EGYPTIAN

ARCHITECTURE

LECTURE - 3
 The geography of Egypt is dominated by
one great river, the Nile, which
originates in the highlands of Uganda
and passes thru Sudan & Ethiopia as it
traverses more than 2000 miles before
flowing out into the Mediterranean sea
to the north.

Two centers of Egyptian civilization,

with differing cultural practices, arose
in pre-historic times : lower Egypt in
the broad Nile delta and upper Egypt
in the more narrow southern river
valley.

AT A VERY EARLY STAGE, EGYPTIANS ALSO

DEVELOPED WRITING IN THE FORM OF
HIEROGLYPHS, A SYSTEM USING BOTH PICTORAL
AND PHONETIC SYMBOLS TO RECORD INFORMTION
Outside the rather narrow fertile band
bordering the Nile, great expanses of
inhospitable desert provided security from
outside invasion, just as the Mediterranean
served as a barrier for settlements on the Nile
delta. The culture that developed here was
therefore rural agricultural , in contrast to the
urban oriented settlements in turbulent
Mesopotamia.

By about 5500 B.C, small tribes living in the

Nile valley had developed into a series of
cultures demonstrating firm control of
agriculture and animal husbandry, and
identifiable by their pottery and personal items,
such as combs, bracelets, and beads. The
largest of these early cultures in upper Egypt, A PREDYNASTIC PERIOS JAR
the badari, was known for its high quality DECORATED WITH
ceramics, stone tools, and its use of copper. GAZELLES
Egyptian architecture which is essentially a columar and trabeated style was mainly
employed on –
Tombs
Temples
This is strong contrast to West Asiatic architecture , the nearest in age at which was
devoted to the construction of palaces for kings.

The Egyptian architecture consisted of massive walls ,made of sun – dried mud bricks ,
the Nile mud being reinforced by reeds , papyrus and palm – branch ribs.

Egyptian Temples were fronted by obelisks or monolithic pillars and approached by a

row of sphinxes – mythical monsters – the structure with body of a recumbent lion and
the head of a man , or woman as the God or Goddess to protect the river Nile and the
vast monumental complex.
They possessed great artistic instinct in using natural objects in their building
construction.
OLD KINGDOM 2920 – 2134 BCE
EARLY TOMBS

No civilization seems so concerned about

the passage of life from the material
world to the spirit world as the Egyptians.
Perhaps they feared that if the spirit did THE ‘MASTABA’S
not transition smoothly, it would create
havoc in the lives of the living.

Initially , the tombs were built like houses.

One room of the house was the burial
chamber and was sealed , while offerings
were made to the statue of the deceased in
the adjoining room. As these tombs were
easily accessible, they were often robbed.

In later times, the burial chamber was

shifted below ground and its entrance was
filled with pieces of stone and sealed. A THESE TOMBS WERE CONSTRUCTED OF SUN DRIED BRICKS
small chamber was built above ground to OR STONE AND WERE BASED ON DESIGNS OF ACTUAL
DWELLINGS CONSTRUCTED OF LESS DURABLE MATERIAL
receive offerings to the spirit of the
deceased.
THE EARLY
PYRAMIDS
THE STEP
PYRAMID,
SAQQARA, EGYPT,
2630 BCE

PLAN OF DJOSER’S FUNERARY COMPLEX

GREAT
ALTAR
COURT

HEB- MORTUARY
PYRAMI
SED TEMPLE
PROCESSIONAL HALL D
COURT
THE EARLY PYRAMIDS
BEGUN AS A MASTABA, THE PYRAMID WAS BUILT UP IN SEVERAL STAGES. THIS WAS EGYPT’S
FIRST MONUMENTAL CONSTRUCTION IN STONE – SO IT HAS SURVIVED ~ 4600 YEARS

IMHOTEP, ARCHITECT OF THE THIRD DYNASTY PHAROAH DJOSER IS CREDITED WITH DESIGNING
THIS PYRAMID FOR DJOSER’S FUNERARY COMPLEX AT SAQQARA, OUTSIDE MEMPHIS.

IT HAS A LARGE RECTANGULAR PLAN COVERING 35 ACRES WITH A 33’ HIGH , I MILE LONG
SURROUNDING WALL . THERE IS ONLY ONE SMALL ENTRANCE WITH A SMALL DOOR IN THE
SOUTH EAST CORNER THAT LEADS INTO A NARROW COLLONADED PROCESSIONAL HALL. AT THE
END OF THE HALL IS THE MAIN COURTYARD WITH THE STEPPED PYRAMID IN 6 STEPS BUILT IN
DIFFERENT STAGES.

