Pyramids were built for over a millennium in ancient Egypt. During that time, we can discern a definite trend in their development, experimentation, ambition, and the peak precision in building the Great Pyramid of Khufu, followed by a long period of architectural decline. So far, we have traced the earliest mounds at Abydos over 7,000 years ago to the burial and funerary mounds of Pharaoh Khasekhemwy circa 2680 BC. These were symbols of resurrection and royal divinity, ripe with magical potential. They were still, however, relatively unimposing. When did the Egyptian mounds first become mountains? The biggest leap forward on the road to building the Great Pyramid occurred under the 3rd Dynasty Pharaoh Djoser and his famous architect: Imhotep.