HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE

EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE

By
WINARCH
NATA COACHING CENTRE
CHENNAI - 89
 EGYPTIAN ART

Manetho, historian of the 3rd century B.C.: list of kings divided into 31 dynasties

WINARCH 2
 Egyptian History
• Predynastic Period c. 4500 - 3150 BCE
• Archaic Period 3150 - 2700 BCE
• The Old Kingdom 2700 - 2213 BCE
• First Intermediate Period 2213 - 2061 BCE
• The Middle Kingdom 2061 - 1668 BCE
• Second Intermediate Period 1668 - 1560 BCE
• The New Kingdom 1560 - 1069 BCE
• Third Intermediate Period1069 - 767 BCE
• Late Period 767 - 525 BCE
Persian Period 525 - 332 BCE
Greek Period 332 - 30 BCE
Roman Period 30 BCE - AD 395

WINARCH 3
 Period
• The history of ancient Egypt started with the
land divided into upper and lower Egypt
• The two regions were frequently at war with
each other
• Around 3000 BC, King Menes united the two
into a single nation
• Unification brought about peace that led to the
development of ancient Egyptian Civilization
 Location
• Located in Africa on the
northern edge of the Sahara
• The Nile bisects through the
land from the south to the
north
• The Nile is a seasonal river
that overflows its bank
yearly to create a fertile
valley
• The Ancient Egyptians lived
in the fertile valley and grew
their crops
• They buried their dead in the
desert
 Ancient Egyptian
Architecture
(from 3000 BC to 700 BC)

Egyptian architecture is easily recognizable, thanks to its most

famous buildings – pyramids. The construction of these impressive
burial places for pharaohs and their families required between 20,000
and 30,000 workers. Construction materials were limestone and sun-
baked bricks. Workers had to transport materials by sled and than
they had to lift the blocks using the system of ramps and pulleys.
Other Egyptian structures were temples and tombs, which were often
decorated with hieroglyphics and carvings.
 Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• Importance of the Nile
o The Nile and its delta was
the guiding force of ancient
Egyptian civilization
o It was a very predictable
river, overflowing its banks
every year from July to
October
o The floods leave a rich black
silt that is fertile and is
farmed by the people
 Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• Importance of the Nile
o During the floods, people were freed from farming
to engage in other activities including building work
o The Nile was also the highway of Egypt connecting
upper and lower Egypt
o The Nile also offered protection from Invasion by
outsiders
o The Nile offered a symbolic sense of direction to the
people, forming the primary principle in
architectural organization
 Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• Government
o At the center of ancient
Egyptian civilization
was a strong central
government headed by
pharaohs
o The pharaohs provided
Stability and a unified
sense of purpose
 Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• Religion
o Ancient Egyptians were a
religious people
o They believed in many
Gods
o Different symbols were
used to represent the Gods
and temples were built and
dedicated to them
o The pharaohs were also
held as living Gods
 Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• Religion
o Egyptians also believed in life after death
o They believed that when they die, their souls
called Ka would live in them for ever
o For the Ka to live, it needed either the body of
the dead person or a copy of it in the form a
statue
o The Ka will return each night to the body or
statue
o If both the body and statue are destroyed, then
the Ka would die
 Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• Mummification
o To ensure the availability of
a body to the ka of a dead
person, the Egyptians
developed a process of
preservation called
mummification
o The process involves
cutting open the body and
removing all the internal
organs and brain
 Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• Mummification
o The body is then packed in natron to dry it out
o It is then soaked in oil to preserve it
o Next it is wrapped in a special cloth called mummy
cloth
o The mummy is then coated with wax and a face
painted onto its wrapped head
o The mummification of a pharaoh took a period of 72
days
o Once mummification is finished, burial ceremonies
are performed and the body is ready for burial
 Social Characteristics & Beliefs
Architectural Ideas
o Ancient Egyptians viewed
earthly dwellings as temporary
o They paid little attention to
house construction
o The tomb was seen as a
permanent dwelling for the
afterlife
o Tremendous effort was exerted
in tomb construction
o The mummified dead body was
buried in a stone box called
sarcophagus in the tomb
 Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• Architectural Ideas
o They believed that a
dead person needs all
his worldly goods
o The tomb was usually
packed with all the
treasures of a dead
person
o If anything cannot be
provided, it is painted
on the walls of the
tomb
 Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• Architectural Ideas
o Tombs also have
charms to protect the
dead person & his
property
o The dead were buried in
cities of the dead,
called Necropolis
located in the desert
 Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• Achievements
o Ancient Egyptians had many achievements
o This included a developed system of government, a
belief system and art of mummification already
discussed
o They also left a legacy of tombs and temples that we
will study
o The Egyptians develop a system of irrigation to
improve agriculture
o The ancient Egyptians invented the hieroglyphics
systems of writing
o Historians were able to read hieroglyphics following
the discovery of the Rosetta stone
 Introduction
• During the old Kingdom, the pharaoh and his
court lived in Memphis
• When they died they were buried at the
Necropolis at Saqqara
• The earthly dwelling of the ancient Egyptians
was seen as temporary and the tomb as a
permanent dwelling
• Houses were built of temporary materials to
last for a life time
 Introduction
• Tombs were most outstanding architectural
element of the period
• Tombs also serve as the focus for the
worship of the dead
• The Tomb evolved during the old kingdom
from the Mastaba, through the stepped
pyramid to the renown ancient Egyptian
pyramid
• We will examine each of these next
 Mastaba

