Egyptian Architecture

Egyptian Architecture

Historical Background Social Characteristics & Beliefs Let’s Recap… Architectural Ideas • Ancient Egyptians viewed earthly dwellings as temporary • They paid little attention to house construction • The tomb was seen as a permanent dwelling for the afterlife • Tremendous effort was exerted in tomb construction • The mummified dead body was buried in a stone box called sarcophagus in the tomb

Historical Background Social Characteristics & Beliefs Architectural Ideas • Believed a dead person needs all her/his worldly goods • Tomb usually packed w/ all the treasures of dead person • If anything cannot be provided, it is painted on the walls of the tomb

Historical Background Social Characteristics & Beliefs Architectural Ideas • Tombs also have charms to protect dead person & her/his property • Dead buried in cities of the dead, called Necropolis located in desert

Architecture of the CivilizationIntroduction • 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 lifetime

Architecture of the CivilizationIntroduction • 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 steppe pyramid to the renown ancient Egyptian pyramid

Early Kingdom Tombs 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

Early Kingdom TombsMastaba • 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

Early Kingdom TombsMastaba • Internally, a mastaba consist of three parts- a burial chamber, a serdab and a chapel • The burial chamber was located 30’ below ground • Connected to burial chamber above ground through a shaft • place for the burial of the dead person

Early Kingdom TombsMastaba • 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 afterlife • After burial, the shaft to the burial chamber was sealed

Early Kingdom TombsMastaba • The Serdab and Chapel are located above ground • The serdab is a room where the statue of the dead person is kept • Statue acts as a substitute for body in case it is destroyed

Early Kingdom TombsMastaba • Egyptians believed 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 forever • Colorful room meant to deceive the gods into letting the ka enter the next world • false door leading to the land of the dead

Early Kingdom TombsMastaba • Some mastabas had fence walls, and chambers for burial of servants • Mastaba served as an embryo for the evolution of the pyramid

Early Kingdom TombsSteppe Pyramid • King Zoser (Djoser) was the powerful pharaoh of the third dynasty of the old kingdom • The steppe 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

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Early Kingdom TombsSteppe Pyramid • Dissatisfaction w/ result led to stacking of mastaba • Result was stepped pyramid w/ five sloping setbacks • The steppe pyramid is the intermediate step between mastaba and geometric pyramid

Early Kingdom TombsSteppe Pyramid • Steppe pyramid was 200’ high w/ 6 giant steps • Burial chamber is entered from north side & is 92’ down • On either side of chamber are store rooms for king’s treasures • All treasures buried w/ Zoser have been stolen • A stone statue of Zoser also recently found staring out through peep holes in his Serdab

Early Kingdom TombsSteppe Pyramid • Serdab located on north side, along w/ funerary temple • Steppe pyramid stands at middle of large complex • Funeral complex consisted of palaces, temples & steppe pyramid • All surrounded by fence wall 33’ high

Early Kingdom TombsSteppe Pyramid • Fence wall of funeral complex has breaking pattern of ~200 projections/recessions • Fourteen were larger than the others & 13 out of the fourteen had false doors • False doors for use of Pharaoh’s Ka

Early Kingdom TombsSteppe Pyramid • Entrance door leads to long hall w/ two rows of columns • One of the 1st uses of columns in history • Columns designed to look like bundles of reeds… & had flutes

Early Kingdom TombsSteppe Pyramid • In North Palace also stone columns w/ capitals • Designed to look like papyrus plant • Zoser’s funeral complex designed as model of his palace, city & kingdom • Shape of pyramid suggests stairway to the sky to join the sun God Amon Ra

Early Kingdom Tomb Attempts at Pyramid Building • After the stepped pyramids, there were several attempt at building a pure geometric pyramid • Among the prominent attempts: • pyramid at Medun • two pyramids built by Snefru at Dashur

Early Kingdom Tomb Attempts at Pyramid Building • King Huni made the first attempt at building pure pyramid at Medun • Constructed seven- stepped pyramid with square plan and height of 90m and • Angle of incline: 51° • Pyramid did not have mortuary temple

Early Kingdom Tomb Attempts at Pyramid Building • Pharoah Snefru made two attempts at pyramid construction • 1st pyramid, the Bent pyramid at Dashur had a square plan with a height of 102m • The pyramid had a change of angle midway, leading to its being called the bent pyramid

Early Kingdom Tomb Attempts at Pyramid Building • Snefru’s 2nd pyramid--north pyramid--is place he was buried • Low pitch of 43° instead of 52° making it look stunted • A true pyramid has an incline angle of 52°

Early Kingdom Tomb The Pyramids at Giza • Construction of a true geometrical pyramid achieved during reign of Cheops, son of Snefru • Located at Giza • Called Great Pyramid because of size • The pyramid is 482’ high on a plan 760’ square

Early Kingdom Tomb The Pyramids at Giza • Two additional pyramids built at Giza • 2nd largest in the center built by Chefren, the son of Cheops • 3rd and smallest built by Mykerinus, son of Chefren • The three together are referred to as the Pyramids at Giza

