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Collection: Wide Crawl started April 2013
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Imhotep Jj m ḥtp He who comes in peace |
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Jj m ḥtp |
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Jj m ḥtp |
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| Greek Manetho variants: | Africanus: Imouthes Eusebius: missing Eusebius, AV: missing |
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Imhotep (sometimes spelled Immutef, Im-hotep, or Ii-em-Hotep; called Imuthes (Ἰμούθης) by the Greeks), fl. 27th century BC (circa 2650–2600 BC) (Egyptian ỉỉ-m-ḥtp *jā-im-ḥātap meaning "the one who comes in peace, is with peace"), was an Egyptian polymath,[1] who served under the Third Dynasty king Djoseraschancellor to the pharaoh and high priest of the sun god Ra (or Re) at Heliopolis. He is considered to be the first architect[2] and engineer[3] and physician in early history[4] though two other good physicians, Hesy-Ra and Merit-Ptah lived around the same time. The full list of his titles is:
Imhotep was one of very few mortals to be depicted as part of a pharaoh's statue.[citation needed] He was one of only a few commoners ever to be accorded divine status after death. The center of his cult was Memphis. From the First Intermediate Period onward Imhotep was also revered as a poet and philosopher. His sayings were famously referred to in poems: "I have heard the words of Imhotep and Hordedef with whose discourses men speak so much."[5]
The location of Imhotep's self-constructed tomb was well hidden from the beginning and it remains unknown, despite efforts to find it.[6] The consensus is that it is hidden somewhere at Saqqara. Imhotep's historicity is confirmed by two contemporary inscriptions made during his lifetime on the base or pedestal of one of Djoser's statues (Cairo JE 49889) and also by a graffito on the enclosure wall surrounding Sekhemkhet's unfinished step-pyramid.[7][8] The latter inscription suggests that Imhotep outlived Djoser by a few years and went on to serve in the construction of king Sekhemkhet's pyramid which was abandoned due to this ruler's brief reign.[9]
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As one of the officials of the Pharaoh Djoser, he designed the Pyramid of Djoser (the Step Pyramid) at SaqqarainEgyptin2630 – 2611 BC.[10] He may have been responsible for the first known use of columnsinarchitecture. As an instigator of Egyptian culture, Imhotep's idealized image lasted well into the Ptolemaic period. The Egyptian historian Manetho credited him with inventing the method of a stone-dressed building during Djoser's reign, though he was not the first to actually build with stone. Stone walling, flooring, lintels, and jambs had appeared sporadically during the Archaic Period, though it is true that a building of the Step Pyramid's size and made entirely out of stone had never before been constructed. Before Djoser, pharaohs were buried in mastaba tombs.
Imhotep was always conceived holding his medical scrolls and his architectural drawings. He was a model figure who defined the training and selection process of all succeeding Egyptian priests and architects within Egypt’s jurisdiction. Although the step pyramid for King Zoser of the 3rd Dynasty was important for the reason that it had exemplified unbelievable skill and the introduction of building with stone, it was also very symbolic. It architectonically represented Ptah-TaTanen, the architect of the universe, and his creation where he evoked the primeval hill (waret) to rise from the primeval waters of nun. The Pyramid of Steps was also designed to serve as a place to worship the sun that symbolized the dead king’s ascent to the sun and passage across the heavens. The architecture highlighted Imhotep’s abilities as an architect, a religious priest and an astronomer. Additionally, in the construction of the Step Pyramid Complex was intended to forever honor the dead.[11]
Egyptians considered Imhotep as a creative and inventive intellectual by the way he enlarged the burial site at Sakkara that was also constructed in stages. He amplified the existing tomb by adding five mastabas that decrease in sizes creating this unique form of architecture known as the great pyramid of steps. The burial compartments are great accomplishments of Imhotep’s work in design and engineering as well as debuted the progression of numerous complex structures such as tunnels, mortuaries, chapels, shafts and rooms for offerings. The massive tombs consisted of mud-brick walls and the style of the structure imitated a palace portico probably to mimic Djoser’s palace in Memphis where he lived at one point in his life.
The fact that Imhotep was an architect, which was extremely uncommon at that time, got him special treatments from the royal family, several positions and privileges inside the royal palace. This earned him the title of chief of engineering, amongst other essential titles such as prime minister, crown prince and head of the Royal Court. Later, his architecture had tremendous influence on Christian religion and architecture. He was also honored by the Romans, particularly the emperors Claudius and Tiberius whom had inscriptions that praised Imhotep on the walls of many of their Egyptian temples.[12]
The preservation of the kings body was very important to Imhotep, like the conservation of the nation was a responsibility. As a priest who knew all ancient practices and rules, it was a given that he had mastered the understanding of the nature of building. Amongst other values, for Imhotep, it meant definiteness.[13]
Although not certain, it has been believed that during a 40 year period of the Third Dynasty, Imhotep influenced and was the ultimate master builder of numerous other projects which have been finished. He wrote an encyclopedia of architecture that was used as the main bases and as guidance for Egyptian builders thousands of years after his death.