• The earliest method of burial in ancient Egypt was in

shallow pits in the desert
• The desert dried the bodies and preserved them
• When animals preyed on bodies, the people dug
deeper
• In the end they built a bench-like structure over graves
to create first burial structure called Mastaba
 Mastaba
• The name mastaba is derived from podiums
found in the front of traditional houses
• In the Old Kingdom, rich and noble person built
mastaba for their burial in the city of the dead
• Above ground the Mastaba is a large bench of
sun-baked bricks rising 9 meters high
• It had a flat top and slanting walls
• The earliest royal tombs were decorated with
painted patterns in brilliant colors
 Mastaba
• Internally, a mastaba consist
of three parts- a burial
chamber, a serdab and a
chapel
• The burial chamber was
located 30 feet below ground
• It was connected to burial
chamber above ground
through a shaft
• The burial chamber is the
place for the burial of the
dead person
 Mastaba
• In the chamber is found
the sarcophagus where
the dead body was
placed
• The burial chamber is
packed with all the
necessary things
needed in the after life
• After burial, the shaft to
the burial chamber is
sealed
 Mastaba
• The Serdab and
Chapel are located
above ground
• The serdab is a room
where the statue of
the dead person is
kept
• The statue acts as a
substitute for body in
case it is destroyed
 Mastaba
• Egyptians believe that the Ka must return to
the body or a copy of it each night
• If both body and statue are destroyed, the ka
would die
• The chapel is where the ka is supposed to
live for ever
• It is a colorful room meant to deceive the
gods into letting the ka enter the next world
• Had a false door leading to the land of the
dead
 Mastaba
• Some mastabas had fence walls, and
chambers for burial of servants

• Mastaba served as an embryo for the

evolution of the pyramid
 Stepped Pyramid
• King Zoser was the powerful pharaoh of
the third dynasty of the old kingdom
• The stepped pyramid was built for king
Zoser by Imhotep
• It was built as a funeral complex in the
necropolis at Saqqara
• Imhotep initially conceived of the tomb
as a large Mastaba of stone
 Stepped Pyramid
• Dissatisfaction with the
result led to the
stacking of mastaba one
on top of another
• The result was the
stepped pyramid with
five sloping setbacks
• The stepped pyramid is
the intermediate step
between mastaba and
geometric pyramid
 Stepped Pyramid
• Stepped pyramid was 200 feet
high with 6 giant steps
• The burial chamber is entered
from the north side and is 92
feet down
• On either side of the chamber
are store rooms for the kings
treasures
• All the treasures buried with
Zoser have long been stolen
• A stone statue of zoser was
also recently found staring out
through peep holes in his
Serdab
 Stepped Pyramid
• The Serdab is located
on the north side, along
with the funerary
temple
• The stepped pyramid
stands at the middle of
a large complex
• The funeral complex
consisted of palaces,
temples and the
stepped pyramid
• They were all
surrounded by a fence
wall 33 feet high
 Stepped Pyramid

