 525 BC, following the Persian conquest of Egypt led by Cambyses II. Egyptians would bring offerings to his shrines, such as mummified ibises and clay models of diseased body parts, in hopes of being healed. His tomb has never been found, however, Egyptologists speculate that it's located in an undocumented mastaba in Saqqara. Through sheer brilliance, Imhotep built Egypt's first pyramid, and became regarded as a god by future generations. Consider liking, subscribing, and clicking the bell icon below for more videos like this. Thank you!