Serapeum
Egypt
Enjoy the Serapeum Tour: In this area, you will see giant stone sarcophagi and learn about the burial rituals of ancient Egypt.
Contents
8 sections · tap a section for its opening lines1Orientation
Welcome to the Serapeum of Saqqara, perhaps one of the most enigmatic and awe-inspiring archaeological sites in all of Egypt. As we stand on the desert sands above the Step Pyramid of Djoser, we are preparing to descend into a…
Listen in the app2The Main Gallery — Ancient Labyrinths
As we descend into the main gallery of the Serapeum, the transition from the arid desert above to the cool, subterranean air is immediate. This tunnel system was expanded over centuries, with major work beginning in the…
Listen in the app3The Granite Giants — Engineering Miracles
We now come to the most famous feature of the Serapeum: the colossal stone sarcophagi. There are over twenty of these massive boxes remaining in the chambers. …
Listen in the app4The Cult of Apis — Divinity in the Flesh
To understand the Serapeum, we must understand the Apis bull itself. In ancient Egyptian theology, the Apis was not a god, but a physical 'herald' or manifestation of the god Ptah, the creator deity of Memphis. …
Listen in the app5Auguste Mariette — The Moment of Discovery
The modern history of the Serapeum is inextricably linked to the French archaeologist Auguste Mariette. In 1850, while on a mission to collect Coptic manuscripts, Mariette noticed the head of a sphinx peeking through the sand at…
Listen in the app6Hieroglyphs and Inscriptions — Voice of the Past
While most of the sarcophagi in the Serapeum are undecorated, a few are covered in finely carved hieroglyphs. These inscriptions are of immense value to Egyptologists. …
Listen in the app7Technical Puzzles — How was it done?
As we conclude our walk through the galleries, we must return to the central mystery of the Serapeum: the technical execution of its construction. To appreciate the scale of the challenge, consider the environment. …
Listen in the app8Closing
As we emerge from the depths of the Serapeum back into the blinding light of the Saqqara plateau, the experience feels like a return from another world. We have walked through the silent corridors of the underworld, witnessed the…
Listen in the app
What is Serapeum?
Serapeum is a place in Egypt with 8 story sections on Tellby. You can read the opening of each section on this page; the sound plays in the app.
| Location | Egypt |
|---|---|
| Type | Activity |
| Story sections | 8 |
| Text language | English |
| Coordinates | 29.8760, 31.2102 |
| Last updated |