IT IS 397’ X 358’ IN PLAN, WITH A HEIGHT OF 197’.

THE EXTERIOR IS FINISHED IN LIMESTONE.

IN THE INTERIOR, IMITATION OF ORIGINAL MATERIALS ARE FOUND IN STONE LIKE REED
BUNDLES AND PAPYRUS STALK COLUMNS, LOG CEILINGS, EVEN A STONE HINGS FOR AN
IMMOBILE STONE DOOR.

IN A SMALL CHAMBER, THE STATUE OF DJOSER SITS LOOKING OUTWARDS WITH A SMALL
APARTURE CUT INTO THE WALL AT ITS EYE LEVEL. – BEING THE ONLY ACESS TO THE OUTSIDE
WORLD.
BASE = 397’ X SLOPE = 51* 05’ 35”
CLADDING OVER AN SNEFRU WAS THE FIRST RULER OF THE 4TH
358’
EXISITING STEPPED DYNASTY. HE RULED FROM 2575 -2551 BCE.
THE FIRST STONE

197’
DURING HIS REIGN HE BUILT 3 PYRAMIDS –

(302’)
PYRAMID PYRAMID
ONE IN MEIDUM (OUTSIDE CAIRO) AND
IN 6 STEPS
CORBELLING USED FOR THE TWO IN DAHSHUR. SNEFRU WAS A CULT
1ST FIGURE AND WAS REVERED UPTO 2000YRS
AFTER HIS DEATH.
SNEFRU’S PYRAMIDTIME IN STONE
(ONION),
1 DJOSER’S PYRAMID, CONSTRC. 2
MEIDUM THE FIRST PYRAMID HE BUILT WAS IN
SAQQARA
EXPANDING AND FINISHING AN EXITING
BASE = 616’ X 616’
PYRAMID BUILT BY AN EARLIER PHAROH
L. SLOPE = 54* 27’ 44”
AT MEDIUM. INITIALLY A STEP PYRAMID,
U. SLOPE = 41* 22’
HE HAD IT CLADDED IN DRESSED

344’
LIMESTONE. AS THE SLOPE WAS QUITE
STEEP, THE TOP PORTION OF THE PYRAMID
FELL OFF REVEALING THE INNER CORE,
HENCE IT IS ALSO REFERED TO AS THE
3
SNEFRU’S PYRAMID (BENT), ‘ONION’ PYRAMID.
DAHSHUR
BASE = 722’ X 722’ HIS SECOND PYRAMID WAS IN DAHSHUR.
BASE = 755’ X 755’
SLOPE = 43*22’ AFTER THE COLLAPSE OF THE TOP OF THE
SLOPE = 51* 50’ 40”
EARLIER PYRAMID AT MEIDUM, HALFWAY
344’

COVERS OVER 13
THRU THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS
ACRES
481’

PYRAMID, IT’S SLOPE WAS REDUCED FROM

~54* TO ~41* FOR STABILITY. IT IS
4 THEREFORE ALSO KNOWN AS THE BENT
SNEFRU’S PYRAMID (RED), PYRAMID.
DAHSHUR
THE THIRD OF SNEFRU’S PYRAMID, ALSO
BASE = 705’ X
AT DAHSHUR, IS KNOWN AS THE ‘RED’
705’ 5 KHUFU’S PYRAMID (CHEOPS’S), PYRAMID, AS ITS LIMESTONE CLADDING
SLOPE = 53* 20’ GHIZA
471’

HAS BEEN SCAVENGED AND ONLY ITS

213’

BASE = 335’ X OXIDIZED LIMESTONE CORE, TURNED RED,

343’ IS VISIBLE. THIS PYRAMID WAS THE FIRST
SLOPE = 51*21’25” ‘TRUE’ PYRAMID.

THE MOST IMPORTANT PYRAMID

6 MENKAURE’S PYRAMID 7 COMPLEX IS AT GIZA, WITH 3 PYRAMIDS IN
(MYCERINUS’S), GHIZA CLOSE PROXIMITY – THE PYRAMID OF
KHUFU, THE PYRAMID OF HIS SON KHUFRE
KHAFRE’S PYRAMID (CHEPHREN’S), AND THEN THAT OF HIS SON MENKAURE.
GIZA THE PYRAMID OF KHUFU (CHEOPS’S) IS
THE BIGGEST STONE MONUMENT EVER
PYRAMIDS AT GIZA, EGYPT, 2550-2460BCE

