HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE-1

Module 2 – ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE

a. ancient dwelling
b. astronomical observatory and solar
LEARNING calendar.
c. ancient human settlement
OBJECTIVES d. none of the choices
After studying this module, you as a future Architect 4. How heavy is the heaviest stone piece in the
should be able to: Stonehenge?
a. 40 tons
1. Narrate the ancient ways of life in ancient b. 55 tons
Egypt c. 50 tons
2. Identify the influencing factors that shapes d. 45 tons
their architectural character
5. A circle of megaliths such as in the Stonehenge.
3. Identify their prehistoric architectural
achievements a. megatron
b. menhir
c. dolmen
TOPIC d. cromlech
6. What do you call the horizontal monoliths placed
OUTLINE
on top of two pillars (posts).
1. ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE a. lintel
b. beam
c. slab
d. column
OVERVIEW 7. What tool is used in pulling the large stones in
Stonehenge?
a. pulley
Module 2 serves as a brief discussion about one of b. crane
the early civilization- the Egyptian civilization. It c. sledge
discusses about their ancient culture, religion and d. none of the choices
belief, governance, architecture and everything 8. Prehistoric beehive huts were constructed using
about their ancient ways of life. This module is good what construction method?
for 4 hour lecture. a. vaulting
b. corbelling
ACTIVATING PRIOR c. trabeation
KNOWLEDGE d. none of the choices
9. What type of stone is the altar-stone in
Stonehenge?
a. green sandstone
1. An arrangement o 3-piece mega stones. b. blue sandstone
a. trilithons c. red sandstone
b. triforium d. none of the choices
10. The Greek term lithos literally means?
c. trefoil
a. wood
d. tripodium
b. stone
2. A large stone used in prehistoric structures.
c. brick
a. lithos
d. none of the choices
b. monolith
c. megalith
d. rock
3. Archaeologist believes the Stonehenge is
an__________?

