Imhotep

Lore & Background

Imhotep's historicity is confirmed by two contemporary inscriptions: one on the base of a statue of Djoser and another on the enclosure wall of Sekhemkhet's unfinished step pyramid. The latter suggests he outlived Djoser and served in the construction of Sekhemkhet's pyramid. He held the obscure title 'bity sensen' or 'bity senwy', whose meaning is debated among Egyptologists and does not reliably indicate a twin relationship with the pharaoh. Concurring with later legends, Egyptologists credit him with designing the step pyramid at Saqqara and possibly the first use of stone columns, though pharaonic Egyptians themselves never credited him with these innovations.

Reader's Guide

Imhotep's significance lies in his transformation from a historical official to a deified figure. The first surviving text naming him dates to the time of Amenhotep III, and by the New Kingdom his veneration was considered distinct enough to justify the epithet 'demigod'. The first references to his healing abilities appear in the Thirtieth Dynasty, some 2,200 years after his death. He was eventually equated with Thoth, god of architecture and medicine, and later with the Greek god Asklepios. The center of his cult was Memphis, and his tomb remains unknown. Despite later traditions treating him as a great physician and author of wisdom texts, no contemporary evidence supports these roles. The Westcar Papyrus may contain a story about him, but the relevant section is damaged and his name does not survive.

Did You Know?

• Imhotep is among fewer than a dozen non-royal Egyptians who were deified after their deaths.
• The first surviving text to name Imhotep dates to the time of Amenhotep III, about 1,200 years after his death.
• The Greeks equated Imhotep with their own god of health, Asklepios.
• The location of Imhotep's tomb remains unknown despite efforts to find it.