Djoser’s Step Pyramid is the first monumental work in dressed stone and the first Egyptian pyramid, and his pyramid complex brought together funerary elements, such as tombs and enclosures, that were originally separate edifices, setting the pattern for centuries to come. Last week the Em Hotep group shared their explorations of this architectural icon, which we have gathered here for your enjoyment and education.
This is the story of two architects, separated by 4,500 years, both trying to solve the same problem—how to build a pyramid measuring 756 feet on each side of the base, 480 feet high, and consisting of 5.5 million tons of stone.
Our master builders have different goals, however. The first, Hemiunu, was determined to build the greatest pyramid ever, and the second, Jean-Pierre Houdin, was equally determined to figure out how he did it.
Jean-Pierre Houdin and Bob Brier wrote a book—The Secret of the Great Pyramid—about this very subject in 2008 and the paperback edition is due to hit bookstores October 6, 2009. Ahead of the paperback, Em Hotep! is providing you with a multi-part primer to Houdin’s work, to be followed with an interview with the man himself.
But first, who are these two architects?
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Tags: Bob Brier, Dassault Systemes, Grand Gallery, Henri Houdin, Imhotep, Internal Ramp, Jean-Pierre Houdin, Khufu, Khufu's Pyramid, King's Chamber, Nefermaat, Snefru, The Great Pyramid, The Secret of the Great Pyramid, William M. Flinders Petrie, old
The complex of Djoser at Saqqara is more than just the first pyramid and template for all pyramid complexes that would follow. 
For starters, it’s a large four-sided structure made of stone, wide at the bottom and pointy at the top, making a perfect triangle. 
