| King Djoser (2687-2668 BC), was the first | | | | famine because of particularly low annual floods. |
| pharaoh in the third dynasty as many scholars | | | | The pharaoh was held responsible for the situation |
| believed. They also think that queen Nimaethap | | | | because he was an intermediary between the |
| was his mother and Khasekhemwy was his | | | | people and the gods, and the famine was seen as |
| father. | | | | punishment from the gods for the pharaoh not |
| Djoser may have fixed the southern bounders of | | | | doing his job. |
| Egypt in his reign. He also sent some expeditions | | | | On the Island of Sehel in the south of Egypt, |
| to Sinai because the local inhabitants were | | | | Ptolemy V (204-181 BC) commissioned a stela |
| subdued there. | | | | recording this famine and Djoser's actions. |
| Djoser's reign lasted only 18 years, yet is | | | | Imhotep, the builder of the step pyramid, traced |
| remarkable in that it ushered in Egypt's 'golden | | | | the source of the Nile to the island of Elephantine |
| age' of monumental architecture. Not only were | | | | and the caves of Khnum. |
| he and Imhotep able to organize the massive | | | | He assured Djoser that renewed worship of |
| workforce required for building the pyramid, but | | | | Khnum would start the floods again. Khnum then |
| they also initiated a belief that the pharaoh had | | | | appeared to Djoser in a dream. Djoser awoke |
| eternal existence. | | | | and was pleased at the message. He passed a |
| During the reign of Djoser in the third dynasty | | | | decree of an increase of taxes to be paid to the |
| (refer to the Cheat Sheet for a time line), Egypt | | | | temple of Khnum. |
| is said to have experienced seven years of | | | | |