Egyptian Civilization

Egyptian civilization on world map

Ancient Egypt was an ancient
civilization of eastern North Africa,
concentrated along the lower
reaches of the Nile River in what is
now the modern country of Egypt.

Egyptian civilization coalesced

around 3150 BC with the political
unification of Upper and Lower
Egypt under the first pharaoh.

The history of ancient Egypt

occurred in a series of stable
Kingdoms, separated by periods of
relative instability known as
Intermediate Periods.
 FACTORS ON WHICH THE EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE ERA WAS BASED
:
GEOGRAPHICAL:
-A strip of fertile land in the valley of river Nile, then arid region and finally vast desert.
-Lower northern part river meets the Mediterranean sea.
-Easter part is extends up to the red sea.
GEOLOGICAL:
-Clay from Nile delta- sun dried.
-Palm leaves, reeds as strengthening.
-Papyrus was grown.
-Lime stones, Sandstones
-Red or Grey granite.
-Temples of stones and houses of sun-dried bricks.
CLIMATE:
-2 Seasons spring & summer.
-No winter season.
-Light from door and roof slits.
-Massive unknown walls-sacred carving.
 FACTORS ON WHICH THE EGYPTIAN WAS BASE :
ARCHITECTURE ERA D
RELIGIONS:
-PHARAOH’S sons of the sun- King of the people.
-Priests for religious ceremonies.
SOCIAL
CONDITIONS:
-Absolute power of PHARAOH’S.
-Slaves or prisoners of war.
-Land distributed among relatives as a reward.
-Administration was run by army of scribbles.
-Recorded by them (ink and linen).
-Astronomy
-Calendar to predict seasons and months of Niles flooding.
-Science of reservoirs and canals.
-Medicine & Surgery.
-Pottery, Weaving, Jewellery.
-Traders, sailors & Ship builders.
-Wheat & Barley common crops.
-Leisure activities of the pharaoh’s: hunting games.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:

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.

THE HISTORY OF ANCIENT EGYPT IS INT PERIOD BASE

DIVIDED O S D
ON RULING DYNASTIES
Seven periods can be identified;
―4500 to 2000 BC Early Dynastic

―2350 –2200 BC Old Kingdom

―2000-1600 BC First Intermediate period

―1600 –1717 BC Middle Kingdom

―1350 –612 BC Second Intermediate Period

―612 –539 BC New Kingdom

―539 –330 BC Greek-Roman Period

 ARCHITECTURE OF THE
CIVILIZATION
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.

•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.
EGYPTIAN DIVIDED AS TABULATED
ARCHITECTURE IS BELOW:

EGYPTIAN
ARCHITECTURE

DOMESTICRCHITECTU PUBLIC B
UIL
A RE INGS D
&
PALACE
S

TOMBS TEMPLES

ROYAL MASTABA ROCK HEWN

PYRAMIDS S TOMBS
TOMB ARCHITECTURE

-Strong belief in life after death.

-Tombs to preserve body.

-Buried finest commodities needed for substance and eternal enjoyment.

-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.
MASTABA
S
 A MASSIVE structure built aboveground.

 Mastabas were built above a shaft at the bottom of which

was situated a tomb

The structure above the ground were relatively low.

Rectangular in plan with inward-sloping walls

Flat roof.

Built of brick and faced with limestone slabs.

Sides sloping at an angle of about 75 degrees

•They were derived from the rude heaps of stones piled over
earlier mummy holes.
MASTABA
S
They consisted of three parts :

(i) The outer chamber, in which were placed the offerings to

the Ka or " double," decorated with festal and other scenes
which are valuable from an historical standpoint.

(ii) The inner secret chamber, known as the " serdab," which
contained statues of the deceased members of the family.

(iii) The chamber containing the sarcophagus, reached by an

underground shaft.

Plain undecorated exterior

 The interior of mastaba walls were decorated with texts and

images, illustrating scenes from the daily life of the deceased,
offering scenes and ritual hunt scenes.
MASTABA
S
MASTABA AT BEIT KHALLAF
-Massive stairway tomb of crude brick.
-Typical of 3rd dynasty.
-Stairs & ramps guarded by 5 stone portcullises.
-Stone-lined chamber surrounded by a knot of magazines for funery offerings.
-Above ground plain & virtually solid.

