The World’s First Recorded project – Building the Stepped Pyramid at SAQQARA
SERIES 17: Our blog series features articles written by leaders in planning, engineering, and construction, offering valuable insights and knowledge for readers.
What was the first recognisable and recorded project undertaken in the world?
I am sure you can think of many examples, but the building of the stepped pyramid at Saqqara is a good one to consider.
So what/where is Saqqara, and why build a stepped pyramid?
Saqarra (nowadays called Saqarrah) is approximately 15 miles south-west of m
odern day Cairo, and was part of Memphis – which in the days of antiquity was the capital of Egypt.
In those days, the Egyptian kings (pharaohs) were buried underground in difficult to access vaults, and a mud structure called a mastaba was built over the tomb to mark where the king lay for eternity. These mud structure started as a simple rectangular platform made from mudbricks but, was angled at the sides to assist water run-off on the rare occasions it rained.
Ajit Ghosh
Ajit Ghosh is a nuclear professional who has worked over 40 years in the UK civil nuclear industry. He has worked in a number of roles including project management, both in large greenfield new nuclear projects, and also in improvement projects at operating nuclear stations. Ajit is an engineering graduate from the University of Cambridge.