Petrie, W.M. Flinders, The Making of Egypt, London. New York, Sheldon Press; Macmillan, 1939, p. 105
"Motives of Dynasty III. A breath of life came from the Sudan. The new dynasty was headed by Sa-nekht of Sudany type, and he gave a fresh impetus which was later continued by Zeser [Djoser], Yet there was no new invention, but only a strengthening of the old style, without a different art.
The southern source was likewise the inspiration of the 12th, the 18th, the 25th dynasties, and in a similar manner. The Sudany infusion continued in the upper classes, as seen in the head of Seker-kha-bau.
The development of stone building at the Step Pyramid of Zeser at Saqqara was based on earlier craft, the carvings of Dynasty I in wood and ivory. Small objects such as head-rests, had columns with convex fluting, and also with concave, in the 2nd dynasty. The motives may have originated in the larger work and, later, been borrowed for it again. A similar translation from wood to stone is also to be found in the stone copies of wooden doorways, and of
wooden doors represented as thrown open, at the entry of chambers in the temple of the Step Pyramid. In the 3rd dynasty there was the achievement of using stone for wood, fixing the principles of art".--W.M. Flinders Petrie
Step Pyramid
The Pyramid Complex is dominated by the step pyramid, which rises to a height of 197 feet, of clay and stone. The pyramid began as a mastaba tomb, the bench-like tomb typically used by earlier kings, but was expanded and heightened to provide the king with a symbolic staircase to the heavens - especially to the sun god. The complex is representative of the early Old Kingdom period, when the Egyptians were just beginning to get comfortable with building in stone.
