Imhotep (sometimes spelled Immutef, Im-hotep, or Ii-em-Hotep; called Imuthes (Ἰμούθης) by the Greeks), fl. 27th century BC (circa 2650--2600 BC) (Egyptian ỉỉ-m-ḥtp *jā-im-ḥātap meaning "the one who comes in peace, is with peace"), was an Egyptian polymath,[1] who served under the Third Dynasty king Djoser as chancellor to the pharaoh and high priest of the sun god Ra (or Re) at Heliopolis. He is considered by some to be the earliest known architect and engineer and physician in early history, though two other physicians, Hesy-Ra and Merit-Ptah, lived around the same time. The full list of his titles is: Chancellor of the King of Egypt, Doctor, First in line after the King of Upper Egypt, Administrator of the Great Palace, Hereditary nobleman, High Priest of Heliopolis, Builder, Chief Carpenter, Chief Sculptor, and Maker of Vases in Chief. He was one of only a few commoners ever to be accorded divine status after death. The center of his cult was Memphis. From the First Intermediate Period onward Imhotep was also revered as a poet and philosopher. His sayings were famously referenced in poems: "I have heard the words of Imhotep and Hordedef with whose discourses men speak so much." The location of Imhotep's self-constructed tomb was well hidden from the beginning and it remains unknown, despite efforts to find it. The consensus is that it is hidden somewhere at Saqqara. Imhotep's historicity is confirmed by two contemporary inscriptions made during his lifetime on the base or pedestal of one of Djoser's statues (Cairo JE 49889) and also by a graffito on the enclosure wall surrounding Sekhemkhet's unfinished step-pyramid. The latter inscription suggests that Imhotep outlived Djoser by a few years and went on to serve in the construction of king Sekhemkhet's pyramid, which was abandoned due to this ruler's brief reign. A SCOTTISH archaeologist has discovered what he believes is the final resting place of a 5000-year-old lost mummy - widely regarded as the holy grail of Egypt. Egyptologist Ian Mathieson (right) , from Lauder in Berwickshire, has found two vast tombs under the desert sands that could hold the remains of Imhotep, the architect of the Step Pyramid and one of the most important figures in ancient history. Imhotep, who became revered as a god after his death, was the builder, sculptor and architect of King Djoser of the Third Dynasty (2649-2575 BC). Archaeologists have long searched in vain for his tomb in the Saqqara burial ground. This highly sensitive area, now engulfed in desert sand, was once the great necropolis of Memphis -Egypt's main city for 2500 years -and is believed to hold untold riches, which prompted Napoleon to send an expedition in 1798. He revealed, "Most of the archaeologists working in Saqqara have been looking for Imhotep. "We've now found two large tombs that fall right within the area where we think he could be. The largest tomb is immense - around 90 metres long by 50 wide, with walls more than five metres thick. "Right next door is a second tomb, around 70 by 50 metres with very thick walls and a complicated internal structure which could point to a courtyard or temple. "They dwarf everything in the area - Imhotep may have designed his own tomb to compare with the Step Pyramid he built. A person of his standing could command the artisans and labour needed to build such imposing structures. "All the information points to this being the most probable place he could be." Although Ian's find was made last year he hasn't released the information until now because he's had to publish his findings and present them to the Supreme Council of Antiquities - the regulatory body for any archaeological work in Egypt. Mesmerising Since 1990 Ian (80) has uncovered a host of mesmerising discoveries in the Saqqara area. The work of the project, now sponsored by Glasgow Museums, has revealed a large number of previously unidentified structures under the sand. Two years ago Ian used scanning equipment to locate a two-kilometre section of the main ancient Egyptian ceremonial route know as the Serapeum Way that was lost beneath the sands. But this latest discovery could be the jewel in the crown of an illustrious career. Imhotep is the next best thing to the great discovery of Tutankhamun by Howard Carter in 1922, which sparked a worldwide media frenzy and ignited interest in ancient Egypt. Ian says the next step should be an excavation to look for the lost mummy but that could take some time. "The official line is that there's an excavation ban in the area for the next five years, primarily because it is so sensitive. Also, as soon as work begins on a major discovery like this treasure hunters pour into the area to pillage the sites. "At the moment the Egyptian authorities say they simply don't have enough guards to look after these sites. But who knows? These revelations could change their minds."

• published: 23 Jun 2014
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