Imhotep was an important figure in Ancient Egyptian medicine. He was the author of a medical treatise remarkable for being devoid of magical thinking; the so-called Edwin Smith papyrus containing anatomical observations, ailments, and cures.[14][15] The surviving papyrus was probably written around 1700 BC but may be a copy of texts a thousand years older. However, this attribution of authorship is speculative. The Papyrus can be viewed at the Brooklyn Children's Museum, New York City. The 48 cases contained within the Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus concern:
Descriptions of Imhotep by James Henry Breasted et al. :
"In priestly wisdom, in magic, in the formulation of wise proverbs; in medicine and architecture; this remarkable figure of Zoser's reign left so notable a reputation that his name was never forgotten. He was the patron spirit of the later scribes, to whom they regularly poured out a libation from the water-jug of their writing outfit before beginning their work." '
'Imhotep extracted medicine from plants.'
'Imhotep was portrayed as a priest with a shaven head, seated and holding a papyrus roll. Occasionally he was shown clothed in the archaic costume of a priest.'
'Of the details of his life, very little has survived though numerous statues and statuettes of him have been found. Some show him as an ordinary man who is dressed in plain attire. Others show him as a sage who is seated on a chair with a roll of papyrus on his knees or under his arm. Later, his statuettes show him with a god like beard, standing, and carrying the ankh and a scepter.'
'He is represented seated with a papyrus scroll across his knees, wearing a skullcap and a long linen kilt. We can interpret the papyrus as suggesting the sources of knowledge kept by scribes in the "House of Life". The headgear identifies Imhotep with Ptah, and his priestly linen garment symbolizes his religious purity.'
According to myth, Imhotep's mother was a mortal named Kheredu-ankh, elevated later to semi-divine status by claims that she was the daughter of Banebdjedet.[17] Conversely, since Imhotep was known as the "Son of Ptah,"[18] his mother was sometimes claimed to be Sekhmet, the patron of Upper Egypt whose consort was Ptah. Also according to myths, his father was also an architect and was named Kanofer.
Two thousand years after his death, Imhotep's status was raised to that of a deityofmedicine and healing. He was identified or confused with Thoth, the god of architecture, mathematics, medicine and patron of the scribes, having Imhotep's cult merging with that of his former tutelary god. Taking this into consideration, he was thus associated with Amenhotep son of Hapu, who was another deified architect, in the region of Thebes where they were worshipped as "brothers" in temples dedicated to Thoth and later in Hermopolis following the syncretist concept of Hermes-Thot,[19][20] a concept that led to another syncretic belief, that of Hermes Trismegistus and hermeticism. Imhotep was also linked to Asklepios by the Greeks.
In Ancient Egypt, Imhotep was considered to be an example of "personality cult" of Kemet, the notion that a person can be deified after his death and become some sort of a special intercessor for the living. Nonetheless, the conditions of Imhotep’s death are unknown. The mystery behind his death is amplified as his disappearance coincided with the disappearance of all his medical texts and architectural manuscripts. His tomb has never been found.[21]
In addition, despite his major impact on Ancient Egyptian architecture and field of medicine, even ancient historians failed to write about him, which adds to his mystery. What makes this mystery somewhat ironic is that the name "Imhotep" in Ancient Egyptian language translates to “He who came in peace,” underlining the way he came into the world, made his impact, and left it in peace taking all his genius work with him. However, Imhotep became even more famous with his death and was worshipped for 2,000 years afterwards. Because of the mystery behind his death, he was considered as a demi-god. In Greek mythology, Asclepius was the god of medicine, therefore, Imhotep was often associated with him. Some even believed that he was Asclepius himself. Only statues made of him remained which referred to his genius mind and served to illustrate his existence on earth. After his death, he was known to be responsible for the use of columns and monumental stone in Egyptian architecture and considered to have fully advanced ancient Egyptian medicine. Nevertheless, he slowly turned into a legend and then a myth.
According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, "The evidence afforded by Egyptian and Greek texts support the view that Imhotep's reputation was very respected in early times ... His prestige increased with the lapse of centuries and his temples in Greek times were the centers of medical teachings."[citation needed]
It is Imhotep, says Sir William Osler, who was the real "Father of Medicine", "the first figure of a physician to stand out clearly from the mists of antiquity." [22]
The Upper Egyptian Famine Stela, dating from the Ptolemaic period, bears an inscription containing a legend about a famine of seven years during the reign of Djoser. Imhotep is credited with having been instrumental in ending it. One of his priests explained the connection between the god Khnum and the rise of the Nile to the king, who then had a dream in which the Nile god spoke to him, promising to end the drought.[23]
These dreams are another factor which has led some scholars to associate Imhotep with the Biblical figure of Joseph.
A papyrus from the ancient Egyptian temple of Tebtunis, dating to the 2nd century AD, preserves a long story in the demotic script about Imhotep.[24] King Djoser plays a prominent role in the story, which also mentions Imhotep's family; his father the god Ptah, his mother Khereduankh, and his little-sister Renpetneferet. At one point Djoser desires the young Renpetnefereret, and Imhotep disguises himself and tries to rescue her. The text also refers to the royal tomb of Djoser by which the Step Pyramid must be meant. An anachronistic detail is a battle between the Egyptian and Assyrian armies where Imhotep fights an Assyrian sorceress in a duel of magic.
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