Early Kingdom Tomb The Pyramids at Giza • Three are aligned diagonally along the projection of the diagonal of the great pyramid • The small pyramids close by were built for queens

Early Kingdom Tomb The Great Pyramid Cheops • Great pyramid unique internal arrangement • First: a chamber built below base of pyramid • Another chamber built above it known as queen’s chamber • Larger burial chamber known as the king’s chamber built center of pyramid

Early Kingdom Tomb The Great Pyramid Cheops • Chamber where the king was buried in his Sarcophagus • King’s chamber 35’ x17’ and 19’ high • Both king & queen chamber connected to the entrance on the north side • Two air shafts connect king’s chamber to outside for ventilation • Once a king is buried, burial chamber sealed

Early Kingdom Tomb Pyramid • The pyramids designed as part of a funeral complex for burial of pharaoh • Chefren’s complex is best preserved example • Complex consist of three interconnected units: • A valley temple by the river Nile where the pharaoh’s body was embalmed • A pyramid mortuary temple for rituals • A long narrow causeway connecting the two

Early Kingdom Tomb Pyramid Construction • How were the pyramids constructed? • No accurate knowledge about the method of construction of the pyramids • Estimates vary:~ 100,000 men worked 3-4 months each year for 30 years to build the pyramids. • Limestone quarried from nearby --transported by lever action • Paid in food, clothing and drinks

Early Kingdom Tomb 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 huge size • The pyramids were also a product of the will to achieve immortality by the pharaohs • Pyramids are the everlasting home of the pharaoh’s ka

Early Kingdom Tomb 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 afford the cost of huge pyramid construction • Grave robbers learned how to break into and steal the goods buried with pharaohs • End of the Old Kingdom therefore marked the end of the great era of Egyptian pyramid construction.

Mid & New Kingdom Burial-ChamMortuary 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

Mid & New Kingdom Burial-ChamMortuary Temples Introduction • Mortuary temples served as place for burial and worship of pharaohs • Temples dedicated to Gods were also located in them • Mortuary temples owe origin to pyramid funeral complex, particular the valley and pyramid temples • Underground tombs became popular because of the belief that they could not be robbed • Many powerful and wealthy pharaohs and nobles carved 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

Mid & New Kingdom Burial-ChamUnderground 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

Mid & New Kingdom Burial-ChamUnderground Tomb- Rock Cut Tomb Beni Hassan consists of three elements: • Colonnade entrance portico for public worship • Behind portico, a chamber or hall with columns supporting the roof serving as a chapel • A small recess towards the back of the chapel where the person is buried

Mid & New Kingdom Burial-ChamUnderground 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

Mid & New Kingdom Burial-ChamUnderground 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 • Large # of rooms & complicated arrangement deliberate--to create a maze or puzzle

Mid & New Kingdom Burial-ChamUnderground 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

Materials, Const. & Systems Materials • Three common materials of construction in Egypt • Plant materials, clay and stone • Plants consist of readily available material like reeds, papyrus and palm ribs and shaft • Timber was available in limited quantity; used for roofing • Clay was used for construction either as for frame construction or as sun dried brick • Stone was not much used during the early period of ancient Egyptian civilization • It became popular after the 3rd dynasty of the Early Kingdom and was used for tombs and temples

Materials, Const. & Systems Construction System • Construction system in ancient Egypt reflected the availability of materials • Two construction systems were predominant: Adobe construction and post and beam construction • Adobe construction took the form of clay on vegetable material or sun dried brick construction • This construction was reserved for houses and other buildings of daily life • These buildings are supposed to last for only a generation

Materials, Const. & Systems Construction System • Egyptian monumental construction is mainly of a post and beam style • This is expressed mainly in pyramids, tombs and temples • Columns are designed to look like plant material • Their shaft resemble bundles of plant stems tied together • Their capitals are derived from the lotus bud or the papyrus flower or the palm leave • Great importance was attached to relief carving and it was an integral part of the architecture

Materials, Const. & Systems Construction System • The true arch was not extensively used in ancient Egypt • The principle was however known • Construction in Egypt took place during the period of floods • It took 30 years to build a pyramid with a team of 100,000 men working three to four months during the floods

Principles of Arch. Organization Emphasis on Building Masses • Ancient Egyptian architecture shows more concern with massing and limited attention to space or function • The Mastaba, Pyramids, Mortuary and Cult temples all display a focus on massing and form • Limited consideration on functional space • Consideration of function in design limited to provision of spaces for ritual activities --such as chapels dedicated to Gods in Pyramid funeral complexes and Mortuary and Cult temples

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 & axial organization • These include the pyramid funerary complexes, the mortuary & cult temples

Principles of Arch. OrganizationApplication 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 52° 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. OrganizationApplication of Harmony & Contrast • Architecture in ancient Egypt also displays understanding of the principle of Harmony and contrast • Example of this reflected in 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. OrganizationApplication 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

Egyptian Architecture