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 ANCIENT EGYPTIAN
ARCHITECTURE
Geography
• Sandy desert with strip of fertile land on the banks
of Nile river
• Only nation in ancient world with access to
Mediterranean sea, Arabian sea-easy trade
• Many cities came up on the banks of Nile
• Abundance of Lime stone in north, Sand stone in
central region, granite in south
People and Politics
• 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 Kings or Pharaohs arranged in thirty
dynasties, extending to B.C. 332.
• Personified natural phenomena, such as the sun,
moon, and stars, and beasts as Gods
• Believed in incarnation and preservation of dead
• Cheap labour existed due to vast population
Period
The history of ancient Egypt is divided into periods
based on ruling dynasties Seven periods can be
identified;
• 4500 - 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
Importance of the Nile
• During the floods, people were freed from
farming to engage in other activities including
building work
• The Nile was also the highway of Egypt connecting
upper and lower Egypt
• The Nile also offered protection from Invasion by
outsiders
• The Nile offered a symbolic sense of direction to
the people, forming the primary principle in
architectural organization
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
Government
• At the center of ancient Egyptian civilization was a
strong central government headed by pharaohs
• The pharaohs provided Stability and a unified
sense of purpose
Statue of Pharaoh Chefren
Religion
• Ancient Egyptians were religious people
• They believed in many Gods
• Different symbols were used to represent the
• Gods and temples were built and dedicated to
them
• The pharaohs were also held as living Gods
• Egyptians also believed in life after death
• They believed that when they die, their souls
called Ka would live in them for ever
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• For the Ka to live, it needed either the body of the
dead person or a copy of it in the form a statue
• The Ka will return each night to the body or statue
• If both the body and statue are destroyed, then
the Ka would die Social Characteristics & Beliefs
Pharaoh Rameses III with ancient Egyptian gods
Mummification
• To ensure the availability of a body to the Ka of a
dead
• To ensure the availability of a body to the Ka of a
dead person, the Egyptians developed a process of
preservation called mummification
• The process involves cutting open the body and
removing all the internal organs and brain
• The body is then packed in natron to dry it out
• It is then soaked in oil to preserve it
• Next it is wrapped in a special cloth called mummy
cloth
• The mummy is then coated with wax and a face
painted onto its wrapped head
• The mummification of a pharaoh took a period of
72 days
• Once mummification is finished, burial
ceremonies are performed and the body is ready for
burial
Example of an Egyptian mummy
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
Gold sarchopagus of Tutank hamun picture
• They believed that a dead person needs all his
worldly goods
• The tomb was usually packed with all the
treasures of a dead person
• If anything cannot be provided, it is painted on
the walls of the tomb
• Tombs also have charms to protect the dead
person & his property
• The dead were buried in cities of the dead, called
Necropolis
Example of an ancient Egyptian tomb
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Achievements
• Ancient Egyptians had many achievements
• This included a developed system of government,
a belief system and art of mummification already
discussed
• They also left a legacy of tombs and temples that
we will study
• The Egyptians develop a system of irrigation to
improve agriculture
• The ancient Egyptians invented the hieroglyphics
systems of writing
• Historians were able to read hieroglyphics
following the discovery of the Rosetta stone
Early Kingdom Tombs
1. Mastaba
• 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
• 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
Mastaba cont.
• 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
Mastaba cont.
• Internally, a mastaba consist of three parts- a
burial chamber, a serdab and a chapel
• The burial chamber was located 30 feel below
ground.
• It was connected to the ground through a shaft
• The burial chamber is the place for the burial of
the dead person
• 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 after life
• After burial, the shaft to the burial chamber is
sealed
Mastaba cont.
• The Serdab and Chapel are located above ground
• The serdab is a room where the statue of the
dead person is kept
• The statue acts as a substitute for body in case it
is destroyed
• Egyptians believe 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
Mastaba cont.
• The chapel is where the ka is supposed to live for
ever
• It is a colorful room meant to deceive the gods
into letting the ka enter the next world
• Had a false door leading to the land of the Dead
• Some mastabas had fence walls, and chambers for
burial of servants
• Mastaba served as an embryo for the evolution of
the pyramid
2. Stepped Pyramid
• King Djoser was the powerful pharaoh of the third
dynasty of the old kingdom
• The stepped 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
• Dissatisfaction with the result led to the stacking
of mastaba one on top of another
• The result was the stepped pyramid with five
sloping setbacks
• The stepped pyramid is the intermediate step
between mastaba and geometric pyramid
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 Memphis, and as such was intended to surround
him also in the next world. All the buildings are solid
structures without internal rooms and therefore
without any practical function.

Stepped Pyramid
a. Tomb chamber
b. Store rooms
1. Niched wall
2. Entrance hall
3. South tomb
4. Pyramid
5. Ceremonial court
The stepped pyramid 6. South house
7. North house
Stepped Pyramid cont. 8. Temple
• The funerary complex of the king is surrounded by 9. Altar
a niched wall (277 x 544 m) 10. Court
• Stepped pyramid was 200 feet high with 6 giant
steps
• The burial chamber is entered from the north side
and is 92 feet down
• On either side of the chamber are store rooms for
the kings treasures
• All the treasures buried with Djoser have long
been stolen
• A stone statue of Djoser was also recently found
staring out through peep holes in his Serdab
Stepped Pyramid Early Kingdom Tombs

Stepped Pyramid picture

Stepped Pyram id of Zoser

The Stepped Pyramid cont.

The Pyramid complex of Saqqara
The complex ensemble of buildings around the Step
Pyramid is an imitation of the King's residence in Ceremonial court of the Djoser Complex

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Stepped Pyramid
Southern enclosing wall of the Djoser complex The
niched wall around the funerary complex of King
Djoser is 1.5 km long. Inside this wall is an extant
representation in stone of what the royal residence
of the Old Kingdom used to look like. Old Kingdom,
Dynasty III, c. 2650

