New Insights into the Step Pyramid Complex: Klasens’ Unpublished Seal Impression Drawings

Abstract

The Egypt Exploration Society archive contains unpublished pencil drawings by A. Klasens of seal impressions found in the Step Pyramid complex of Saqqara. Digitally inked versions of these drawings are published here for the first time. The seal impressions can be sourced to the Northern Galleries of the complex. The impressions were sealed on clay formerly plastered on a wall, and also bore the imprints of the end(s) of cylinder seals. To explain the presence of seal impressions of Khasekhemwy among the sealings drawn by Klasens, an attempt is made to trace the construction and use history of the Northern Galleries and the contemporary Western Galleries. Possible parallels between some of the Step Pyramid sealings and Beit Khallaf sealings are also discussed.