• The fence wall of the funeral complex has a breaking

pattern of about 200 projections and recessions
• Fourteen of these were larger than the others and 13
out of the fourteen had false doors
• The false doors were for the use of the pharaoh’s ka
 Stepped Pyramid
• The entrance door
leads to a long hall
having two rows of
columns
• This is one of the
first uses of columns
in history
• The columns were
designed to look like
bundles of reeds and
had flutes
 Stepped Pyramid
• In the north palace is also
found stone columns with
capitals
• They were designed to look
like the papyrus plant
• Zosers funeral complex was
designed as a model of his
palace, city and kingdom
• The shape of the pyramid
suggest a stairway to the sky
to join the sun God Amon Ra
 Attempts at Pyramid Building
• After the stepped pyramids, there were
several attempt at building a pure
geometric pyramid
• Among the prominent attempts were the
pyramid at Medun and two pyramids
built by Snefru at Dashur
Attempts at Pyramid Building
• King Huni made the first
attempt at building a pure
pyramid at Medun
• He constructed a seven
stepped pyramid with a
square plan and height of
90 meters and an angle
of incline of 51 degrees
• The pyramid did not have
a mortuary temple
 Attempts at Pyramid Building
• Pharoah Snefru made
two attempts at pyramid
construction
• His first pyramid, the
Bent pyramid at Dashur
had a square plan with a
height of 102 meters
• The pyramid had a
change of angle midway,
leading to its being called
the bent pyramid
 Attempts at Pyramid Building
• Snefru’s second
pyramid, the north
pyramid, is the place
he was buried
• It had a low pitch of 43
degrees instead of 52
degrees making it look
stunted
• A true pyramid has an
incline angle of 52
degreess
 The Pyramids at Giza
• The construction of a
true geometrical
pyramid was achieved
during the reign of
Cheops, son of Snefru
• This was located at Giza
• This pyramid is called
the Great Pyramid
because of its size
• The pyramid is 482 ft
high on a plan 760 ft
square
 The Pyramids at Giza
• Two additional pyramids
were subsequently built
at Giza
• The second largest in the
center was built by
Chefren, the son of
Cheops
• The third and smallest
was built by Mykerinus,
the son of Chefren
• The three together are
referred to as the
pyramids at Giza
The Great Pyramid of Giza
 The Pyramids at Giza
• The three are aligned
diagonally along the
projection of the
diagonal of the great
pyramid
• The small pyramids
close to them were
built for their Queens
 The Great Pyramid Cheops
• The great pyramid has a
unique internal
arrangement
• First it has a chamber
built below the base of
the pyramid
• Another chamber was
built above it known as
the queen’s chamber
• A larger burial chamber
known as the king’s
chamber was built at the
center of the pyramid
 The Great Pyramid Cheops
• This is the chamber where
the king was buried in his
Sarcophagus
• The kings chamber was 35 ft
by 17ft in plan and 19ft high
• Both the king and queen
chamber are connected to
the entrance on the north
side
• Two air shafts also connect
the king’s chamber to
outside for ventilation
• Once a king is buried, the
burial chamber was sealed
forever
 Pyramid
• The pyramids were
designed as part of a
funeral complex for the
burial of a pharaoh
• Chefren’s complex is the
best preserved example
• The complex consist of
three interconnected units:
o A valley temple by the river
Nile where the pharaoh’s body
was embalmed
o A pyramid mortuary temple for
rituals
o A long narrow causeway
connecting the two
 Burial Ceremony

