Egyptian civilization

Egyptian civilization on world map

Ancient Egypt was an ancient

civilization of eastern North Africa,
concentrated along the lower
reaches of the Nile River in what is
now the modern country of Egypt.

Egyptian civilization coalesced

around 3150 BC with the political
unification of Upper and Lower
Egypt under the first pharaoh.

The history of ancient Egypt

occurred in a series of stable
Kingdoms, separated by periods
of relative instability known as
Intermediate Periods.

FACTORS ON WHICH THE EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE ERA WAS BASED :

GEOGRAPHICAL:
-A strip of fertile land in the valley of river Nile, then arid region and finally vast desert.
-Lower northern part river meets the Mediterranean sea.
-Easter part is extends up to the red sea.
GEOLOGICAL:
-Clay from Nile delta- sun dried.
-Palm leaves, reeds as strengthening.
-Papyrus was grown.
-Lime stones, Sandstones
-Red or Grey granite.
-Temples of stones and houses of sun-dried bricks.

CLIMATE:
-2 Seasons spring & summer.
-No winter season.
-Light from door and roof slits.
-Massive unknown walls-sacred carving.

FACTORS ON WHICH THE EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE ERA WAS BASED :

RELIGIONS:
-PHARAOHS sons of the sun- King of the people.
-Priests for religious ceremonies.
SOCIAL CONDITIONS:
-Absolute power of PHARAOHS.
-Slaves or prisoners of war.
-Land distributed among relatives as a reward.
-Administration was run by army of scribbles.
-Recorded by them (ink and linen).
-Astronomy
-Calendar to predict seasons and months of Niles flooding.
-Science of reservoirs and canals.
-Medicine & Surgery.
-Pottery, Weaving, Jewellery.
-Traders, sailors & Ship builders.
-Wheat & Barley common crops.
-Leisure activities of the pharaohs: hunting games.

FACTORS ON WHICH THE EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE ERA WAS BASED:

HISTORICAL CONDITIONS:

From 3100 to 2200 BC

: The Old Empire

From 2180 to 2050 B.C. :First intermediate period

From 2050 to 1650 B.C. : The middle kingdom
From 1570 to 1080 B.C. : The new kingdom

EGYPTIAN KINGDOMS

From 3100 to 2200 BC

: The Old Empire

Around the year 3100 BC, King Menes united both kingdoms, called Lower and Upper
Egypt, and this way he became the first Egyptian pharaoh.
During this period, the pharaohs Khufu, Khafra and Menkaura ordered the
construction of great pyramids.

Class society
Lower: Peasants and Farmers
Upper: Pharaoh, the Royal Family, Priests, Scribes,
and Government Officials
At end of dynasty the pharaohs became weaker and
the nobles grew stronger
Revolutions began probably because of lack of food.

Menes

From 2180 to 2050 B.C. :First intermediate period

Time period marked by many civil wars

Period ends as new line of pharaoh comes to power

From 2050 to 1650 B.C. : The middle kingdom

Considered the golden age of Egypt

Noble and Priests begin to challenge the power of the Pharaoh led to
instability
During this period the pharaohs conquered lands in Nubia, to the south
of Egypt.

From 1570 to 1080 B.C. : The new kingdom

Kingdom centered around their capital, Thebes

Begin to build an empire
The strongest of the rulers were.

HATSHEPSUT

First female to ever hold the title of

Pharaoh.

Technically co-ruler with her son

Kept empires boundaries secure
and built trade

THUTMOSE I

RAMSES II (THE GREAT)

Stepson of Hatshepsut
Continued trend of mother

Expanded Egypts territory to

its largest extent until his
death in 1450 B.C.

Ruled from 1279 B.C.

to 1215 B.C.
Great Builder
Considered to be the
pharaoh at the time
of the Exodus
Later pharaohs were
weak

During this period, the pharaohs Thutmose I and Rameses I were important because they
conquered Palestine and Syria, extending their territories through the East.
In the last years of its history, the Persians and the Greek dominated Egypt. Finally they
were conquered by the Romans in the 1st century BC.

EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE IS DIVIDED AS TABULATED BELOW:

EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE

DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE
&
PALACES

PUBLIC BUILDINGS

TOMBS

ROYAL PYRAMIDS

MASTABAS

TEMPLES

ROCK HEWN TOMBS

Characteristics of Egyptian Architecture

 Roofs, invariably flat, suited to the lack of rain, were of huge stone blocks
supported by the external walls and the closely spaced columns.
Egyptian sculptors possessed the highest capacity for integrating
ornamentation and the essential forms of their buildings.
From natural objects, such as palm leaves, the papyrus plant, and the buds
and flowers of the lotus, they developed conventionalized motifs.
All dwelling houses, built of timber or of sun-baked bricks, have disappeared;
only temples and tombs, constructed in durable materials, have survived.

The surface decoration on masonry walls was made by scratching pictures on

the early mud plaster walls.
The belief in existence beyond death resulted in tomb architecture of utmost

impressiveness and permanence.