MUCH OF
THE
LIMESTONE
AT THE
CORE OF
THE GIZA
PYRAMIDS
WAS
QUARRIED
ON SITE.
FINER
DISPLAY
STONE AND
GRANITE
WAWS
TRANSPORT
ED FROM
MORE
DISTANT
LOCATIONS.
 MASTABA TOMBS

PYRAMID OF KHUFU / CHEOPS

MORTUARY TEMPLE

CAUSEWAY TO THE MORTUARY

TEMPLE

PYRAMID OF KHUFRE /
CHEPHREN
SPHINX

VALLEY TEMPLE WITH CAUSEWAY TO

THE MORTUARY TEMPLE

PYRAMID OF SITE PLAN OF THE PYRAMIDS, GIZA, EGYPT, 2550 –

MENKAURE 2460 BCE
SMALL PYRAMIDS
FOR THE QUEENS OF
MENKAURE
KHUFU’S PYRAMID IN PARTICULAR HAS A LARGE
NUMBER OF SUBSIDIARY TOMBS LOCATED TO THE
WEST OF IT, INCLUDING SALLER PYRAMIDS AND
MASTABAS FOR MEMBERS OF THE COURT. KHUFU’S
PYRAMID HAS THE BEST PRESERVED VALLEY
TEMPLE AND CAUSEWAY. NOTE THE POSITION OF
THE SPHINX TO THE NORTH OF THE CAUSEWAY
LEADING TO KHAFRE’S PYRAMID
 2
KHUFRE KHUFU
2520 – 2494 BCE 1 2550 – 2460 BCE

3 MENKAURE
2490 - 2472
 KHUFU’S /CHEOPS’S PYRAMID AT GIZA

 
KHUFU’S PYRAMID HAS THREE BURIAL
CHAMBERS. THE FIRST ONE IS UNDERGROUND
CARVED OUT THE FOUNDATION BED ROCK. THIS IS
REFERED TO AS THE CHAMBER OF THE
UNDERWORLD.

THE SECOND, THE QUEEN’S CHAMBER, ALSO

KNOWN AS THE ‘SPIRIT CHAMBER’, WAS
CONSTRUCTED DURING CONSTRUCTION AND
                                        
PERHAPS THE STATUE OF THE KING WAS PLACED 1
HERE.

THE 3RD CHAMBER, ALSO KNOWN AS THE KING’S

                                  
CHAMBER IS THE HIGHEST OF THE THREE. THIS IS
THE BIGGEST CHAMBER AND IS APPROACHED
THRU A CORBELLED GALLERY 26’ HIGH. THIS
GALLERY HAS 11 PAIRS OF MASSIVE STONE BEAMS
GOING INTO THE UPPER PART OF THE PYRAMID TO
HELP TRANSFER THE TOP LOAD AWAY FROM THIS
GALLERY. THE ROOF OF THE GALLERY IS FLAT AND
IS COVERED BY 5 MASSIVE STONE SLABS
CREATING HOLLOW EASING SPACES ABOVE THEM.
THE GALLERY IS APPROACHED THRU A 4’ HIGH
ASSENDING PASSAGE, MAKING IT SEEM MORE
DRAMATIC. THERE ARE 2 VENTS FOR AIR.

THE PHAROH’S CHAMBER IS FINISHED IN RED

GRANITE WHILE THE REST OF THE CONSTRUCTION
IS IN LIMESTONE.
The Construction of the King’s Section across the great pyramid
Chamber in the Great (Of cheops or suphis).
Pyramid.
 KHUFRE/CHEPHEREN AT GIZA
THE PYRAMID OF KHUFRE IS
IMMEDIATELY IDENTIFIED BY
ITS DRESSED LIMESTONE TOP.
ORIGINALLY ALL THE

 
PYRAMIDS WERE FINISHED IN
DRESSED LIMESTONE.

THE BASE MEASURES 216M X

216M AND ITS 144M HIGH.

            
MENKAURE AT GIZA
THE PHAROAH’S BODY WAS The Sepulchral Chamber in the
BROUGHT TO THE VALLEY Pyramid of Cephren at Gizeh
TEMPLE BY BOAT &
EMBALMED. THEN IT WAS
TAKEN TO THE MORTUARY
TEMPLE FOR LAST RITES.