• The death of a pharaoh marked the beginning

of a grand funeral
• Hundreds of ships and barges filled with
nobles and priest sailed the Nile from
Memphis to Giza
• The largest barge carried the body of the
pharaoh
 Burial Ceremony
• The boats docked at the lower valley
temple where the body was carried to
the roof for mummification
• At the end of 72 days, an opening of the
mouth ceremony was performed
• A procession carried the pharaoh’s
body along the causeway to the pyramid
mortuary temple
 Burial Ceremony
• This temple had many small chapels
each with false doors
• Many statues of the pharaoh were place
in the temple so that his ka could come
back each night
• After prayers to the God Osiris, the body
was lowered through the secret opening
on the north side to his burial chamber
• There he was laid in his stone
Sarcophagus
 Burial Ceremony
• Rich treasure was heaped on him
• The passage was filled with rock and
sealed forever
• Now it was time for the pharaohs ka to
pass to the land of the dead
• The funeral complex shows the earliest
development of the components of the
new kingdom temple
 The Sphinx at Giza
• Located in Giza is the
great Sphinx with the
body of a lion and head
of chefren
• The reason for its
construction is not clear
• A theory hold that it was
produced from leftover
material
• It may also have been
carved to stand guard
over the temple and tomb
of Chefren
 Pyramid Construction
• How were the pyramids constructed?
• There is no accurate knowledge about the
method of construction of the pyramids
• It is believed that 100,000 men worked 3
months each year for 30 years to build the
pyramids
• The lime stone used was quarried from
nearby and transported by lever action
• They were paid in food, clothing and drinks
 Why did Egyptians Build Pyramids
• The pyramids were in
general a response to the
vast desert landscapes
• For structures to be visible
in the desert they have to be
of gargantuan size
• The pyramids were also a
product of the will to
achieve immortality by the
pharaohs
• The pyramids are the
everlasting home of the
pharaoh’s ka
 End of Pyramid Construction
• After the Mykerinus period, the era of pyramid
construction ended
• More pyramids were built later but they were
smaller and less complex
• Later pharaohs could not also afford the cost
of huge pyramid construction
• Grave robbers also learned how to break into
and steal the goods buried with pharaohs
• The end of the Old Kingdom therefore marked
the end of the great era of Egyptian pyramid
construction.
 Mortuary Temples Introduction
• The Middle Kingdom began
when pharaoh Mentuhotep
united Egypt again after the first
intermediate period
• During the middle kingdom, the
practice of pyramid
construction disappeared
• Focus in architectural
development was however still
on tombs and burial chambers
• Two categories of structures
came into use- mortuary
temples and underground
tombs
 Mortuary Temples Introduction
• Mortuary temples served as the place for the burial
and worship of pharaohs
• Temples dedicated to Gods were also located in them
• Mortuary temples owe their origin to the pyramid
funeral complex, particular the valley and pyramid
temples
• Underground tombs became popular because of the
belief that they could not be robbed
• Many power and wealthy pharaohs and noblemen
carved their tombs directly into rock cliffs and
underground during the Middle and New kingdoms
• Most of the tomb and burial chamber construction
was carried out at Del Al Bahari
 Mortuary Temple of Mentuhotep
• Two mortuary temples
were built at Del al
Bahari; mortuary temple
of Mentuhotep and
Hatshepsut
• Mentuhotep was the first
Pharaoh of the middle
kingdom
• He built the first mortuary
temple at Del-al Bahari
 Mortuary Temple of Mentuhotep
• The temple is terraced in
two levels
• The upper terrace is faced
with double colonnades
• At the center is a core
believed to have a small
pyramid on top
• The pyramid is believed
to be a dummy burial
chamber
 Mid & New Kingdom Burial-Cham

Mortuary Temple of Mentuhotep

• Entrance to the real
tomb is found at the rear
from the western
courtyard
• The burial tomb is
accessible through a
ramp leading down at
the center of the court
yard
• Just like the pyramid
funeral complexes, the
temple of Mentuhotep
also has a causeway
leading to a valley
temple
 Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut
• Queen Hatshepsut’s temple was built 500
years after that of Mentuhotep during the new
kingdom
• Hatsheptsut was the only female pharaoh to
rule Egypt
• When Her husband Pharaoh Tutmosis died,
her step son was too young to rule
• She therefore became the ruler
• Even when he grew old, she would not allow
him to rule and crowned herself pharaoh
Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut
• She dressed as a pharaoh, wearing men’s
cloth with a false beard attached to her chin
• The temple of Mentuhotep served as a model
in the design of her temple
• Her extraordinary funeral temple located at
Del-Al-Bahari, is set against the background
of the cliffs
• The architect of her temple is believed to be
Senmut who is also buried in the temple
 Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut
• Hatshepsut hid her tomThe
temple of Hatshepsut is like a
giant stage on three levels
• Each of the three levels was
connected by a ramp
• Her temple fits very well into
the tall rock cliffs behind it
• On the top level is her chapel
dedicated to the goddess
Hathor
• The chapel was dug out of the
rock cliff
• tomb in the deep rock cliffs to
stop robbers
 Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut
• But her tomb was also
plundered and smashed into
a thousand pieces
• Archeologist believe that her
son Tutmosis III poisoned
her to death and wrecked
her tomb
• The temple of Hatshepsut
had no dominant mass
• Instead, there was a strong
horizontal axis running
across the set of terraces
and perpendicular to the
mountains
Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut
• Her temple was not a construction of stone
masses as in the pyramids
• It was rather a play of the emptiness of
terraces, ramps and courtyards against the
busy background of the cliffs
• Her temple captures the shift from the
compact geometry of the old kingdom
pyramids to the linear composition of the New
Kingdom temples
Underground Tomb- Rock Cut Tomb
• Two types of Underground
tombs were built by
pharaohs and nobles
during the Middle and New
Kingdom periods- Rock
cut tombs and Shaft
tombs
• Rock cut tombs are tombs
that are carved out of
rocks
• Many of theses are found
along the cliff of the Nile
• A very good example is
the Rock cut tomb at Beni
Hassan
Underground Tomb- Rock Cut Tomb
• Beni Hassan consist of 3
elements:
o A colonnade entrance
portico for public
worship
o Behind the portico, a
chamber or hall with
columns supporting the
roof serving as a chapel
o A small recess towards
the back of the chapel
where the person is
buried
Underground Tomb- Rock Cut Tomb

