PUZZLE of the PYRAMIDS

Building a Better Tomb

King Djoser, who reigned around 2660 BCE, gets credit for the first pyramid. Before him, Egyptian kings were buried under mud-brick platforms called mastabas. Djoser, however, wanted something better. He told his architect, Imhotep, to build a mastaba out of stone. Stone would better protect the king’s mummified body and belongings, which were needed for his afterlife. We don’t know why, but during construction, Imhotep added a layer to the mastaba. Then he added another, and another, each smaller than the last. The result was a tomb with six giant steps.

Later kings improved the design to be smoother and more pointy. It took a few tries to get it right. About 2565 BCE, workers began a pyramid for King Sneferu.

The pyramid started out with a steep slope, which would have made it tall and