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Egypt’s Step Pyramid of Djoser: World's First Engineered Stone Structure

The monumental structure is often hailed as the world's oldest engineered stone structure. (SPA)
The monumental structure is often hailed as the world's oldest engineered stone structure. (SPA)
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Egypt’s Step Pyramid of Djoser: World's First Engineered Stone Structure

The monumental structure is often hailed as the world's oldest engineered stone structure. (SPA)
The monumental structure is often hailed as the world's oldest engineered stone structure. (SPA)

To truly travel back in time, there is no better place than Egypt. Beyond the iconic Great Pyramids, the country is a treasure trove of ancient wonders, including the inspiring Step Pyramid of Djoser in Saqqara, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Sunday.

This monumental structure is often hailed as the world's oldest engineered stone structure. As the pioneering pyramid of its time, it marked a revolutionary leap in ancient Egyptian architecture. Built during the reign of King Horus Netjerikhet (Djoser) in the 3rd Dynasty, around 2667-2648 BC, it is believed to be the brainchild of the visionary architect Imhotep.

A recent study published by PLOS One, a peer-reviewed open access mega journal published by the Public Library of Science since 2006, titled "On the possible use of hydraulic force to assist with building the Step Pyramid of Saqqara" proposes a new theory about the construction of this pyramid, suggesting that hydraulic lifts may have been used.

Led by Xavier Landrieu of the Paleotechnic Institute, a privately owned research institute specializing in archaeology and ancient technologies analysis, the study challenges the traditional beliefs about the building methods of the Egyptians by suggesting that they utilized waterpower to transport the massive stones.

Djoser's pyramid is more than just a tomb. It is a complex of structures that include temples, courtyards, and underground chambers, forming an ancient city of the dead. At its heart is the pyramid itself, a six-tiered limestone masterpiece rising 61 meters high and enclosed by a massive wall.

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Artist Kehinde Wiley Puts Power in a New Frame with Paintings of African Leaders 

American painter Kehinde Wiley stands in front of a portrait of Sahle-Work Zewde, former president of Ethiopia during the opening of his exhibition "A Maze of Power" in Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, in Rabat, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP)
American painter Kehinde Wiley stands in front of a portrait of Sahle-Work Zewde, former president of Ethiopia during the opening of his exhibition "A Maze of Power" in Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, in Rabat, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP)
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Artist Kehinde Wiley Puts Power in a New Frame with Paintings of African Leaders 

American painter Kehinde Wiley stands in front of a portrait of Sahle-Work Zewde, former president of Ethiopia during the opening of his exhibition "A Maze of Power" in Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, in Rabat, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP)
American painter Kehinde Wiley stands in front of a portrait of Sahle-Work Zewde, former president of Ethiopia during the opening of his exhibition "A Maze of Power" in Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, in Rabat, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP)

American artist Kehinde Wiley unveiled a series of large-format portraits of African leaders in Morocco on Tuesday, building on his now famous 2018 portrait of former US President Barack Obama sitting casually amid a wild cascade of leaves and flowers.

His exhibition, entitled "A Maze of Power," opened at the Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rabat, Morocco’s capital, after previously showing in Paris and Dakar, Senegal.

The artwork borrows from classical easel painting techniques, posing African leaders in a style mainly associated with European royalty and aristocracy.

"What I wanted to do was to draw ideas in, to be able to look at the depiction of power, both beautifully and problematically," Wiley said.

In one portrait, Ethiopia’s former president, Sahle-Work Zewde, stands before a window, her nation’s bustling capital stretching behind her as her hand clasps a dangling flower.

In another, Hery Rajaonarimampianina, former president of Madagascar, is depicted sitting confidently astride a horse. And Alassane Ouattara, president of Ivory Coast, is seen clenching his brow as he grips a sword in his right hand.

"I was thinking about the presidency at large as a symbol, as a seat of power," Wiley told The Associated Press at the opening of his exhibition.

"A Maze of Power" arrived in Morocco seven months after first showing at Paris’ Musée du Quai Branly — Jacques Chirac. It's part of the Moroccan museum's efforts to become a hub for African art ahead of the next year's opening of the Museum of the African Continent, across the street in Rabat.

Wiley said that after his Obama portrait, he was able to leverage his connections to gain audiences with leaders from across Africa and persuade them to sit for him.

In addition to Obama’s, the portraits also echo Wiley’s earlier works, in which young Black men appear in poses most associated with paintings of kings and generals.

Showing his would-be subjects a book full of classical paintings to draw inspiration from, Wiley said he prepares for painting by taking hundreds of photographs of each leader and then placing them in settings both real and abstract.

Although he wanted to show political power, the leaders' individual political choices were not relevant to the series, Wiley said.

Though Wiley said the role of some art can be to shed light on those affected by political decision-making, his goals were different.

"This project is more about pulling way back and having a sort of bird’s-eye view at the phenomena of the political portrait itself," he said.