• The columns on the

exterior were shaped
like a prism with 8 or
16 sides
• The columns in the
interior were
designed as a bundle
of reed tied together
by rope
 Underground Tomb- Shaft Tombs
• Shaft tombs were a
complex series of
underground corridors
and rooms cut out of the
mountains in the valley
of the King at Del-Al-
Bahari
• The large number of
rooms and their
complicated
arrangement is
deliberately done to
create a maze or puzzle
 Underground Tomb- Shaft Tombs
• This is designed to
make it difficult for
robbers to determine
where a dead person is
buried
• A dead pharaoh or
nobleman is buried in
one of the many
underground rooms
• Once the burial is
finished, the entrance is
sealed permanently and
hidden from everybody
 Introduction
• The Middle Kingdom
lasted for 275 years
• The New Kingdom started
after the end of second
intermediate period
• The New Kingdom lasted
for 500 years
• During the New Kingdom,
the capital of ancient
Egypt moved from
Memphis to Thebes
 Introduction
• The most important and common
architectural elements of the New
Kingdom were temples
• Several temples were built dedicated to
Egyptian Gods
• The New Kingdom Temples borrowed a
lot of elements from the funeral
complexes at Giza
• They also borrowed elements from the
Mortuary temples at Del-Al-Bahari
 Introduction
• The borrowed elements include:
o Long approaches
o Guardian sphinxes
o Collonaded vestibules and inner courts
o Darkening shrines
o Intricate linear progression of constructed space
• The New Kingdom temples allow a series of
experiences passing in stages from openness
and light in the exterior to interior closure and
darkness
• This feeling was deliberate as only the
Pharaoh and priest were allowed into the inner
part of temples
 Introduction
• Many examples of
the New Kingdom
temples are found at
Karnak and Luxor, all
in Thebes
• An avenue of
sphinxes connects
the two sites
 Temple of Khons, Karnak
• The temple of Khons
at Karnak is a good
example of a simple
New Kingdom Cult
Temple
• This temple show an
example of the
components and
organization of a
typical temple
 Temple of Khons, Karnak
• This is dedicated to the God
Amun
• A person approaching first
meets the entrance wall
called pylon
• The pylon is higher and
wider than the temple
behind it
• The pylons were treated
with molding and decorated
relief carvings
• Mast with royal and
religious flags fly in front of
the pylon
 Temple of Khons, Karnak
• Behind the pylon is the peristyle
courtyard
• Made up of a row of twin
colonnades on two or more sides
and was open to the sun
• It is the only place where common
people were allowed to enter
• Beyond the Peristyle courtyard is
the hypostyle hall
• Hypostyle means room with many
columns.
• Peristyle hall and columns painted
in bright colors
 Temple of Khons, Karnak
• The ceiling was usually
painted blue to resemble
the sky with stars twinkling
• The columns in the center
of the hypostyle hall were
usually higher than on the
two other sides, giving the
room two roof levels
• In between the two roofs,
windows were place to
allow light to enter
• These are called clerestory
windows
 Temple of Khons, Karnak
• A gate from the hypostyle hall leads
into the sanctuary