Composite columns in the complex of Djoser picture

The niched wall around the funerary complex of King Djoser

Stepped Pyramid
• The entrance door leads to a long hall having two
rows of columns
• This is one of the first uses of columns in history
• The columns were designed to look like bundles of
reeds and had flutes
• In the north palace is also found stone columns
with capitals
• They were designed to look like the papyrus plant Attempts at Pyramid Buildings
• Djoser’s funeral complex was designed as a model • After the stepped pyramids, there were several
of his palace, city and kingdom attempt at building a pure geometric pyramid
• The shape of the pyramid suggest a stairway to • Among the prominent attempts were the pyramid
the sky to join the sun God Amon Ra at Medun and two pyramids built by
• King Huni made the first attempt at building a
pure pyramid at Medun
• He constructed a seven stepped pyramid with a
square plan and height of 90 meters and an angle of
incline of 51 degrees
• The pyramid did not have a mortuary temple

Attempts at Pyramid Buildings cont.

Entrance, Zoser’s funeral complex picture
• After the stepped pyramids, there were several
attempt at building a pure geometric pyramid
• Among the prominent attempts were the pyramid
at Medun and two pyramids built by Snefru at
Dashur

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• Snefru’s second pyramid, the north pyramid, is
the place the was buried
• It had a low pitch of 43 degrees instead of 52
degrees making it look stunted
• A true pyramid has an incline angle of 52 degrees

Snefru’s north pyramid picture

The Pyramids at Giza

• The construction of a true geometrical pyramid
was achieved during the reign of Cheops, son of
Snefr
• This was located at Giza. This pyramid is called the
Great Pyramid because of its size
Section, pyramid at Medun picture
• The pyramid is 482 ft high on a plan
Attempts at Pyramid Buildings cont.
• Pharoah Snefru made two attempts at pyramid
construction
• His first pyramid, the Bent pyramid at Dashur had
a square plan with a height of 102 meters

•The pyramid had a change of Snefru’s second

pyramid, the north pyramid, is the place the was
buried
• It had a low pitch of 43 degrees instead of 52
degrees making it look stunted
• A true pyramid has an incline angle of 52 degrees

The great pyramid of Cheops (Kufu) in Giza picture

• Two additional pyramids were subsequently built

at Giza
• The second largest in the center was built by
Chefren, the son of Cheops
• The third and smallest was built by Mykerinus, the
son of Chefren
• The three together are referred to as

Snefru’s bent pyramid picture

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The pyramids of Giza section view picture The pyramid of Cheops picture

The Pyramids at Giza cont. The Pyramids at Giza cont.

• The Great Pyramid of Cheops
• The three are aligned diagonally along the
projection of the diagonal of the great pyramid
• The small pyramids close to them were built for
their Queens
• The Great Pyramid of Cheops is square on plan,
760 feet each way, its area being about 13 acres,
• The original height was 482 feet. The entrance,
which is on the northern side, is 47 feet 6 inches
above the base access first slopes downwards, and
afterwards re-ascends towards the heart of the
pyramid, where the King's Chamber is situated. In
this chamber, which is 34 feet 6 inches by 17 feet
and 19 feet high, was placed the sarcophagus of the
king containing his embalmed body.
• Two air channels, each about 8 inches by 6 inches,
led to the outer face of the pyramid for ventilation.

The Pyramids at Giza cont.

• The Great Pyramid of Cheops
• The great pyramid has a unique internal
arrangement
• First it has a chamber built below the base of the
The pyramids of Giza aerial view picture pyramid
The Pyramids at Giza cont. • Another chamber was built above it known as the
The Pyramid of Cheops queen’s chamber
One of the largest structure built by man. Many • A larger burial chamber known as the king’s
question concerning the technology for chamber was built at the center of
construction are still unanswered. Old Kingdom,
Dynasty IV, e. 2500 B.c. The Pyramids at Giza cont.
• The Great Pyramid of Cheops
• This is the chamber where the king was buried in
his Sarcophagus
• The kings chamber was 35ft by 17ft in plan and
19ft high
• Both the king and queen chamber are connected
to the entrance on the north side

