Professional Documents
Culture Documents
LECTURE 3
Egyptian Architecture
Abhishek K. Venkitaraman
Assistant Professor
natural determinants
topography (location)
climate
natural resources, building materials and technology
man-made determinants
trade
political power
religion
defense
mobility
EARLY CIVILIZATIONS
EGYPTIAN
CIVILIZATION
Egypt Timeline
1. Prehistoric Period, B.C. 23000-4777.
2. The Ancient Empire (Dynasties I.-X.), B.C. 4777-2821. The capital being at Memphis, the tombs of this period are at
Abydos, Nakadeh, Memphis, Sakkara, Giza and Abusir.
3. The Middle Empire (Dynasties XI.-XVI.), B.C. 2821-1738. A prosperous period which includes the dynasties of the
Hyskos or shepherd kings.
4. The New Empire (Dynasties XVII.-XX.), B.C. 1738-950. This period had Thebes as the capital, and many imposing
buildings were erected at Karnak, Luxor, and elsewhere.
5. Period of Foreign Domination and the Late Egyptian Period (Dynasties XXVL--XXX.), B.C. 663 332 B.C. This period
includes the Persian Domination.
6. The Graeco-Roman Period, B.C. 332 640 A.D:
i. Alexander the Great and Ptolemaic Period, B.C. 332-30.
O v e r v i e w of A n c i e n t E g y p t i a n C i v i l i z a t i o n
LOCATION: Along the river Nile up to the Mediterranean Sea A desert with a strip of fertile country
SOCIETY:
The areas were unified into one territory by the first Pharaoh around 3000 BCE.
The Pharaoh had absolute power over all political and religious decisions in the country, including complete control over the
army.
They favoured the execution of monumental works more than anything else.
The period of unification in Egypt can be split into three different kingdoms; the Old, Middle, and New.
Memphis was the capital of the Old Kingdom, while Thebes was the capital of the Middle and New Kingdoms
NORTH CITY
CENTRAL CITY
SOUTH SUBURB
All the main settlements developed in a linear pattern along the River Nile, which was the
primary resource.
(5500 - 305 0 BC )
MAIN FEATURES:
Naqada culture had developed as a very strong civilization in the Nile Valley
Manufactured societal personal-use items, such as combs, small statues, painted pottery, high
quality decorative stone vases and jewellery made of gold, lapis lazuli and ivory
Use of written symbols that eventually developed into a full system of hieroglyphs for writing
the ancient Egyptian language
ARCHITECTURE:
Royal tombs of first dynasty
Simple brick-lined rooms with wooden roof
Foods, wines bearing official seal were kept for after life
3 chambers for family members.
9 other chambers for servants.
Egyptian Society
Social
structure
Influenced the city
planning & Architecture
Egyptian Society
The Nile River flooded the fields every year at the same time, after harvesting
season, and when it receded, it left behind fine silt Cultivation by farmers
Domesticated animals were used to pull ploughs
Crops like barley were planted because they would withstand the harsh sun.
Irrigation canals were dug from the river to the fields as well
Grain and other non-perishable goods were stored for drought
Dikes were built on the sides of the Nile to protect villages and farmland from
over-flooding
Papyrus plants that grew on the coast were used to make sails, ropes, and paper
They were also hunters and fishermen.
Specialized in crafts such as tool-making, architecture, and trades.
The Egyptians developed stone tools, and made bricks out of mud and clay
The creation of the Pyramids, Sphinx, and other fantastic temples not only
represented the amazing advances in technology and science made by the
Egyptians, but art as well
Culture
People believed that life was made up of continuous cycles, like
the flooding of the river
Their religion was based on nature around them, and the Pharaoh
was their link to the gods
Religion stressed preparing for the afterlife; those who could
afford it were wrapped in linens (called mummification) and buried
in elaborately decorated sarcophaguses - tombs filled with their
possessions and wealth.
The Pharaohs were buried beneath the most elaborate
archaeological tombs
Religion
A close connection between religion and architecture.
The priesthood was powerful, possessed of almost unlimited authority,
and equipped with all the learning possible
The religious rites were traditional, unchangeable and mysterious
A very high degree of learning in astronomy, mathematics, and philosophy
The remains of their literature have been preserved in the papyrus scrolls
Monotheistic in theory but polytheistic in practice
A multiplicity of gods was created by personifying natural phenomena,
such as the sun, moon, and stars, as well as the creation
Strong beliefs in an afterlife; hence preservation of the dead, and the
building of everlasting monuments like the Pyramids
Economy
No real money
Trading system based on grain and coins made of silver and copper.
Trade routes were developed between neighbors like Aegean islands, Nubia and Canaan.