• Only the pharaoh and the priest were

allowed here

• In the sanctuary is found boats or

barges kept on stone

• Each boat had a god inside

• At the far end of the Sanctuary are

found chapels dedicated to gods and
goddesses
• Here the priest washed, fed and
dressed statues of the Gods each day
 Temple of Khons, Karnak
• As you move from the
pylon into the temple, the
roof becomes lower and
the floor rises up
• The inside is also slowly
darkened
• The sanctuary is
completely dark except for
small holes over the
chapel of the Gods
• Every morning, the rays of
the sun awakened the
Gods
• The whole temple is
surrounded by a wall
 Temple of Amon, Karnak
• All the other New Kingdom
temples have the same
components and sequences of
space found in temple of Khons
• They are usually more elaborate in
terms of scale, enlargement and
duplication of elements
• The temple of Amon, Karnak is an
example of the more elaborate
temples
• It is the largest of the New
Kingdom temple and it grew in a
haphazard way
 New Kingdom Cult Temples

Temple of Amon, Karnak

• It is the largest of the New Kingdom temples and

it grew in a haphazard way
• Built by at least 16 pharaohs over a period 1700
years
• Each pharaoh added either a pylon, courtyard,
hypostyle hall or decorated on parts built by an
earlier pharaoh
• Queen Hatshepsut, Tutmosis II and Rameses II
all added to the temple
• The front pylon had two obelisk in front
• Apart from the front pylon, the temple had two
additional pylons
 New Kingdom Cult Temples

Other Temples
• Arrangement of the hypostyle
hall is particularly stunning
• It consist of 134 columns
arranged in 16 rows; 7 rows of
smaller columns on each side
framing 2 rows of larger
columns
• The larger columns are higher
and have a higher roof
• Smaller columns were of closed
papyrus bud, while the larger
ones were of open buds
• The open buds of the higher
column combined with lighting
from the clerestory window
creates an effect of lifting
 New Kingdom Cult Temples

Other Temples- Temple of Luxor

• There are several other

temples built during the
New kingdom
• We will not be able to
review all the others[339]
• Among the important
ones are:
• The temple of Luxor
(1408-1300 BC)
 New Kingdom Cult Temples

Other Temples- Temple of Seti

• The Temple of Seti

(1312 BC)
 New Kingdom Cult Temples

Other Temples

• The Ramesseum
Thebes (1301 BC)
 New Kingdom Cult Temples

Other Temples

• The Great Temple

Abu Simbel (1301
BC)
• Do take some time to
visit some of the
websites listed in the
ancient Egyptian
civilization notes to
learn more about
these temples
 Other Architectural Elements

Columns
• Egyptian architecture also
developed several unique
architectural elements
• Includes Columns, relief
carving, and writing, the
obelisk and sphinxes
• Egyptian column has its
origin in plant materials- the
lotus flower, papyrus plant
and the palm tree
• Columns were design to
imitate the plants
• Capitals were designed to
resemble a bud or bell form
of a flower
 Other Architectural Elements

Relief Carving and Painting

• Relief carving and

painting was used to
record history or
depict everyday
social
 Other Architectural Elements

Obelisk
• The obelisk is an
element unique to
Egyptian architecture
• It was carved as a
monolithic piece of
stone and erected in
front of temples
• They were usually
dedicated to a
particular God,
pharaoh or nobleman
 Other Architectural Elements

Sphinxes
• Sphinxes are statues
with the body of a lion
and the head of the
God Horus
• They are used to line
avenues leading to
temples
• They are believed to
provide protection
• They also reinforce the
axial planning of the
new kingdom temples
 Materials, Const. & Systems

Technologies
• Ancient Egyptians contributed to technologies in
the aspect of lighting
• Egyptians used courtyards extensively for
lighting
• Technology has existed since the ANE period
• The greatest contribution of the Ancient
Egyptians is in the aspect of Clerestory lighting
• In the hypostyle hall of Egyptian temples is found
one of the earliest application of the clerestory
method of lighting
• By making columns higher and creating two roof
levels, the ancient Egyptians were able to admit
light into halls
 Principles of Arch. Organization

