Editing Pyramid of Djoser (section)

== Pyramid substructure ==
[[File:26685- elaborate blue faience inlays from Djoser's mortuary complex.jpg|thumb|Elaborate blue faience inlays from the substructure of Djoser's pyramid.]]
Under the step pyramid is a labyrinth of tunneled chambers and galleries that total nearly 6&nbsp;km in length and connect to a central shaft 7&nbsp;m square and 28&nbsp;m deep.<ref name="Miroslav Verner 1998"/> These spaces provide room for the king's burial, the burial of family members, and the storage of goods and offerings. The entrance to the 28&nbsp;m shaft was built on the north side of the pyramid, a trend that would remain throughout the Old Kingdom. The sides of the underground passages are limestone inlaid with blue faience tile to replicate reed matting. These "palace façade" walls are further decorated by panels decorated in low relief that show the king participating in the [[Sed festival|Heb-sed]].<ref name="Dick Parry 2004"/> Together these chambers constitute the funerary apartment that mimicked the palace and would serve as the living place of the royal ''ka''.

On the east side of the pyramid, eleven shafts 32&nbsp;m deep were constructed and annexed to horizontal tunnels for royal family members. These were incorporated into the pre-existing substructure as it expanded eastward. In the storerooms along here over 40,000 [[Stone vessels in Ancient Egypt|stone vessels]] were found, many of which predate Djoser.<ref name="Kathryn A. Bard 2008"/> These would have served Djoser's visceral needs in the afterlife. An extensive network of underground galleries was located to the north, west and south of the central burial chamber and crude horizontal magazines were carved into these.<ref name="Mark Lehner 1997"/> Shafts I–V were used for the burials of royal family members; shafts VI–XI were used as symbolic tombs for the grave goods of royal ancestors from dynasties I–II. More than 40,000 vessels, bowls and vases made of various kinds of stone were found in these galleries. Royal names such as of kings [[Den (Pharaoh)|Den]], [[Semerkhet]], [[Nynetjer]] and [[Sekhemib]] were incised on the pots. It is now thought that Djoser once restored the original tombs of the ancestors, and then sealed the grave goods in the galleries in an attempt to save them.<ref name="Kathryn A. Bard 2008"/>

=== Burial chamber ===
The burial chamber was a vault constructed of four courses of well-dressed granite. It had one opening, which was sealed with a 3.5 ton block after the burial.<ref name="George Hart 1991"/> No body was recovered as the tomb had been extensively robbed. Lauer believes that a burial chamber of alabaster existed before the one of granite. He found evidence of limestone blocks with five pointed stars in low relief that were likely on the ceiling, indicating the first occurrence of what would become a tradition.<ref name="Mark Lehner 1997"/> The king sought to associate himself with the eternal North Stars that never set so as to ensure his rebirth and eternity.<ref name="Gay Robins 2000"/>

[[File:S10.08 Entry hall. Step Pyramid Complex, Saqqara. image 9497.jpg|thumb|upright|Entry hall. Step Pyramid Complex, Saqqara]]
[[Image:Temples at Festival complex.JPG|thumb|Temples of the festival complex]]