Editing Pyramid of Djoser (section)

=== Great trench ===
Before the enclosure wall, Djoser's pyramid complex is surrounded by a trench dug into the underlying rock. At {{cvt|750|m|ft+royal cubit}} long and {{cvt|40|m|ft+royal cubit}} wide, the trench is the largest structure of this kind in the Memphis necropolis. It is rectangular in shape, oriented on the north–south axis. The trench resembles a 𓉔 (hieroglyph h) which represents the floorplan of a house. It is decorated with niches which are suggested by [[Nabil Swelim]] to have hosted the spirits of members of the king's court, there to serve the king in his afterlife. In parts, the trench doubles into two with distinct entries. These make accessing the enclosure wall more difficult, indicating its function as a safe-guard. [[Miroslav Verner]] suspects that a single entrance was built at the south-east corner granting access to the area.{{sfn|Verner|2001d|pp=110–111}}