Application of Linear & Geometrical Org

• The Most important compositional principle in

ancient Egypt is linearity and axial organization
• Linearity means organization along a line, while
axial organization means that there is a defined
axis running through the whole composition
• Almost all the predominant monuments have a
linear and axial organization
• These include the pyramid funerary complexes
and the mortuary and cult temples
 Principles of Arch. Organization

Application of Linear & Geometrical Org

• Egyptian architecture also displays an
understanding and application of geometry in
design
• This is noticeable in the pyramids at Giza
• All the three main pyramids are Geometrical
pyramids
• A geometric pyramid has a square base and a
52 degree inclination of its sides
• All the pyramids are also aligned in a straight line
along their axes
• This could only have been achieved with the
understanding of geometry
 Principles of Arch. Organization
Application of Harmony & Contrast
• Architecture in ancient Egypt also displays
understanding of the principle of Harmony and
contrast
• Example of this is reflected in the pyramids at
Giza
• The color and material of the pyramid create a
harmony between the pyramids and the desert
• The form and shape of the pyramids however
contrast sharply with the smooth undulating
desert
 Principles of Arch. Organization
Application of Harmony & Constrast
• This understanding is also displayed in the
temples of Mentuhotep and Hatshepsut
• A double row of columns used to front the lower
and upper terraces create a harmony with the
rugged background of the mountain cliffs
• The terraces of the temples are however in sharp
contrast with the mountainous nature of the
environment
• The temples appear like an island of peace in a
rugged and violent environment
 Forces Shaping Arch. Organization
Influence of the Desert
• Ancient Egyptian architecture can only be
understood by also looking at the environment in
which it is located
• Egypt is essentially located in a desert and the
desert is nothing but empty space
• For anything to be visible and considered
monumental, it must match the scale of the
desert
• This understanding may have influence the
architects of ancient Egypt to focus on building
massing and creating the massive buildings that
we have studied
 Influence of the Nile

• The Nile had an important influence in the

linearity and axiality of ancient Egyptian
Architecture
• The Nile was a very straight river
• The straightness of the line provided the ancient
Egyptians with both a symbolic sense of direction
and a principle for application in the creation of
monumental buildings
 Religion and Social Symbolism
• A review of the forces shaping architecture in
ancient Egypt will be incomplete without
considering the role of religion and social
symbolism
• Religion, particularly the belief in life after
death was a strong factor in creating the
monumental architecture of ancient Egypt
• The tombs and the temples are all a factor of
the desire to achieve immortality or appease
Egyptian Gods
 Religion and Social Symbolism
• Social symbolism also played a part in shaping
ancient Egyptian architecture
• Egyptian society is segregated with pharaohs,
noblemen and commoners
• The desire to build massive tombs and temples
by pharaohs and noblemen is a way to express
their social standing in society
• Put in another way, the buildings are an
expression of the power, authority and social
standing of the nobles and pharaohs who built
them
Palette of King Narmer, 3150-3125 B.C.

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 Portrait Panel of Hesy-ra, from
Saqqarar. c. 2600 BC. Wood,
height 45".

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 Development of the Pyramid Imhotep. Step Pyramid of King
What Life Was Like on the Banks Djoser, Saqqara. 3rd Dynasty. c.
of the Nile. (Alexandria, Virginia: 2681 - 2662 BC
Time-Life Books, 1999), 139

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Surviving Mastaba

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Imhotep, Step Pyramid of King Djoser, c.
2681-2662 B.C.

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 Columns used at Djoser's
Djoser's funerary complex
complex

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ELEMENTS OF ARCHITECTURE IN ANCIENT ART

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The Pyramids of Menkuare (c. 2533 - 2525 BC), Khafre (c. 2570 -2544
BC), and Khufu (c. 2601 - 2528 BC), Giza.

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The Great Pyramid of Giza
Plan of necropolis at Giza with sections of Pyramid of Khufu and
mastaba,
and with inset of Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara

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The Great Sphinx, Giza. c. 2570 - 2544 B.C. Sandstone, height 65'

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 Menkuare and His Wife, Queen
An Egyptian Canon of Proportions for
Khamerernebty, from Giza. c. 2525 representing the human body
BC. Slate, height 54 1/2".

