Step back in time to the age of pyramids and innovation as we uncover the remarkable life and achievements of King Djoser, the visionary pharaoh of Egypt’s Third Dynasty.

Who was King Djoser?

Djoser (also read as Zoser) was the first king and the founder of the third Dynasty during the Old Kingdom in ancient Egypt. He ruled approximately between -2691 and -2625. He was the oldest son of King Khasekhemwy, the last king in the second Dynasty, and Queen Nimaathap. 

King Djoser

King Djoser’s Family

• Djoser King, the son of Khasekhemwy, the last pharaoh of the second Dynasty of Egypt and Queen Nimaethap.
• Hetephernebti was one of Djoser’s wives; she was mentioned on a series of boundary Stela from the Step Pyramid enclosure in Saqqara and a fragment of relief from a structure at the city of Hermopolis that is currently in the Egyptian Museum of Turin. 
• Inetkaes and Niankh-Hathor were the only known daughters of King Djoser. The relationship between Djoser and his successor, Sekhemkhet, remains unclear, and the exact date of Djoser’s death is unknown.

 

King Djoser’s Campaigns and Legacy

Djoser King dispatched several military expeditions to Sinai, where the local inhabitants were subdued. He also sent expeditions to mine for valuable minerals such as turquoise and copper. Sinai was also important strategically as a buffer between the valley of the Nile and Asia Minor.

This is known from an inscription that is found in the desert there, sometimes showing the banner of God Set alongside the symbols of God Horus, as had been more popular under Khaskhemwy. His most famous memorial was his step pyramid, which required the construction of several mastabas tombs one over another.

These forms eventually led to the standard pyramid tomb in the later Old Kingdom. Although he seems to have started an unfinished tomb at Abydos in Upper Egypt, King Djoser was eventually buried in his celebrated pyramid at the city of Saqqara in Lower Egypt. Since his father, King Khasekhemwy, a pharaoh from the second Dynasty, was the last king to be buried at Abydos, some Egyptologists assume that the shift to a more northerly capital was finished during the reign of King Djoser.

Activities of King Djoser

King Djoser and the Seven-Year Famine

During his reign, a famine occurred as a result of the lack of Nile flooding. Details about that famine were engraved in one of the areas in the Aswan Islands.

Zoser made offerings to Khnum, the god of the waterfall. He states that the Nile did not flood for 7 years; the seeds dried up, and the grains became scarce. Khnum responded to Zoser’s request and told him that he would make the Nile level rise for him and that there would be no more famine.

King Djoser and His Architect Imhotep

One of the most renowned figures from King Djoser’s reign was his vizier and chief architect, Imhotep. As the “Overseer of All Stone Works” and “Head of the Royal Shipyard,” Imhotep played a pivotal role in designing Saqqara Step Pyramid — the first monumental stone structure in Egypt.

He may have also been involved in other royal projects, including King Sekhemkhet’s tomb. Imhotep’s wisdom and legacy were so profound that later generations revered him as a sage, with possible mentions in ancient texts like the Papyrus Westcar.

King Djoser and Imhotep

 

The Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara

One of Egypt’s most well-known monuments is Saqqara Step Pyramid. It represents an important turning point in the history of ancient Egyptian funeral monuments, revolutionizing stone architecture and royal burials. Aside from its beauty and massive scale, it is not only the first pyramid ever constructed by the ancient Egyptians but also the earliest known ancient Egyptian stone construction.

It’s a precursor to the more famous Giza pyramids. It’s located further south, within the Saqqara necropolis complex. It is not where the three famous pyramids on the Giza Plateau are situated. The Great Sphinx of Giza and the three main pyramids (the Pyramids of Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure) are all located on the Giza Plateau, which is approximately 15 kilometers (9 miles) southwest of central Cairo.

Before King Djoser’s reign, royal and elite Egyptians were buried in mastabas. This name, which means “bench” in Arabic, refers to a sort of funerary structure that was commonly rectangular in shape and erected over the underground.  The Step Pyramid is made up of six stacked mastabas, which create a stepped look.

Imhotep, the architect, may have been responsible for this significant advancement. At the end of the pyramid complex, a construction known as the Southern Tomb is believed to be a symbolic tomb for Djoser King, perhaps reflecting his role as a king of both Upper and Lower Egypt.

Djoser’s pyramid structure includes some interesting elements, such as the two courts in front of the pyramid recreating the scene of the Heb Sed Festival, a royal ceremony designed to rejuvenate the king and revive his power. The constructions on the eastern court emulate in stone the ephemeral memorials that were used in this celebrated festival, thus ensuring that the king could stay in power for another period.

Learn more about all the pyramids of Egypt in our complete guide.

Djoser’s Step Pyramid

King Djoser’s Statue: The Oldest Life-Size Sculpture in Egypt

Beside his Step Pyramid, the statue of King Djoser stands as one of his most cherished legacies

Dimensions of the statue:

1. Height: 142 cm
2. Width: 45.3 cm
3. Length: 95.5 cm

Description of King Djoser statue:

This statue is considered the oldest life-size statue known from Egyptian antiquity. It was discovered inside a small closed room, the so-called “serdab,” at the northeastern side of the Pyramid of Djoser King in Saqqara, the earliest monumental structure made of stone. 

This statue became the dwelling of the “ka” or protector spirit of the king, who is denoted seated on an elevated high-back throne. He could thus hear the prayers outside the tomb, smell the scent of incense and enjoy the offerings. 

The king is shown wearing the royal “nemes” headdress and a false beard. He also carries a scepter in his right hand as a sign of power. His eyes, which were inlaid with semiprecious stones, preserve a straight look, giving it a lifelike effect. Moreover, the inscription on the base of the seat gives the royal Horus name of Djoser, “Netjery-khet”.

King Djoser Legacy

Conclusion

King Djoser’s reign marked a transformative era in ancient Egyptian history, blending innovation, religion, and architectural brilliance.
From commissioning Egypt’s first pyramid to shaping the legacy of Imhotep and leaving behind the oldest known life-size statue.
Djoser’s impact still echoes through Saqqara’s timeless stones. His vision laid the foundation for Egypt’s pyramid age — a legacy that continues to inspire awe thousands of years later.