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Intended to hold his mummified body,
Pharaoh Djoser's Step Pyramid at Saqqara began as a traditional, flat-roofed mastaba.
But by the end of his 19 year reign, in 2611 B.C.,
it had risen to six stepped layers and stood 204 feet (62 meters) high.
It was the largest building of its time.

Extensive use of stone here and there carved to resemble wood,
reeds, or other softer materials made the tomb more durable than its mud-brick forebears.
Such pioneering techniques led many ancient historians to credit
the chief architect, Imhotep, with inventing stone architecture.