NEW LANDMARKS IN
ARCHITECTURE AND CITY
PLANNING
Each successive Pharaoh had the freedom to spend his reigning life on earth
preparing his tomb for after-life.
Less time to settle down in each place
Most permanent building materials were used in temple or tomb construction
Tombs
Mastabas
Pyramids
(5500 - 305 0 BC )
Tombs consisted of a main chamber surrounded by storage rooms with provisions for a lavish life
after death
MAIN FEATURES:
Abundance of stones like red granite, white marble, black basalt and
sand stone
ARCHITECTURE:
41 meters high Obelisk near Aswan
Material used is Red Granite
Memphis
A
B
C
D
F
E
G H
I
J
K
L
M
R
S
Q
P
Y
T U
W
V
Thebes
Temples
Mortuary Complex
To m b s d u r i n g M i d d l e E m p i r e M a s t a b a s a n d R oc k C u t To m b s
In the Middle Empire tombs were either of the Pyramidal form, as at Abydos, or were rock-cut, as in the vertical cliffs
bounding the Nile valley.
Mastaba
3 1 0 0 BC
Dwelling house Mere temporary lodging ; Tomb Permanent abode
Mummy Embalmed corpse wrapped in linen bandages for burial
The Ka was a spiritual double, born with every man and lived on after he died as
long as it had a place to live. Hence tombs had a statue of Ka.
EVOLUTION OF PYRAMIDS
At first priests & high ranking officials came to be buried in tombs that were known as
mastabas. Most of them had many storage chambers for storing all types of goods needed
in the next life. However, due to frequent thefts, an under ground tomb known as the
stairway mastaba came to be preferred. The picture above shows the early mastabas at
Giza with false doors & other safety devices.
E x a m p l e - M a s t a b a o f T h y, S a k k a ra
M o r t u a r y C o m p l e x o f D j o s e r ( a t S a k k a ra )
S te p P y ra m i d a t S a k k a ra
Ka statue of Djoser
P y ra m i d a t M e y d u m
T h e B en t P y ra m i d , D a h s h u r
Constructed at Dahshur
The angle of the slop had to be change and hence the bend
After this failure, Snerfu asked the builders to return to the Meydum
Step Pyramid
T h e B en t P y ra m i d , D a h s h u r
C o m p a r i s o n o f S c a l e s o f P y ra m i d s
The Giza pyramid complex, on the outskirts of Cairo is considered to be the only
remaining monument of the 7 wonders of the ancient world. It consists of the great
pyramid of Cheops (Khufu), the pyramid of Chephren (Khafre), the smaller pyramid of
Mykerinus (Menkaure), the great Sphinx & other valley pyramids & offering chapels.
These 3 pyramids are a testimony to the engineering skills of the ancient Egyptians.
The Great pyramid of Cheops (Khufu) is the largest & about 760 square in plan, rising
to a height of 480, & covers an area of 13 acres. The 4 sides facing the cardinal points
of the compass are nearly equilateral triangles, making an angle of 52 deg. with the
ground. Of the 3 pyramids the original polished limestone casing is seen at the base of
the Cheops pyramid, the top of the Chephren pyramid, but not on the Mykerinus.
The most astonishing fact in the construction of the pyramids is - how did the Egyptians
manage to raise these enormous blocks of stone, weighing 2.5 tons & measuring 8x8x8
each, to a height of 480 ?. One of the theories is that ramps were built of mud brick &
rubble on which the stone blocks were dragged on sledges to the required height. Another
theory suggests that first a step pyramid was carved out of an existing mountain to form
the core, around which the ramps were built in a concentric fashion to raise the stone
blocks to each stage & fill up the steps to form the pyramidical shape. Finally the pyramid
was finished off by adding a casing of tura limestone, as shown below.
The entrance on the north side is 47 6 above the ground (Z), opens into a passage that
descends downwards leading to the subterranean chamber, about 60 below GL, which was
subsequently abandoned as a burial chamber. Midway from the descending passage an
ascending passage was cut into the rock that leveled off after a certain height, leading to
the Queens chamber, which was discarded. Finally a grand gallery of about 7 width,
tapering by corbelled courses of stone to a width of 3 6 at a height of 28, was built that
led to the Kings chamber, entirely constructed with granite. It measures 34 6x 17x 19 ht,
is roofed by 5 enormous blocks of stone & capped by 2 stones in an embryonic arch. The
chamber is sealed off by stone portcullises, weighing 50 tons each, fitted into recesses cut
in the rock. An air shaft of 8x8 connects to the exterior for the Ka (spirit) to escape.
The section above clearly shows the descending corridor leading to the subterranean
chamber, the ascending corridor leading to the Queens chamber & the grand gallery
leading to the Kings chamber in the Great pyramid of Cheops.