IT IS 108M X 108M AT BASE

AND ITS ABOUT 67M HIGH.
 KHAFRE’S PYRAMID AND THE SPHINX, EGYPT, GIZA
COMPLEX 2550-2460 BCE

THE VALLEY TEMPLE TO THE SPHINX HAS BEEN CARVED OUT OF THE
KHAFRE’S TOMB IS SQUARE IN EXISTIG ROCK OUTCROP ON SITE. IT IS 187’
PLAN WITH A CENTRAL
COURYARD SURROUNDED BY
LONG & 66’ HIGH
LARGE COLUMNS. IT HAS THICK
LIMESTONE WALLS WITH RED
GRANITE CLADDING IN THE
INTERIOR & ALABASTER
FLOORING. THERE IS A
CLEARSTOREY WINDOW AT THE
ENTRANCE THAT LIGHTS UP THE
23 STATUES ALONG THE SIDE
WALLS .

JUST IN FRONT OF THE

COURTYARD ARE 12 LARGE
STATUES OF PHAROAH.

TWO LEVELS OF NARROW

STORAGE ROOMS EXTENDED INTO
THE SOLID WALL MASS.

REMAINS OF THE
ENTRANCE TO
KHAFRE’S VALLEY
TEMPLE ARE
VISIBLE TO THE
LEFT
In the neighborhood of the pyramids are found a
large number of tombs which are supposed to be
those of private persons. Their form is generally
that of a mastaba or truncated pyramid with sloping
walls, and their construction is evidently copied
from a fashion of wooden architecture previously
existing. The same idea of making an everlasting
habitation for the body prevailed as in the case of
the pyramids, and stone was therefore the material
employed; but the builders seem to have desired to
indulge in a decorative style, and as they were
totally unable to originate a legitimate stone
architecture.

They carved in stone, rounded beams as lintels,

grooved posts, and—most curious of all—roofs that
are an almost exact copy of the early timber huts
when unsquared baulks of timber were laid across
side by side to form a covering. This kind of stone- Imitation of Timber Construction in Stone,
work, which is peculiar to the old dynasties, and from a Tomb at Memphis
seems to have had little influence upon succeeding
styles.
A remarkable feature of these early private
tombs consists in the paintings with which the
walls are decorated, and which vividly portray
the ordinary every-day occupations carried on
during his lifetime by the person who was
destined to be the inmate of the tomb. These
paintings are of immense value in enabling us
to form an accurate idea of the life of the
people at this early age.

Imitation of Timber Construction in Stone, from

a Tomb at Memphis.
PLAN OF THE GREAT TEMPLE OF AMUN, KARNAK, EGYPT
1550 BCE

FIRST
COURT
PYLON II BEGUN IN 1550 BCE IT
HYPOSTYLE HALL WAS ENLARGED BY
PYLON III THUTMOSE I, ENRICHED
BY OBELISKS GIVEN BY
TEMPLE OF PTAH
HIS DAUGHTER,
RAM PYLON IV HATSHEPSUT, AND
HEADED
SPHINXES AGAIN EXPANDED WITH
PYLON I FESTIVAL
A HYPOSTYLE JUBILEE
TEMPLE OF FESTIVAL HALL
TEMPLE THUTMOSE CONTRUCED BY
OF III
THUTMOSE III FOR HIS
REMESSES
TEMPLE
III OWN GLORIFICATION.
OF YET ANOTHER
KHONSU
HYPOSTYLE HALL, THE
LARGEST OF ALL, WAS
SACRED BUILT BY RAMESSES II.
LAKE

FESTIVAL HALL
OF AMENOPHIS
II
 SUCCESSIVE RULERS
WOULD ADD NEW
PRECINCT PORTIONS OR RENOVATE
OF MONTU
OLDER TEMPLES,
PRECINCT
OF AMON - CREATING DESIGNS
RE WHOSE CHIEF ATTRIBUTE
WAS OVERBEARING
GRANDEUR, NOT
COHERENCE OR
AESTHETIC DELIGHT. THE
TEMPLE AT KARNAK,
ACROSS THE NILE FROM
DEIR-EL-BAHARI, IS AN
EXAMPLE OF THIS
PROCESS.

THE ORIGINAL AXIS OF

THE TEMPLE HAS BEEN
EXTENDED AT THE CROSS
AXIS TO ACCOMMODTE
CONNEXTION TO THE
PRECINCT
OF MUT
AXIS TO THE PRECINCT OF
MUT
A is the entrance between the two enormous pylons
giving access to a large courtyard, in which is a small
detached temple, and another larger one breaking into
the courtyard obliquely.
A gateway between a second pair of pylons admits to B,
the grand Hypostyle Hall, 334 feet by 167 feet.

