The ancient Egyptians buried their dead in the sacred land of Saqqara thousands of years ago. Why was this place so significant to them?
Saqqara is a dream for archaeologists, home to countless mummies, ancient Egyptian tombs, and dozens of pyramids. Every year, researchers uncover new artifacts here, including mummy masks, ancient texts from the Egyptian Book of the Dead, and embalming workshops.
The Step Pyramid of Pharaoh Djoser built in Saqqara (Photo: Shanna Baker/Getty Images).
Why was this city favored for burying the dead? Ancient Egyptian researcher Nico Staring from the University of Liege, Belgium, states that over time, there have been many different reasons for the ancient Egyptians to bury their dead here.
The first reason is its proximity to the city of Memphis, the capital of Egypt for a long era in history, a center of administration and religion, where many Egyptian deities were worshipped.
Saqqara is considered an integral part of urban life in Memphis. Residents of Memphis, through various historical periods, regarded Saqqara as a cemetery closely linked to the city of Memphis.
An ancient tomb from the Old Kingdom in Saqqara. (Photo: Nick Brundle/Getty Images).
Saqqara also became a sacred site because some of the earliest Egyptian pharaohs chose to build their tombs here.
During the Second Dynasty (around 2800 to 2650 BCE), Pharaohs Hotepsekhemwy, Reneb, and Ninetjer all constructed their tombs here. Pharaoh Djoser from the Third Dynasty also built his famous Step Pyramid in Saqqara.
Other pharaohs like Userkaf, Unas, and Djedkare Isesi from the Fifth Dynasty also erected pyramids at this site.
When pharaohs were buried, many court officials also built their tombs nearby.
Even during the New Kingdom period (around 1550 to 1070 BCE), when pharaohs were buried in the Valley of the Kings approximately 483 km away, many officials still wished to be buried in Saqqara.
The reason is the historical significance of this site and its connection to the Egyptian gods. Although pharaohs were buried in the Valley of the Kings in Thebes, the most important court officials still constructed their tombs in Saqqara—a place regarded as the “home” of many significant figures from previous eras and gods like the god of death, Sokar.
A Living Legend
Not only is it an ancient cemetery, Saqqara continues to be a chosen site for burying the dead even today, albeit in much smaller numbers.
The importance of Saqqara significantly diminished when Christianity became the dominant religion in Egypt in the 4th and 5th centuries. However, even as the polytheistic religion of Egypt waned, Saqqara remained a preferred resting place for many, such as the Coptic Monastery of the prophet Jeremiah built here in the 5th century.
Today, Saqqara is a popular destination for many archaeologists and tourists. It has become a place for the living, no longer just for the dead.
