The Pharaoh Zoser builds a step pyramid

The first pyramid was not the usual type of pyramid as we know it, but this 'step' pyramid, built in a series of steps. It was built by one of the greatest of all Egyptian Pharaohs, known as Zoser (or Djoser), aided by his 'prime minister' and architect, Imhotep.

Previous to this, the pharaohs had been buried in 'mastabas' - pits in the ground, which had become ever more elaborate. However grave robbers were always breaking into these graves, and stealing the rich grave goods that were placed in them to accompany the pharaoh to the next world. Zoser therefore decided to put an end to this by putting a great mound over his grave. At first it was only about half the size of the mound you see here, but then it was enlarged to its present enormous size. It was the first time in the world that any building had been erected on this scale, and we must marvel, not only at the building itself, but also at the organisation that must have laid behind it.

It is only when we see the Step Pyramid close-up that we realise how enormous it really is. It is tempting to believe that it must have been built by slave labour, but it was not like that at all. The work was organised by specialist workmen - some of the villages built by later pharaohs for their workmen have been excavated.

Most of the work however was done by the ordinary people, who were expected to devote part of their time every year to working for the pharaoh. It was perhaps not unlike paying taxes to the government today, but since in those days there was no money, people were expected to 'pay' by handing over part of their harvest to the pharaoh, or working for him for a certain number of days in the year.

The work must have been hard - at times very hard - but it was probably quite jolly in its way - an opportunity to meet new people, to work in teams in competition with other teams - perhaps like a harvest festival. And interspersed too there would probably have been feasts, when the Pharaoh demonstrated how big and powerful and generous he was by laying on lavish feasts and giving away gifts to the winners.

It was not just the Step Pyramid itself that was an innovation - it was also its surroundings. The Step Pyramid was set inside a vast walled enclosure: the walls, 10.5 m feet high, were built of all of stone and were no less than 1,645m - more than a mile - long, and the enclosure covered 15 ha (37 acres) the size of a large town in the 3rd millennium BC. In this enclosure, ceremonies could take place, and there were a number of temples and tombs and other ritual enclosures inside it. This is one of the biggest and most complete, known as the Sed enclosure. Here, when the pharaoh celebrated his jubilee, he made an official appearance - originally he had to run round the enclosure to demonstrate that he was still fit to rule - and he then sat (or stood) on the low 'double throne' platform in the foreground. In the background, on the other side of this enclosure are several 'temples' built in this early style with stone imitating the timber walls and roof. However they are in fact dummy structures, being solid behind.

However enclosures like this were one of Zoser's innovations that his successors were not to imitate.