Sakkara or Saqqara [key], necropolis (burial place) of ancient Memphis, Egypt, 3 mi (5 km) from the Nile and on the border of the Libyan desert. Djoser (Zoser) had his famous step-pyramid, a precursor of the familiar straight-sided pyramid, built there in the III dynasty, and on the grounds are many pyramids that date from the V and VI dynasties. The Serapeum, burial place of the Apis bulls, dates from the later period. The oldest dated papyrus (VI dynasty) was discovered there in 1893.
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