Zoser was the first pharaoh of the Third Dynasty of Egypt. It was his wish to be buried in a different fashion from the pharaohs who preceded him. This led to the construction of the first pyramid in Egypt. It was designed by Imhotep, the chief advisor of Zoser.
The Step Pyramid, as it is now known, was built overlooking Memphis, near the present day village of Sakkara. The basic design of the Step Pyramid consisted of six mastabas built successively atop each other. A mastaba is a large, flat, square with sloping walls and is constructed of mud brick. A high wall surrounded the Step Pyramid and the rest of the temple complex. This wall obstructed the view of the first mastaba, so more were added to compensate. When completed the Step Pyramid reached a height of 200' with a base of 358' x 410'.