In Sakkara there is the oldest step pyramid in the world, the Step Pyramid of Djoser, built during the Third Dynasty. There are also 16 royal pyramids, in different states of preservation.To the north of Sakkara there is the Abusir region, and to the south of it is Dahshur. Sakkara extends from the Giza pyramids area to Dahshur and was used as a burial area for the people of Memphis at various ages. It has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1979.

On September 6, 2020, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced the discovery of 13 wooden coffins in the Sakkara cemetery in Giza. These coffins are found stacked perfectly on top of each other at a depth of thirty-six feet, preserving some exterior paint colors. What makes these coffins distinct from their peers in the tomb complex there is that they remained intact for thousands of years, and remained sealed for hundreds of years after the burial process. Initial studies indicate that these coffins are completely closed and have not been opened since they were buried inside the well.

On October 3, 2020, Egypt announced a new archaeological discovery that included 59 wooden coffins in their first condition inside burial wells in the Sakkara region, in addition to a large number of amulets, ushabti statues and archaeological finds.