A
step pyramid or
stepped pyramid is an
architectural structure that uses flat platforms, or steps, receding from the ground up, to achieve a completed shape similar to a
geometric pyramid. Step pyramids are structures which characterized several cultures throughout history, in several locations throughout the world. These
pyramids typically are large and made of several layers of stone. The term refers to pyramids of similar design that emerged separately from one another, as there are no firmly established connections between the different civilizations that built them.