Chapter–3

EGYPT

Eighteenth dynasty painting from the tomb of Theban governor Ramose in Deir el-Madinah

 FRAMEWORK FOR STUDY

EXAMPLES

ARCHITECTURAL TOMB
CHARACTER TEMPLES OBELISKS DWELLINGS FORTRESSES
ARCHITECTURE
• Building materials • 1. MASTABAS • 1. MORTUARY
• Building typology • 2. ROYAL TEMPLES
• Elements & PYRAMIDS • 2. CULT TEMPLES
Embellishments • 3. ROCK-HEWN
TOMBS • CHRONOLOGICAL
CLASSIFICATION
• Middle Kingdom
• New Kingdom

• PTOLEMAIC &
ROMAN PERIODS
(332 BC – FIRST
CENTURY AD)
 Architectural Character
Primitive architecture in Nile Valley
readily available tractable materials like reeds, papyrus
(now extinct) and palm branch ribs, plastered with clay
Walls/fences- bundles of stems placed vertically side by
side and lashed to a bundle placed horizontally near the
top
Alternatively, palm –leaf ribs were planted in ground at
regular intervals, with others laced in a diagonal network
across them secured to a horizontal member near the
top, the whole being daubed with mud afterwards.
Buildings with circular plans could have domical
coverings; rectangular could have a tunnel-shaped
covering/flat roof.
1. Papyrus is a thick paper-like material
produced from the pith of the papyrus
plant, Cyperus papyrus, a wetland sedge 
(grass) that was once abundant in the Nile
Delta of Egypt. Papyrus is first known to
have been used in ancient Egypt (at least as
far back as the First Dynasty), but it was
also used throughout
the Mediterranean region. Ancient
Egyptians used this plant as a writing
material and for boats, mattresses, mats,
rope, sandals, and baskets
Wattle & daub

“wattle” is a method of weaving branches into lattice-like walls or fences.

“Daub,” referring to mud, clay-bearing soil, or animal dung, is filled into
and layered over the brush or wattle.

Wattle and daub may also be used for non-load bearing walls, filling in
between stronger structural branches or timbers. Daub provides more
thermal mass and strength to the brush structure and animal dung is
especially appreciated by some native cultures for its waterproofing
quality.
Maasai women repairing a traditional brush house. Credit: Wikipedia commons
Gorge & Khekher cornice

Pressure of the flat reed-and-mud

roofs against the tops of wall reeds
may have produced the
characteristic Egyptian gorge
cornice.

While the ‘khekher’ cresting less

frequently appearing in later archi.
may have originated in terminal tufts
of a papyrus-stalk wall.

Horizontal binders and angle bundles

survived in the roll moulding of stone
cornices and wall angles of historic
period
The pavilion & the ‘Heb-sed’

A type of pavilion/kiosk having a

special religious significance with
‘Heb-sed’ or jubilee festivals of the
Pharaohs

Originally used on Nile boats as well

as on land Grand festival

Light, rectangular structure open

fronted and with a porch carried on
two slender angle-shafts and having a
slab-like roof arching from the back to
front.

Held at definite interval of years in

king’s reign. Pharaoh seated himself
on a throne beneath an awning,
raised on a podium and approached
by steps
Detail from an ebony label of the First Dynasty
pharaoh Den, depicting him running around the ritual
boundary markers as part of the Sed festival
Timber

Once quite plentiful, used for better buildings, in square, heavy vertical
plates, lapping one in front of the other & producing an effect of
composite buttresses joined at the head and enframing narrow panels,
in the upper parts of which window-vents might occur.

Palm logs, rounded on the underside, were sometimes used as roofs.

Become scarce by dynastic times, never entirely went out of use.

Wooden Beams from Herod's Temple Mount
Elaborate graves
Stairway Mastabas
Shaft Mastabas
Temples
2 Main classes
Mortuary temples
- for ministrations to deified
Pharaohs
- developed from offering
chapels of royal mastabas
& pyramids
- early permanence
- greater importance
Cult temples
- Worship of ancient &
mysterious gods
- worship of multifarious local
deities
- rectangular palisaded hall,
entered from a narrow end
flanked by poles
- centrally emblem of deity.
- further end- pavilion with
vestibule & sanctuary
- 18th dynasty-sanctuary &
attendants’ apartments of stone
- new kingdom-more
development
 Temple features
- New kingdom – common features in both mortuary & cult temples

-impressive axial
gateway to the court
-extended across
whole width of court to
form a towering pair of
pylons

transversed columned
vestibule/hypostyle
hall sanctuary attended
by chapels & other
-main axis, not
rooms needed by
specifically oriented
preisthood
-walled open court,
with colonnades
around, leading to
covered str.
THANKS