jjares reviewed Imhotep: The Life and Legacy of the High Priest Who Designed Ancient Egypt?s First Major Pyramid on + 3276 more book reviews
Even if Imhotep weren't a great architect and scientific genius, he would be important to study because the Egyptians deified him after he died! Very few non-royal Egyptians attained deification. The center of his cult was Memphis. Imhotep is one of the most influential Egyptians in early history. He is the first named scientist and an accomplished priest, physician, magician, scribe, and astrologer. In addition, Imhotep became the vizier of the Third Dynasty's greatest king, Djoser.
Since the Nile River flooded for months, the pharaohs found a way to keep the farmers busy during their lax time by working on grand monuments. Experimental archaeology has studied (and reconstructed) monuments and proven that Egyptians were master craftsmen. Imhotep's move from the mastaba to the step pyramid style of tomb building was an essential improvement for funerary rituals.
Since the Nile River flooded for months, the pharaohs found a way to keep the farmers busy during their lax time by working on grand monuments. Experimental archaeology has studied (and reconstructed) monuments and proven that Egyptians were master craftsmen. Imhotep's move from the mastaba to the step pyramid style of tomb building was an essential improvement for funerary rituals.