ELEVATION AND
SECTION
OF BEIT KHALLAF
MASTABA
S
MASTABA AT KHALLA
BEIT
1) EAST
F
2) SIDE
SOUTH WEST
2a) SOUTH
3) WEST SIDE
4) NORTH SIDE
5) ENTRANCE
6) THE DOOR
7) PANERAMA
8) THE
9) LANDING
10) SHAFT 21
11) SHAFT 3
11a) SHAFT 3
12) SE CORNER
13) NORTH
VIEW
14) THE CAVE
15)
INDISTANCE
PLAN OF BEIT
KHALLAF
MASTABA
S
MASTABA OF AHA AT SAQQARA
-This mastaba was constructed for Aha, the second king of First dynasty.
-It measures 41.8m long and 15.26m wide and consists of 5 chambers, the centre one for the dead body of the
king, and remaining for his pride possessions.
-Large pillared court.
-Approached by a portico.
-Chambers, offering room & two pillars connected to the court by passage.
-Low relief sculptures.
-The superstructure built in brick above covered a larger area comprising of 27 small
compartments containing grave materials . The mastaba is covered by 2 gridle walls.

ENTRANCE TO THE
MASTABA

BURIAL
SHAFT
MASTABA
S
MASTABA AT
SAQQARA
1. Portico with two pillars.
2. First serdab, visible through two narrow
windows from the portica and from the
courtyard
3. Pillared courtyard; a: false door First
4. corridor; b: false door Second
5. corridor
6. Storeroom
7. The chapel for Ti; c, d: false doors of Ti,
aligned with his burial chamber (C) Second
8. serdab, visible through three narrow windows
from the chapel
9. Tomb shaft
10. The red outline outlines Ti’s burial chamber
below the mastaba.
1. A: descent from the courtyard
2. B: sloping corridor
3. C: burial chamber with
4. D: Ti’s stone sarcophagus
 MASTABA
S
MASTABA AT
GIZEH
-Adjoin the famous pyramid
there.
-Offering chapel on one hand.
-Typical shaft mastaba on other hand.
-Deep, Underground tomb
chambers.
-Sloping sided super structures.
-2 widely spaced recesses.
PYRAMID
S
Pyramids were founded on living rock, were of limestone
quarried in their locality, faced with the finer limestone.

 Granite, in limited use, such as linings of the chambers

and passages.

 Tomb Chambers and their approaches were either cut

in the rock below the monument or were in its
constructed core.

 Entrances were from the north side, the sides were

scrupulously oriented with the cardinal points.
 PYRAMID STEP OF AT
S PYRAMID ZOSER SAKKARA
-World 1st large scale monument in stone.

-5 changes of plan in course of building.

-Underground tomb chamber.

-Had an granite tomb chamber at bottom.

-Galleries running parallel to sides of pyramid.

-Pyramid surrounded by vast rectangular enclosure.

-Small offering chapel.

-Mortuary temple, maze of corridors. -Stone beam roofs.

-Long processional corridors lined with columns. -Royal pavilions.

-B shaped pedestals for royal ceremonies. -From pit 4 corridors extend irregularly to 4
cardinal points.
-Segmental arched roofs.
―It began as a complete mastaba, 7.9m
high, unusual in having a square plan, with
sides of 63 m.

-It was then twice extended, first by a

regular addition of 4.3m to each of its
sloping sides, and next by an extension
eastwards of 8.5m.

-At this stage the whole was used as a basis for a

four stepped pyramid, made up of layers
enlarged at the same time so that its plan
became a rectangle of about 83mx75m.

-The superstructure of the Step Pyramid is six

steps, as might be expected with an
experimental structure.
-The pyramid began as a square mastaba (one should note that this designation as a
mastaba is contended for several reasons) (M1) which was gradually enlarged, first
evenly on all four sides (M2) and later just on the east side (M3)[9].
―The mastaba was built up in two stages, first to
form a four-stepped structure (P1) and then to form a six-
stepped structure (P2), which now had rectangular base on a
an east-west axis.

―The complex covers 15ha and is about 2.5 times

as large as the Old Kingdom town of
Heirakonpolis.

―Several features of the complex differ from those

of later Old Kingdom pyramids.
PYRAMID STEP PYRAMID OF ZOSER AT
S SAKKARA
PYRAMID STEPPED PYRAMID OF ZOSER AT
S SAKKARA
PYRAMID GREAT OF CHEOP AT GIZA
S PYRAMID S

(C.2723-2563 B.C)

-Cheops, son of sineferu,2nd king,4th dynas ty.

-3 separate internal chambers.

-Changes in course of plan during buildin g.

-Kings chamber where granite is local.

-3 massive granite chambers.

-Air shafts from both chambers.

-Offering chapel abutted the centre.

-Mortuary temple stood axially in front.

-Stone beams.

-Three subsidy pyramids with chapel.