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 Egyptian sculptors at work on various statues. Drawing after a painting in the tomb of
Rekhmire, c. 1475 BC.

Bruce Cole. The Informed Eye: Understanding Masterpieces of Western Art. Chicago: Ivan R.
Dee, 1999.

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Khafre, from Giza. c. 2500 BC.
Diorite, height 66".

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Seated Scribe, from Saqqara. c.
2400 BC. Limestone, height 21".

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 Ti Watching a Hippopotamus Hunt, tomb
of Ti, Saqqara. c. 2510 - 2460 B.C.
Painted limestone relief, height approx.
45".

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 New Kingdom

Mai and His Wife, Urel. Detail of a limestone relief. c. 1375 B.C. Tomb
of Ramose, Thebes.

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A Pond in a Garden. Fragment of a wall painting from the Tomb of
Nebamun, Thebes. c. 1400 B.C.

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Map of Thebes

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Temple of the Queen Hatshepsut, Deir el-Bahri. c. 1478 - 1458 B.C.

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Temple of the Queen Hatshepsut, Deir el-Bahri. c. 1478 - 1458 B.C.

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Temple of the Queen Hatshepsut

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Akhenaten and His Family. c. 1355
B.C. Limestone, 12 ¾ x 15 ¼".

• Akhenaten attempted
to defeat the threat of
the priests in Thebes
through the Amarna
Revolution

• Moved capital to
center of Egypt, at
Aten

• Closed temples
Changed his name
from Amenhotep to
Akhenaten

• Proclaimed his faith in

single god- Aten

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 Amarna Style

Queen Nefertiti. c. 1348 - 1336/5

B.C. Limestone, height 19".
• Exaggerated features: .i.e.
protruding belly, large lips

• Sensitive: more intimacy and

emotion is portrayed

• Informal: everyday scenes depicted

• Overemphatic outlines: stylized

realism

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Queen Nefertiti offering gifts to Isis

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Burial Mask of Tutankhamun,c. 1325 B.C.E. Gold inlaid with blue
glass and semi-precious stones, height 21 1/4".

• Nephew of
Akhenaten, married
to his daughter
• Died at the age 18

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 Howard Carter and assistant Cover of the Coffin of
unwrapping the innermost of Tutankhamen. 18th dynasty. Gold,
Tutankhamun's three nested height 72".
coffins.
Getlein, Mark. Gilbert's Living With
Art. Boston: Mc Graw Hill, 2002.

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The Weighing of the Heart and the Judgement of Osiris, from the Book of
the Dead of Hunerer. 1285 BC. Painted papyrus, height 15 5/8".

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Pylon and Court of Ramesses II, Temple of Amun, Luxor. c. 1279 -1212 B.C.

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Luxor

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Avenue of Sphinx, Luxor

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Luxor

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 EGYPT after temples at Luxor

• Third Intermediate Period

c. 1069 - 767 BCE

• Late Period
c. 767 - 525 BCE

• Persian Period: Immigration of artists to Greek Cities

c. 525 - 332 BCE

• Greek Period: Alexander the Great

c. 332 - 30 BCE

• Roman Period: Cleopatra

30 BCE - AD 395

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Abu Simbel Temples

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Abu Simbel Temples
• Took about twenty years to
build, was completed around
year 24 of the reign of
Rameses the Great
• Dedicated to the gods
Amun, Ra-Horakhty, and
Ptah, as well as to the
deified Rameses himself
• Considered the grandest
and most beautiful of the
temples commissioned
during the reign of Rameses
II
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Abu Simbel Temples
• Four colossal 20 meter statues of
the pharaoh with the double Atef
crown of Upper and Lower Egypt
decorate the facade of the temple,
which is 35 meters wide and is
topped by a frieze with 22
baboons, worshippers of the sun
and flank the entrance
• Statues were sculptured directly
from the rock in which the temple
was located before it was moved.
• All statues represent Ramesses II,
seated on a throne and wearing
the double crown of Upper and
Lower Egypt

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Abu Simbel Temples
• Next to the legs of the
colossi, there are other
statues no higher than the
knees of the pharaoh.
• These depict Nefertiti,
Ramesses's chief wife,
and queen mother Mut-
Tuy, his first two sons
Amun-her-khepeshef,
Ramesses, and his first
six daughters

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