As vizier to Pharaoh Djoser, Imhotep was in control of the judiciary, treasury, war and agriculture departments of the government as well as being Djoser's chief advisor. But he was also the high priest of Ra, an engineer, an architect and a physician.
The Birth of Imhotep
Imhotep (which means "he who cometh in peace") was born on the sixteenth day of Epiphi (or May 31) but the year of his birth was never recorded, or has been lost to history. His father Kanofer was a celebrated achitect in his own right who built works for King Darius I, and his mother, Khreduonkh was most likely from the province of Mendes. When Imhotep was deified, his mother was deified as well, as was Egyptian custom at the time.
Imhotep, Vizier of King Djoser
A vizier in ancient Egypt was described as being the supervisor of everything in this entire land and as such Imhotep worked closely with Djoser to rule the country. He was not only the pharaoh's adviser in practical matters but in religious ones as well. In fact no record of his political actions have ever been found but he was recognized as a wise reigious advisor. After seven years of famine throughout Egypt, Imhotep's vast knowledge of the proper methods of worship came in use and he was able to advise Djoser on the appropriate way to honor Khnum, the God of the source of the Nile.
Architect of the First Pyramid
The first structure of cut stone ever built, Djoser's step pyramid at Saqqara was designed by Imhotep to ease the pharaoh's ascent into the heavens after his death. His design was to elaborate on the mastaba tombs that had been used earlier by building six mastabas on top of each other with each one smaller than the last.The pyramid (which stands 62 meters high) was built over twenty years, a very short time considering that they had never built anything like it before and they only had simple hand tools. It was made of rough cut stones and cased in gleaming white limestone. Imhotep's design is built on a north-south axis instead of the east-west axis used in later pyramids.
The Father of Medicine
Imhotep was the first physician that we know of in history and therefore many people credit him with being the founder of medicine. During his lifetime he penned a medical work that focused on anatomical observation, ailments and cures unlike other medical thinking of the time which was centered around magic and religion.
Egyptian God of Medicine and Education
Two thousand years after his death, Imhotep was deified as a God of medicine and healing, becoming one of the few people of non-royal birth to be promoted to the status of God. His temples contained halls used for teaching medicine and the sick sleep in them hoping to be cured. It was said that he was the one who held up Nut, the goddess of the sky, and because of this was occassionally considered Nut's son. Imhotep was also honored as the patron of writing, education, literacy and scribes and was often identified with Thoth (which continued well into Greco-Roman times). He was also called the son of Ptah, and along with him and Sekhmet he was a member of the triad of Memphis. His power among the Gods in creased over time, and soon he was second only to the Sun God Ra. His mother was deified along side him and was sometimes called Sekhmet. She was elevated to devine status through the claims that she was the daughter of Banebdjedet.
Sources:
Encyclopedia of World Biographies
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