~2670 BCE Egyptian

Step Pyramid of Djoser

Saqqara, Egypt (29.8713°N, 31.2165°E)

Detailed Account

The first monumental stone building in Egypt, designed by the polymath Imhotep. A revolutionary leap from mud-brick mastabas to a 62m stone pyramid. Imhotep was later deified as a god of medicine and architecture. The question is: where did this sudden leap in engineering knowledge come from? There is no gradual development trail — Djoser's pyramid appears almost fully formed.

Geographic Context

Location Saqqara, Egypt
Latitude 29.871300° N
Longitude 31.216500° E