No one deny that, but how they build them, are still mystery and still being debated, today, as well as the contemporary structures by the Sumerians.
But the
true pyramid shape, like those in Giza, didn’t originate during Khufu’s reign, because the first true pyramid was located in Dahshur, constructed during reign of Sneferu, Khufu’s father.
Sneferu started the 4th dynasty during the Old Kingdom period.
Sneferu’s architect was experimenting the design of pyramid, by adding casing stones for smooth-sided pyramid.
Earlier pyramids from the 3rd dynasty, starting with Djoser, the founder of the 3rd dynasty, by Djoser’s architect, Imhotep. The design and shape of Djoser’s pyramid is known today as the
step pyramid, were the most popular form in the 3rd dynasty. These pyramids used no casing stones to give smoother surfaces to the exterior.
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The Step Pyramid of Djoser is located in Saqqara.
So true pyramid design evolved from the step pyramid design, but it most probable that the step pyramids evolved mastabas.
The mastaba design rectangular in shape from plan view, but from elevation the sides have slight slope. The roof or mastaba top is flat. So from distance, it look simply looked like bench or table.
View attachment 55849
Imhotep’s innovation was like stacking successive smaller mastabas on top of each other. So there were like 6-tier mastabas.
Mastabas were more common found during the 1st and 2nd dynasties of the Early Dynastic period, but mastabas were still being used and built during the 3rd dynasty by other kings, because the mastabas are less expensive to build than the step pyramids or true pyramids.
My points are that over centuries, the construction of tombs have evolved. The Great Pyramid of Khufu is the largest, but it isn’t the oldest.