EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION

History of Architecture
The Nile River Valley Civilization
started at the northern most
peak of the Nile River at the
time of the Neolithic
Revolution. This early
civilization formed down the
lush fields of the Nile River.

Protected by the water and

desert, the civilization was able
to grow into Egypt and
surrounding colonies.
History of Architecture
 IMPACT OF
GEOGRAPHY

 The Nile would flood each year starting in July and lasting
until November.

 This flood provide new, rich soil for the Egyptians and would
wash away the waste.

 The seas around the civilization served a barrier against war

and disease.

History of Architecture
 ECONOMY
The inhabitants of the Nile
River Valley Civilization
depended heavily on
farming.

 Close proximity to the Nile

allowed easy access to
water needed for crops.

 Seasonal flooding
fertilized the land for the
next year's crops.

History of Architecture
 BUILDINGS/
STRUCTURES

 Pyramids
 Large boats for transport
 Rigid structures that held
pharaoh at the top
followed by priests,
artisans, farmers, and
finally slaves

History of Architecture
 PLANNING

• During Old Kingdom, the most impressive buildings were the tombs
or royal pyramids. In mastaba the burial chamber was under the
ground, where as in pyramid the burial chamber was above
ground almost in the mid height of the pyramid.

• During the new empire and later periods two types of temples
developed.
 One is mortuary type; descended from its predecessor in the
pyramid complex and
 other is cult temple or processional type, which again had a
long history from earliest times. Both types of temples had some
common features.
History of Architecture
There were two types of Egyptian temples; Mortuary temples built for
the defied Pharaohs and Cult temples for ancient mysterious Gods.

Mortuary temples were the developed versions of earlier offering

chapels found with Mastabas and pyramids.

During the Middle Kingdom where royal burials were made at hillside,
mortuary temples became an important feature.

During the New Kingdom mortuary temples were detached and

finally merged with cult temples.

History of Architecture
 TEMPLE

• The temples had no specific orientation but had a central axis.

• A walled open court with colonnade around, lead to a covered

colonnaded vestibule or hypostyle hall which further lead to the
sanctuary.

• Chapels and rooms for priests surrounded the sanctuary. When the
temple was dedicated for more than one god the sanctuary was
also more.

History of Architecture
A hypostyle hall has a roof which is supported by columns

History of Architecture
History of Architecture
 COLUMNS

• Egyptians invented columns, capitals and cornice. These columns

have a distinctive feature i.e. they are directly derived from their
vegetable origin.
• The shafts of these columns represent the bundles of plant stem
gathered in a little at the base.
• The capitals of these columns are direct inspiration from lotus bud,
papyrus flowers or commonly known palm leaves. These capitals
had a symbolic and functional purpose. The lotus was the emblem
of Upper Egypt and the papyrus represented Lower Egypt.
• During the Middle Kingdom and New Empire polygonal columns
with eight or sixteen sides were used.

History of Architecture
 COLUMNS

COLUMN WITH OPEN COLUMN WITH LOTUS

LOTUS FLOWER FLOWER BUD

DETAIL OF COLUMN

History of Architecture
COLUMNS

History of Architecture
 COLUMNS

• The simplest form of support was square pillar used regularly

almost up to the emergence of new empire.
• Height of the columns or pillars was usually equal to less than 6
times their diameter. Columns were usually decorated with
painting and low relief carving.
• The columns were monoliths in the beginning, later were built up
in coursed stone blocks with many pieces making a large
capital.
• The Egyptians were Masters in using colours for their schemes of
decoration. They used mainly blue, red and yellow i.e. all the
primary colours.

History of Architecture
 EVOLUTION OF TOMBS

Egyptian strong belief in life after death resulted in

construction of massive tombs, which were built with
strong material like stone. The other reason was fear of
God, Pharaoh being considered as God. Hence for the
preservation of the bodies of the pharaohs, these tombs
were constructed. The earlier form of these tombs was
called Mastabas .

History of Architecture
 MASTABA TOMBS

A mastaba is a type of Ancient Egyptian tomb in the form of a flat-

roofed, rectangular structure with outward sloping sides that marked
the burial site of many eminent Egyptians of Egypt's ancient period.
Mastabas were constructed out of mud-bricks or stone.

History of Architecture
 MASTABA TOMBS

 The word Mastaba comes from the Arabic word for a stone
bench, because when seen from a distance it resembles a bench.

 Inside the mastaba, a deep chamber was dug into the ground
and lined with stone or bricks.

 The exterior building materials were initially bricks made of sun

dried bricks.

 The above-ground structure was rectangular in shape, had sloping

sides, a flat roof, and rose to at least 30 feet in height.

History of Architecture
MASTABA TOMBS

History of Architecture
GREAT PYRAMID OF
CHEOPS : GIZA

History of Architecture
 GREAT PYRAMID OF
CHEOPS : GIZA
It is believed the pyramid was built as a tomb for Fourth
Dynasty Egyptian pharaoh Khufu and was constructed over a 20-
year period.

The pyramidal base measures 230.5m X 230.5m and Height 139m.

The four faces roughly form equilateral triangles and their sides
make an angle of 51degree with ground.

The pyramid is built in solid stones with a casing finally dressed

Tura lime stones and apex stone was once coated with gold.

History of Architecture
GREAT PYRAMID OF
CHEOPS : GIZA

History of Architecture
GREAT PYRAMID OF
CHEOPS : GIZEH

History of Architecture
 GREAT PYRAMID OF
CHEOPS : GIZEH
From north, an entrance is provided nearly at a height of 17m from
the ground which a small corridor is built.

The corridor descends at an angle of 26degree well below the

ground where a subterranean/underground chamber is provided on
central axis.

An ascending corridor is constructed through the descending

corridor. This corridor rises at an angle of 30degree, about 18m along
for a height of 21m above ground and connects to the queen
chamber, which is also on central axis.

History of Architecture
 GREAT PYRAMID OF
CHEOPS : GIZA
 The ascending corridor is widened into a large passage which is
well known as the ‘grand gallery’.

 The grand gallery contains a passage 2.1m wide and 2.3m high
covered by a corbelled vault in seven courses up to a height of
8.5m where it tapers to a width of hardly 1.1m.

 At the end of grand gallery is the king’s chamber where, the

granite sarcophagus is placed.

Sarcophagus : a stone coffin, typically adorned with a sculpture

or inscription

History of Architecture
STONE SARCOPHAGUS

History of Architecture
TEMPLE OF KHONS
AT KARNAK

History of Architecture
 TEMPLE OF KHONS
AT KARNAK

 It is a cult temple dedicated to moon god.

 It is rectangular in plan.
 The temple was fronted by obelisks and approached through
an impressive avenue of sphinxes.
 The temple possessed massive pylons/ tall monumental gate-
way at the entrance followed by pillared court, hypostyle hall –
the dark mysterious chamber, sanctuary and chapel one
behind the other.

History of Architecture
 TEMPLE OF KHONS
AT KARNAK
 The height of the temple goes on decreasing from front to rear.

 The roof of the stone-slab over the court was supported by 28

massive columns arranged on 3sides by a double colonnade,
leading to hypostyle hall.

 The four columns on the center aisle were taller than the rest and
clear-storey windows were provided at the sides of admit light.

 Behind it was a sanctuary where the sacred boat of khons was

kept. At the ends were chapels for carrying out religious rites.
 The temple was enclosed with high girdle wall.
History of Architecture
History of Architecture
History of Architecture