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Imhotep was chief architect to the Egyptian Pharaoh Djoser. He was responsible for the world's first known monumental stone building, the Step Pyramid at Sakkara and is the first architect we know of by name.
Imhotep was a commoner at birth but his intelligence and determination enabled him to rise to become one of Djoser's most trusted advisors. He was also the architect of the pharaoh's tomb, the Step Pyramid.
Imhotep's influence lived on long after his death. In the New Kingdom he was titled as the patron of scribes, personifying wisdom and education.
During the Late Period he became a local god at Memphis where he was praised for his skills as a physician and a healer. It is said that he extracted medicine from plants and treated diseases such as appendicitis, gout and arthritis. At Memphis it was believed that he was an intermediary between men and the gods. It was also believed that he could help people solve difficulties in their daily lives and cure medical problems.
Imhotep was possibly the most famous non-royal Ancient Egyptian that ever lived.
There are numerous statues and statuettes of him that have been found. Some show him as an ordinary man who is dressed in plain attire. Others show him as a philosopher who is seated on a chair with a roll of papyrus on his knees or under his arm. Later, his statuettes show him with a god like beard, standing, and carrying the ankh and a scepter.