EGYPTIAN

ARCHITECTURE
GEOGRAPHY
 Nile
- dikes, reservoirs, irrigation
- trade route:
- Africa
- Middle east
- Mediterranean
- links lower and upper Egypt
GEOGRAPHY
GEOLOGY
 SUN-DRIED BRICK – domestic
structures
 DATE PALM – roofing
 ACACIA – boat
 SYCAMORE - sarcophagus
 STONE – for temples &
pyramids
- Soft Stone: limestone
sandstone
alabaster
- Hardstone: granite
quartzite
basalt
CLIMATE
 Arid
 Structures don’t have
downspout, drainage, gutters
 Little to no window openings
HISTORY
OLD KINGDOM
- 1st – 10th dynasty
- Memphis
- Pharaohs
- Absolute rulers
- Power struggles
- Crop failures
- Pyramids of Egypt
- mastaba
HISTORY
MIDDLE KINGDOM
- 11th – 17th dynasty
- Thebes
- Important Rulers:
- Mentuhetep II
- Senusret
- Amenemhat I
- Large drainage
- Traders had contact with
middle east and crete
- Corruption and rebellions are
common
HISTORY
NEW KINGDOM
- 18th – 30th dynasty
- Important Rulers:
- Thotmes I
- Hatshepsut
- Thotmes IV
- Amenophis III
- Rameses I
- Rameses II
- Expansion of territory
- Egyptian power declined
RELIGION
 Eternal life after death
 Polytheistic
- Amun – Rah: Chief god
- Rah: Sun god
- Horus: Sky god
- Osiris: god of underworld/dead
- Isis: wife of osiris
- Set: god of evil
- Thot: god of wisdom
- Ptah: god of craftsmen
- Serapis: bull god
SOCIETY & CULTURE
 Monarchy – form of government
 hieroglyphics
 Doctors diagnosed & cured
illnesses, performed surgery,
developed medicines still used
today
 12 month calendar
 Practical geometry
 Statues, paintings, poems,
proverbs, stories, folktales,
hymns, prayers,etc.
SOCIETY & CULTURE
HIERARCHY:
Pharaoh – earthly leader; living
god

High Priest/ess – served god &

godesses

Noble – royal families, leaders

Soldiers, Viziers, chancellors,

chief stewards – next to leaders

Farmer, fishermen, craftsmen,

merchant – ordinary Egyptians

Peasant – lowest form

CHARACTERISTICS OF EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE
- Adobe & stone
- SIMPLICITY
- MONUMENTALITY
- SOLIDITY & MASSIVENESS
- POST & LINTEL CONSTRUCTION
- BATTERWALL
CHARACTERISTICS OF EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE
- Egyptian settlements have disappeared because they were
situated near the Nile
- Other settlements have survived because they were built on
high ground
RELIGIOUS BUILDINGS/MONUMENTS
- Massive structures with thick, sloping walls
- few openings
- Exterior & interior walls; columns & beams are covered with
carvings, hieroglyphics & frescoes
- Motifs:
- scarab
- solar disk
- palm leaves
- papyrus plant
- lotus
RELIGIOUS BUILDINGS/MONUMENTS
- Massive structures with thick, sloping walls
- few openings
- Exterior & interior walls; columns & beams are covered with
carvings, hieroglyphics & frescoes
- Motifs:
- scarab
- solar disk
- palm leaves
- papyrus plant
- lotus
RELIGIOUS BUILDINGS/MONUMENTS
- Massive structures with thick, sloping walls
- few openings
- Exterior & interior walls; columns & beams are covered with
carvings, hieroglyphics & frescoes
- Motifs:
- scarab
- solar disk
- palm leaves
- papyrus plant
- lotus
RELIGIOUS BUILDINGS/MONUMENTS
- Massive structures with thick, sloping walls
- few openings
- Exterior & interior walls; columns & beams are covered with
carvings, hieroglyphics & frescoes
- Motifs:
- scarab
- solar disk
- palm leaves
- papyrus plant
- lotus
RELIGIOUS BUILDINGS/MONUMENTS
- Massive structures with thick, sloping walls
- few openings
- Exterior & interior walls; columns & beams are covered with
carvings, hieroglyphics & frescoes
- Motifs:
- scarab
- solar disk
- palm leaves
- papyrus plant
- lotus
RELIGIOUS BUILDINGS/MONUMENTS
MASTABA
- Flat top solid temple
- Built above a shaft with a tomb
at the bottom
- Rectangular in plan with flat roof
- Inward sloping walls (75˚)
- Built with brick faced with
limestone slab
- Usually found around the
pyramids
- Interment for royal officials
MASTABA
- 3 parts:
- Mortuary Chapel –
offerings
- Serdab - inner secret
chamber containing
statues of deceased
family
- Burial chamber –
contains the
sarcophagus
PYRAMID
- Monumental royal tomb
- 4 faces facing the cardinal
directions
STEP PYRAMID
- Transition from mastaba
to the famous pyramidal
shaped tombs
PYRAMID OF ZOSER
- Imhotep
- 60M high
- 6 steps
- Light Tura
PYRAMID OF ZOSER
- Imhotep
- 60M high
- 6 steps
- Light Tura
PYRAMID OF ZOSER
- Imhotep
- 60M high
- 6 steps
- Light Tura
PYRAMID OF MEYDUM
- First Egyptian pyramid
with an above ground
burial chamber
STEP PYRAMID
- 2 degrees of inclination
of slope
SLOPE PYRAMID
- Consists of three chambers, grand gallery, airshafts
PYRAMID of CHEOPS
- 146.40m in height
- 750sqft
PYRAMID of CHEPHREN
- 143m in height
- 705sqft
PYRAMID of MYKERINOS
- 109m in height
- 218sqft
ROCK – HEWN TOMBS
- Monumental nobility tombs
- Cut deep into mountain
rock
- Consists of a chamber
behind a porticoed façade
EGYPTIAN TEMPLES
- 2 TYPES:
- Mortuary
- Cult
- Parts:
- Pylon
- Hypaethral court
- Hypostyle hall
- Sanctuary
- Avenue of sphinx
GREAT TEMPLE OF ABU - SIMBEL
- Entrance forecourt leads
to an imposing façade
formed by a pylon carved
with 4 colossal seated
statues of Ramses
GREAT TEMPLE OF AMMON, Karnak
- Grandest temple in
Egyptian Planning &
was commenced by
Amenemhat I
- 1200ft X 360ft
OBELISKS
- Monumental pillars usually found
at temple entrances
- Symbol of Heliopolis
- Height is 9-10x the dimension of
the base
- MINOR OBELISKS – 9M
- MAJOR OBELISKS – 9-32M
SPHINX
- Mythical creature of Egypt with a body of lion and a head of a
man
ANDROSPHINX
- Mythical creature of Egypt with a body of lion and a head of a
hawk
HEIRAOSPHINX/CRIOSPHINX
- Mythical creature of Egypt with a body of lion and a head of a
ram
EGYPTIAN COLUMNS
EGYPTIAN ORNAMENTS