Imhotep

Imhotep (/ɪmˈhoʊtɛp/; Ancient Egyptian: ỉỉ-m-ḥtp "(the one who) comes in peace"; fl. c. 2625 BC) was an Egyptian chancellor to King Djoser, possible architect of Djoser's step pyramid, and high priest of the sun god Ra at Heliopolis. Very little is known about Imhotep as a historical figure, but in the 3,000 years following his death, he was gradually glorified and deified. Although later traditions celebrated him as a great author of wisdom texts and especially as a physician, no texts from his lifetime mention these abilities, and his name does not appear in any records for the first 1,200 years after his death. Evidence suggests that regular libations to Imhotep continued until the Late Period (c. 664-332 BC), as documented on papyri associated with his statues. Scholar Wildung explains this cult as a gradual evolution in how intellectuals remembered Imhotep after his death. Gardiner notes that during the New Kingdom (c. 1550-1077 BC), Imhotep's veneration was distinctive enough from typical offerings to deceased commoners to justify describing him as a "demigod." References to Imhotep's healing powers first appear during the Thirtieth Dynasty (c. 380-343 BC), approximately 2,200 years after his death. Imhotep is among fewer than a dozen non-royal Egyptians who were deified posthumously, with Memphis serving as the center of his cult. Despite numerous efforts, the location of his tomb remains unknown, though scholars generally believe it is hidden somewhere at Saqqara.