Saqqara and 'firsts'

So much of what we take for granted had to be started somewhere. In architecture/construction, this is what we believe to be the site of firsts. It's neighbor, Giza, tends to get the majority of the visitors and press but Saqqara and Dhashur are where the first pyramids were constructed. Saqqara is also where the first stone columns were built as well as the first stone frieze and the first stone arch that we know of today. The first stone building complex (that we know of) on the planet were constructed here.

The architecture throughout this site reminded me of Art Deco style, but perhaps there is a historian out there that knows more and could expand in the comments. More from Saqqara after the jump.


The main (current) entrance at Saqqara. It's hard to believe it's over 4000 years old.

A partially restored building inside the complex.


Another partially reconstructed building at Saqqara. Look at the beauty of those lines. This site is ancient yet the style could easily fit in the 20th century. The Greeks later borrowed heavily from the Egyptians though less from Saqqara and more from later sites.


Closeup of one of the columns.


Ongoing digs are everywhere though this was from August, so it's painfully hot and not as busy in the summer.

Modern graffiti on the newly restored temples. Nothing says world history appreciation quite like scratching graffiti onto a temple. The scratchings are in all languages proving yet again that ignorance and stupidity isn't limited to any one country.


View looking at the pyramid where we entered. From the ground level, it's not obvious just how high the entrance is. This was good news since I'm not keen on heights. The car is an old model that is refitted to run on natural gas. Egypt has very little oil though it does have large quantities of natural gas.

Instead of going in the pyramids at Giza we opted to go inside here where fewer tourist buses were around. The smell inside was terrible, like a mix of bat poop, four thousand year old sweat and ammonia. The following day our legs were in pain after the awkward angle (and stooping) to go down and back up from the tomb. Well worth the experience though.