Imhotep, Architect of the Step Pyramid
Imhotep is probably the most famous non-royal Egyptian. His name means “the one who comes in peace.” He achieved such great success that he became one of the world’s most famous ancient figures. His name is even more well-known today thanks to various mummy movies. In fact, more people know his name than that of his king, Djoser.
For a long time, scholars thought Imhotep was a mythological figure. But at the end of the nineteenth century, archaeologists confirmed he was a real historical person.
Imhotep: A Man of Many Talents
Imhotep was the world’s first known architect. Some historians also credit him as the first doctor, priest, scribe, and more. He served as the chief minister to King Djoser, who ruled from 2630–2611 BC. He may have lived under four different kings.
According to a statue inscription, Imhotep held many titles. He was “Chancellor of the King of Lower Egypt,” “the first one under the king,” and “administrator of the great mansion.” He was also the “high priest of Heliopolis,” “chief sculptor,” and “chief carpenter.”
Early Life and Career
We have found many statues of Imhotep. However, we have very little information about his life. Some statues show him as an ordinary man. Others show him as a wise man with a scroll. Later statues show him with a godlike beard, holding the ankh and a scepter.
Imhotep may have been born in a suburb of Memphis. Other writers say he was from Gebelein, a village south of ancient Thebes. His father, Kanofer, may have been an architect. His mother was likely Khreduonkh. He may have married Ronfrenofert, but none of this is certain.
As a commoner, he rose through the ranks quickly. He was intelligent and talented. As the High Priest of Heliopolis, he was one of the most important priests in Lower Egypt. Heliopolis was likely Egypt’s religious center at the time.
Master Architect
Imhotep is the first master architect we know by name. He built Djoser’s Step Pyramid complex at Saqqara. This is the first monumental stone structure in the ancient world. It is considered a brilliant architectural wonder. He may have also helped build another unfinished pyramid and the Edfu Temple.
Medical and Scientific Contributions
Imhotep’s most famous works were his medical texts. He has written the Edwin Smith Papyrus, which describes over 90 anatomical terms and 48 injuries. He may have also founded a medical school in Memphis, a center that was famous for two thousand years. This happened about 2,200 years before Hippocrates, known as the “Father of Medicine” in the West.
Sir William Osler called Imhotep “the first figure of a physician to emerge clearly from the mists of antiquity.” Imhotep diagnosed and treated more than 200 diseases, including issues with the abdomen, bladder, and eyes, as well as skin and hair problems. He treated conditions like tuberculosis, gallstones, and arthritis. He also practiced surgery and some dentistry. Imhotep used plants for medicine and understood the function of vital organs and the circulatory system.
The Encyclopedia Britannica notes that Imhotep’s reputation was highly regarded in ancient times. His prestige grew over the centuries, and his temples became medical teaching centers during the Greek era.
Deification and Legacy
Imhotep was a patron of architects, scholars, and scribes. James Henry Breasted writes that Imhotep’s reputation was so notable that his name was never forgotten. Later scribes honored him by pouring a small amount of water from their jugs before they began their work.
Imhotep is an example of a “personality cult” in ancient Egypt. A person with great knowledge could be deified after death. He was elevated as a medical deity about 100 years after he died. He became a full god around 525 BC, roughly 2,000 years after his death, and replaced Nefertum in the great triad at Memphis. In the Turin Canon, he was identified as the “son of Ptah.” Imhotep and Amenhotep were the only two mortal Egyptians to ever become full gods. He was also linked to Thoth, the god of wisdom and writing.
People worshipped him at various temples, including those at Karnak and Philae. At his cult center in Saqqara, people bought offerings like mummified ibises and clay models of sick body parts, hoping for healing.
Imhotep and Other Cultures
Early Christians adapted to certain pagan customs. They could not ignore these traditions. Their influence was too deeply woven into society. Imhotep’s legacy lived on in this way.
Greeks also worshipped him. They linked him with Aslepius, their god of medicine. The Romans also admired him. Emperors Claudius and Tiberius honored him with inscriptions on their Egyptian temples. Imhotep even found a place in Arab traditions, especially in Saqqara, where people believe his tomb is located.