The section on the right is through the Kings chamber showing the roofing by massive
slabs of stone at 6 levels. The grand gallery & the ante chamber that would seal the
entrance by accommodating the portcullises can also be seen.
The external casing of limestone has entirely disappeared in the Cheops pyramid,
excepting some parts around the base. The smaller pyramids of the nobility can be seen
in the background & Idus tomb can be seen in the fore ground.
The pyramid of Chephren (Khafre) is built next to the Great pyramid of Cheops, as he is
the son & successor. The Chephren pyramid is actually 10 shorter & 46 more narrow
at the base than the Cheops pyramid. But it looks taller than the great pyramid because
it is built on higher ground. The slope of the pyramid is 53 degrees.
The top of the Chephren pyramid has retained the original limestone casing. There are 2
entrances located one above the other at a height of 50, that lead to a large limestone
chamber through a descending passageway. The lower corridor directly below the upper
corridor joins after a distance & leads to the inner chamber which is lined with granite.
This is a reconstructed
diagram of the pyramid of
Chephren with its causeway
connecting to the valley
temple, the pyramid of
Cheops & the surrounding
environs.
Sphinx
The walls in the tomb were painted in Egyptian art and can be seen in
modern Museums on tiles and pottery
The writing system developed by the Egyptians was called Hieroglyphics,
which consisted of a variety of pictograms and some phonetic syllables.
In Egypt, women had more rights than their Mesopotamian counterparts.
They were able to own business' and were not bound to men.
Temple districts
Temple districts were better planned.
The outlay of individual temples was basically
symmetrical.
Walls surrounded them.
At hotep-senusret :a) the brick wall was on three sides of the
temple
Was 12 metres thick and lined with limestone.
Avenues leading through the city to the temple
district were wide, suitable for processions.
Temple districts
Over time houses were built right up to the outer temple walls.
Houses decayed and were rebuilt many times , result that the ground level of the
residential area rose
The temples which, being built of stone, were not periodically rebuilt, seemingly sank into the
ground.
The detail plan of the Ammon temple shows the 4 pylons leading to the sanctuary, which
has been mostly destroyed. However, the plan shows the 6 pairs of central columns in the
hypostyle hall with 126 (9 rows x 7 lines x 2 sides) shorter columns on either side.
The great hypostyle hall is about 320 x 160 internally & is roofed by enormous slabs of
stone, supported by 138 columns. The roof of the central avenue is raised to a height of
80 with the columns itself rising to 69 ht & having a diameter of 11 9 with lotus
bloom capitals. The side avenues are lower in order to admit light through clear storey
windows with the columns rising to 42 ht and 9 diameter, having lotus bud capitals.
The effect produced by this forest of columns is most awe-inspiring.
The 2 views above show the columns of the central avenue with lotus bloom capitals &
the columns of the side avenues with lotus bud capitals. The clear storey windows
through which light was brought to the interior of the temple can also be seen.
This picture clearly shows the clear storey windows made of stone located above the
roofing of the side avenues & the columns of the central avenue with hieroglyphics.
The awesome effect of perspective & monumental scale produced by the forest of
columns in the hypostyle hall can be observed from the picture on the left. The obelisk
of Queen Hatshepsut, located between the 4th & 5th pylon rises to height of 30m.
This is the view of the Ammon temple from across the sacred lake that shows the
ruined condition of the sanctuary. The obelisks erected by Thutmose I & queen
Hatshepsut can also be seen.
The great temple at Abu simbel is one of the most stupendous of Egyptian rock-cut
tombs. The impressive faade, 119 wide & 100 high, is formed as a pylon with 4
colossal statues of Ramesses II, who built it. The vestibule beyond has 8 Osiris pillars &
vividly colored wall relief's. Eight small chambers used for storage adjoin this vestibule.
Beyond it is a small hypostyle hall with 4 pillars that leads to the sanctuary having altar.
The Temple at Edfu is the best preserved since it was built during the last period. The
massive entrance pylons with relief sculptures leading to the colonnaded great court &
the hypostyle hall with its faade of pillars can be seen in these 4 pictures.
Palaces
The whole compound was enclosed and separate from the rest of the capital,
Albeit close to suppliers of services, temples and the seat of the administration
Workers' dwellings
The houses of the workmen had two to four
rooms on the ground floor (44 and 60 m)
access to the flat roof, which was used as
living and storing space.
The houses abutting the inner wall on the
eastern side were bigger, having up to seven
rooms.
Some of the dwellings had conical granaries on
the ground floor. The doorways were arched
Traces of brick barrel-vaulting have been
found on supporting walls.
Roofs were made of wooden planks supported
by beams and plastered over with mud.
Comparative Plans of
Houses
Thank You