-This pyramid is built outside the Memphis’s city limit near Cairo for Cheops also known as Khufu,
the second king of 4rth dynasty.

- The pyramidal base measures 230.5mx230.5m and thrusts 146m into sapphire sky.

- The 4 faces form roughly equilateral triangles and there sides make an angle of 51 deg 52’ with
the ground.

-The 4 corners are oriented with the cardinal points of the compass.

-The pyramid is built in solid stones with a casing of finally dressed Tura lime stones and the apex
stone is once coated with gold.

-And the most notable thing is that the Egyptians worked with such precision that “neither needle
nor hair “ could be inserted at the joints of the lime stone casing blocks.

-From north, an entrance is provided nearly at a height of 17m from the ground through which a
small corridor is built.

-The corridor descends at an angle of 26 deg well below the ground where a underground
chamber is provided on the central axis.

-The ascending corridor is widened into a large passage which is now well known as Grand
Gallery.
-Grand gallery contains a passage 2.1m wide and 2.3 m high covered by a corbelled vault in
seven courses upto a height of 8.5m where it tapers to a width of hardly 1.1m.

-At the end of the Grand gallery is the King’s Chamber where, the granite Sarcophagus is placed.

-The king’s chamber 10.36m long, 5.23m wide and 5.8m high is lined with granite and covered with
5 tiers of stone beams raising to a height of 21m from the floor.

-Two air shafts about 20 cmx15cm are provided from outer faces of the pyramid to the King’s
chamber to serve as ventilation as well as a free passage for the ‘Ka’ the spirit of the deceased
Pharaohs.

-Similar air shafts are also provided in the queen’s and underground chambers.

-This tomb of Pharaohs took nearly 1 lakh workers two full decades to build.

-It is the largest stone building in the ancient world with more than 2 million lime stones and granite
blocks each weighing about 2-3 tonnes.

-It is still a mystery as to how they erected such a massive pyramid.

-3 separate internal chambers.

-Changes in course of plan during building.

-Kings chamber where granite is local.

-3 massive granite chambers.

-Air shafts from both chambers.

-Offering chapel abutted the centre.

-Mortuary temple stood axially in front.

-Stone beams.

-Three subsidy pyramids with chapel.

PYRAMID GREAT OF CHEOP AT GIZA
S PYRAMID S

SECTIONS OF PYRAMID CHEOPS AT

OF GIZA
PYRAMID GREAT OF CHEOP AT GIZA
S PYRAMID S

THE KING’S
CHAMBER
 SPHINX AT
GIZA
―Located in Giza and it is the great sphinx
with the body of a lion and head of
Chefren.

―The reason of 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 the tomb of
Chefren.

THE SPHINX AT
GIZA
 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.
 MIDDLE AND NEW KINGDOM BURIAL
CHAMBERS
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 t o

rule and crowned herself pharaoh.

―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.
―The temple of Hatshepsutis 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.

―Hatshepsuthid her tomb in the deep rock cliffs to stop robbers.

―But her tomb was also plundered and smashed into a thousand pieces.

―Archeologist believe that her son TutmosisIII poisoned her to death and wrecked
her tomb.

―The temple of Hatshepsuthad no dominant mass.

―Instead, there was a strong horizontal axis running across the set of terraces and
perpendicular to the mountains.
―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
 MIDDLE AND NEW KINGDOM BURIAL
CHAMBERS
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.
 NEW KINGDOM CULT
TEMPLES
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.

―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.

―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.

―Many examples of the New Kingdom temples are found at Karnak and Luxor, all in
Thebes.

―An avenue of sphinxes connects the two sites.

 NEW KINGDOM CULT
TEMPLES
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.
―This is dedicated to the moon God Khon.

―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.
―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.
―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.

―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.
― 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.

 NEW KINGDOM CULT
TEMPLES

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.
― 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, courtyar d,

hypostyle hall or decorated on parts built by an earlier
pharaoh.

―Queen Hatshepsut, TutmosisII and RamesesII all

added to the temple.

―The front pylon had two obelisk in front.

―Apart from the front pylon, the temple had two

additional pylons.
―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 towards light.
 NEW KINGDOM CULT
TEMPLES
OTHER TEMPLES-TEMPLE OF
LUXOR
―There are several other temples built during the

New kingdom.

―The temple of Luxor(1408-1300 BC).

―Dedicated to Amun, supreme God.

―An example of the form of most New Kingdom

palaces.

―Entrance is a pylon.

―Closed off by walls.

―Faces the Nile.

―Columns made much heavier than needed and

were elaborately carved.
 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
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
SPHINXE
S
―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.