The Ancient Egyptian

Architecture

by Meghan B. Bantog

 One of the most well-known structures in the architecture history are the
Egyptian pyramids, speci cally the Pyramid of Giza. Typically, pyramids are
structures which are built using 4 triangles positioned in a sloped manner with a
rectangular base. Ziggurats are structures that are built with levels in a way that it
resembles a pyramid’s shape with the smallest level on top. These two structures
differ in terms of the elements that they incorporate; ziggurats are built with stairs
and its levels are protruding, meanwhile pyramids are built with a smooth slope
with a sharp tip.

Pyramid

Ziggurat

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 The pyramids in Egypt were built by the paid Egyptian laborers at the time, as
theorized by archaeologists. Moreover, the job of constructing the pyramid is
assumed to have been the same as working on a farm, according to historians. There
has been some controversy with who built the pyramids and I think the pyramids
and its origin has always been associated with extraterrestrial beings because the
Egyptian artifacts show images of beings that resemble extraterrestrial beings. Other
than that, I also think that this interpretation stems from the way some people refuse
to believe that civilizations were advanced and people were intelligent and capable
enough to construct massive structure without the help of the machinery made
available today.

Moreover, there are several pyramids throughout the world; for instance, the
pyramids in the Mesoamerican period. These pyramids came later than the Egyptian
pyramids. Based on my own research, I do not think that the Pre-columbian
pyramids were in uenced by the pyramids in Egypt because these structures were
built 5 centuries apart and these civilizations developed in different continents
which are separated by a large body of water.

Pre-Columbian Pyramid
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 The three types of Egyptian pyramids are step pyramid, bent pyramid, and


straight pyramid. These three types differ in the way they were constructed. The step
pyramid shows levels or steps in its outer structure, the bent pyramid is built in a
way that the other half of the pyramid is sloped in a different angle in order for the
building not to collapse, and the straight pyramid is constructed with at sides
which could be observed in the pyramid of Giza. On the other hand, the three
pyramids of Giza are named: Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure. The largest one among
these pyramids is Khufu which is almost 150 meters in height.

— Step Pyramid

Bent Pyramid —

— Straight Pyramid

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 Comparing the outer structure of the mastaba and the pyramids, the latter are
larger than the former. The shape of the structures also differ since a pyramid has a
pointed tip while a mastaba has a at top. Moreover, the interior of these structures
are also different. Since both structures were used for burials, both of them had
burial chambers, offering halls, chapels, and shafts. The pyramids, which came later
than the mastabas, had a King’s chamber and a Queen’s chamber, and it was
equipped with air vents. In addition, the pyramids were made with stones or bricks
which are better than the bricks used to build mastabas which made the pyramids
last longer than the mastabas.

Illustrations:

— Mastaba Interior

Pyramid Interior —

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 Reflection On:

The Ancient Egyptian

Architecture
by Meghan B. Bantog