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• Two air shafts also connect the king’s chamber to
outside for ventilation
• Once a king is buried, the burial chamber was
sealed forever
The Pyramids
• The pyramids were designed as part of a funeral
complex for the burial of a pharaoh
• Chefren’s complex is the best preserved example
• The 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
pyramid funeral complex picture
View of Giza picture
Burial Ceremony
• The death of a pharaoh marked the beginning of a
grand funeral
• Hundreds of ships and barges filled with nobles
and priest sailed the Nile from Memphis to Giza
• The largest barge carried the body of the pharaoh
• The boats docked at the lower valley temple
where the body was carried to the roof for
mummification
• At the end of 72 days, an opening of the mouth
ceremony was performed
• A procession carried the pharaoh’s body along the
causeway to the pyramid mortuary temple
Burial ceremony hieroglyphics picture
Burial Ceremony cont.
• This temple had many small chapels each with
false doors
• Many statues of the pharaoh were place in the
temple so that his ka could come back each night
• After prayers to the God Osiris, the body was
lowered through the secret opening on the north
side to his burial chamber
• There he was laid in his stone Sarcophagus
• Rich treasure was heaped on him
• The passage was filled with rock and sealed
forever • Now it was time for the pharaohs ka to
pass to the land of the dead
• The funeral complex shows the earliest
development of the components of the new
The Sphinx at Giza
• Located in Giza is the great Sphinx with the body
of a lion and head of chefren
• The reason for its construction is not clear
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• A theory hold that it was produced from leftover
material
• It may also have been carved to stand guard over
the temple and tomb of Chefren The Sphinx at Giza
Early Kingdom Tombs The Sphinx of Giza The Sphinx
of Giza is 73.5 m long and the largest monumental
statue of Ancient Egypt. Framed by a headdress the
head of the king looks east to the rising sun. The
facial characteristics of this statue are in the same
style as that of the statues of the successors of
Cheops, the King Chephren. Old Kingdom, Dynasty
IV, c. 2550-2500 B.c. limestone
The Sphinx of Giza
The Sphinx of Giza is 73.5 m long and the largest
monumental statue of Ancient Egypt. Framed by a
headdress the head of the king looks east to the
rising sun. The facial characteristics of this statue
are in the same style as that of the statues of the
successors of Cheops, the King Chephren. Old
Kingdom, Dynasty IV, c. 2550-2500 B.c. limestone
The Sphinx of Giza picture
Pyramid Construction
• How were the pyramids constructed?
• There is no accurate knowledge about the method
of construction of the pyramids
• It is believed that 100,000 men worked 3 months
each year for 30 years to build the pyramids
• The lime stone used was quarried from nearby
and transported by lever action
• They were paid in food, clothing and drinks
• 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 gargantuan size
• The pyramids were also a product of the will to
achieve immortality by the pharaohs
• The pyramids are the everlasting home of the
pharaoh’s ka
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.
End of Pyramid Construction cont.
• 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.
SUMMARY
Let us see if you can remember the main points
raised in this lesson. Below is a summary of these
points:
LEARNING ACTIVITY 1
1. Home Reading Assignment on 1.3
ANCIENT NEAR EAST ARCHITECTURE
(as next topic)
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 2. RESEARCH WORK RSW NO.2 DRAW
AND DEFINE THE FOLLOWING TERMS
AND CONCEPTS: use pen and ink with
accent color in long size drawing paper,
provide front cover page.

GORGE CORNICE
BATTER / BATTERED WALL
RELIEF / BAS RELIEF
SHAFT
CAPITAL
COLUMNAR AND TRABEATED
PYLON
PORTCULLISSES
MORTUARY TEMPLE
CAUSEWAY
SARCOPHAGUS
CULT TEMPLES
HYPOSTYLE HALL
OBELISKS AND PYRAMIDION
CLEARSTORY
PORTAL
COLONNADE AND LOGGIA
PENNON POLES
NECROPOLIS
PARAPETED ROOF

REFERENCES

A History of Architecture on Comparative Method.

Banister Fletcher. Cornell University Library.
th
5 Ed.

Architectural Character and the History of

Architecture. George S. Salvan. JMC Press
Inc. 1986

Prepared by:

ARCH. ALBERT T. PASCUA, LRA

Faculty, College of Engineering and Architecture

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