lies the Necropolis of Saqqara.

位於薩卡拉的Necropolis。

Today, Egyptologist Chris Naunton travels here

今天，埃及學家克里斯-納恩頓來到了這裡

to investigate what triggered over a thousand

來調查是什麼原因引發了一千多人的

years of pyramid building.

年的金字塔建設。

He's been granted rare access to explore restricted areas

他獲得了探索禁區的罕見權限

of this necropolis.

這座墓園的。

This is a pretty exciting moment for me

對我來說，這是一個非常激動人心的時刻

because I've never been inside before.

因為我從來沒有進去過。

NARRATOR: This ancient cemetery is home to 11

這座古老的公墓裡有11個孩子。

pyramids and hundreds of tombs.

金字塔和數百座墳墓。

But one structure dominates all others,

但有一種結構支配著所有其他結構。

the first pyramid ever built.

第一座金字塔的建成。

This is where it all began.

這就是一切的開始。

It is the first monumental building

它是第一座紀念性建築

in stone anywhere in the world.

世界上任何地方的石頭。

NARRATOR: Constructed more than 4,500 years ago,

4500多年前建造的。

this is the step pyramid tomb of Pharaoh Djoser, a King

這是法老喬瑟的階梯式金字塔墓，他是一位國王

of Egypt's third dynasty.

埃及第三王朝的。

It's a revolutionary masterpiece designed by Egypt's

這是一個革命性的傑作，由埃及的設計師設計。

pioneer architect, Imhotep.

先鋒建築師，伊姆霍特普。

His achievement was massive not just for the Egyptians,

他的成就是巨大的，不僅僅是對埃及人而言。

but for humankind.

但對於人類來說。

[grandiose music]

[偉大的音樂]

NARRATOR: Born as a commoner, Imhotep

伊姆霍特普出生時是個平民，他的名字叫 "伊姆霍特普"。

rose to become Pharaoh Djoser's trusted advisor and eventually

晉升為法老喬瑟的心腹，最終成為法老喬瑟的心腹。

his chief architect.

他的總設計師。

He invented the stepped pyramid using

他發明了階梯式金字塔，利用

stone blocks instead of mud bricks,

石塊代替泥磚。

allowing him to build ever bigger.

讓他能夠建立越來越大的。

More than 2,000 years after Imhotep's death,

在伊姆霍特普死後兩千多年。

he was worshipped as a god all the way

他被奉為神明。

up to Greek and Roman times.

直到希臘和羅馬時代。

Chris wants to discover for himself

克里斯想自己去發現

what inspired Imhotep to design his groundbreaking step

是什麼啟發了伊姆霍特普設計他的突破性步驟？

pyramid.

金字塔。

He climbs to higher ground to examine

他爬到更高的地方去檢查

the shape of older burial structures that surrounded.

形狀的舊墓葬結構，周圍。

They're called mastabas.

他們被稱為Mastabas。

And they are these sort of squat, square platforms,

而且是那種蹲著的方形平臺。

slightly sloping, inwardly inclining walls.

微微傾斜，內傾的牆體。

NARRATOR: Chris can make out traces

克里斯能辨別出來的痕跡

of these simple structures within Imhotep's design.

在伊姆霍特普的設計中，這些簡單的結構。

Now that we're getting closer to the pyramid,

現在，我們越來越接近金字塔。

you can really see this series of platforms, one

你可以真正看到這一系列的平臺，一

on top of another.

在另一個上面。

So the bottom one, in some sense, is a mastaba.

所以，最下面的那個，從某種意義上來說，是一個馬場。

It's just the addition of these successive layers

只是這些連續的層層疊疊而已

that make it into a pyramid.

使之成為一個金字塔。

And it's an incredible achievement, architecturally.

而且從建築學上來說，這是一個不可思議的成就。

NARRATOR: Built from over 500,000 tons of limestone,

由50多萬噸石灰石建成。

constructed in the mastaba-style layers,

以馬斯塔巴式的層數建造。

the step pyramid stands over 200 feet high,

階梯金字塔高200多英尺。

then the tallest building in the world.

那麼世界上最高的建築。

Its impact on the ancient Egyptian landscape was huge.

它對古埃及的影響是巨大的。

10 more kings replicated Imhotep's design,

又有10位國王複製了伊姆霍特普的設計。

determined to attain the same status as the pharaoh

志在必得

of the first pyramid.

第一座金字塔的。

Their tombs became some of the most iconic sacred buildings

他們的陵墓成了一些最具代表性的神聖建築。

on the planet, each growing the necropolis until it stretched

在這個星球上，每個人都在不斷地發展屍群，直到它延伸到

5 miles across the desert to create

橫跨沙漠5英里，創造了

a sprawling city of the dead.

一個龐大的死城。

Today, Imhotep's masterpiece still

今天，伊姆霍特普的傑作仍然是

dominates the Egyptian desert.

主導埃及沙漠。

But while his structures survive, no trace of the man

但是，雖然他的結構還在，但沒有人的痕跡。

himself has ever been found.

自己也曾被發現。