Beyond this are additional gateways with pylons,

separated by a sort [28] of gallery, C, in which were two
gigantic obelisks;

D, another grand hall, is called the Hall of the

Caryatides, and beyond is the Hall of the eighteen
columns,

through which access is gained to a number of smaller

halls grouped round the central chamber E.

Beyond this is a large courtyard, in the centre of which

stood the original sanctuary, which has disappeared
down to its foundations, nothing but some broken shafts
of columns remaining.
 The Hypostyle Hall at Karnak, showing the Clerestory.

At the extreme east is another hall supported partly by columns and partly
by square piers, and a second series of pillared courts and chambers. The
pylons and buildings generally decrease in height as we proceed from the
entrance eastwards.
 HYPOSTYLE HALLS ARE
SIZEABLE CHAMBERS
CREATED BY ROWS OF LARGE
COLUMNS PLACED CLOSELY
TOGETHER. THE TIGHT
SPACING WAS NECESSARY TO
SUPPORT THE STONE LINTELS
OF THE ROOF, WHILE THE
LARGE COLUM DIAETER
FEFLECTED THE SUBSTANTIAL
HEIGHT OF THE STONE
CYLINDERS. THE NET EFFECT
WAS A IMLY LIT INTERIOR
WITHOUT A SENSE OF SPATIAL
EXPNSE.

DAYLIGHT ADMITTED
THROUGH SLITS IN THE STONE
CLERESTORY GRILLES
FILTERED THROUGH THE
INCENSE SMOKE AND THE
UPPER VOLUME OF THE
HYPOSTYLE HALL OF THE KARNAK TEMPLE HYPOSTYLE COLUMNS TO
CREATE A SENSE OF MYSTERY,
THE DESIRED EFFECT FOR
RELIGIOUS RITUAL.
EACH DAY THE PRIESTS
PERFORMED PURIFICATION
RITES IN THE SACRED LAKE
WITHIN THE TEMPLE
PRECINST, DRESSED THE
STATUE OF THE DEITY IN
RICH GARMENTS, AND
PRESEMNTTED IT OFFERING
AT THE EVENING RITUAL.

MONUMENTAL MASONRY
ENTRANCE GATES OR
PYLONS LINED
PROCESSIONAL ROUTES TO
REPRESENT THE EASTERN
MOUNTAINS OF EGYPT
THROUGH WICH THE DIVINE
EARLY MORNING SUNLIGHT
ENAMATED.

THE TEMPLES HAD AN AXIAL

CIRCULATION FOR THE
PENETRATION OF SOLAR
RAYS AND MOVEMENT OF
PRIESTLY PROCESSIONS.
PYLON GATEWAY, TEMPLE OF HORUS AT EDFU, EGYPT
237 – 57 BCE
WHILE THIS
PYLON GATEWAY
DATES FROM THE
PTOLOMAIC
PERIOD AFTER
ALEXANDER THE
GREAT
CONQUERED
EGYPT, IT IS
SIMILAR IN FORM
& PURPOSE TO
THOSE AT
KARNAK.

SUCH A SPATIAL
THRESHOLD
SIGNIFIED THE
INCREASING
SACREDNESS OF
THE SPACE
BEYOND .

THE 4 VERTICAL
SLOTS ONCE
HELD OBELISKS.
Entrance to an Egyptian Temple, showing the Pylons
The Great Temple , Abu – Simbel (C. 1301 B.C)

BUILT BY REMESSES II, THE TEMPLE BEGINS WITH A 79’ HIGH PYLON. THE PYLON WAS
DECORATED WITH SCENES OF RAMESSES’S MILITARY TRIUMPHS. LATER PHARAOHS
ALSO RECORDED THEIR VICTORIES HERE.
THIS MAIN ENTRANCE TO THE TIMPLE COMPLEX WAS ORIGINALLY FRANKED BY SIZ
COLOSSAL STATURES OF RAMESSES – 4 SEATED & 2 STANDING – BUT ONLY TWO (BOTH
SEATED) HAVE SURVIVED. THERE WERE 2 MASSIVE OBELISKS (82’ HT) IN PINK GRANITE,
ONE WAS WHICH WAS LATER TAKEN TO PARIS.
THE PYLON GATEWAY LEADS TO A PERISTYLE COURTYARD, LEADING TO THE
PROCESSIONAL COLONNADE BUILT LATER BY AMENHOTEP III – A 100 M CORRIDOR
LINED BY 14 PAPYRUS CAPITAL COLUMNS. AFTER THE COLONNADE IS A PERISTYLE
COURTYARD. THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF THIS COURTYARD IS MADE UP OF A 36 COLUMN
HYPOSTYLE COURT LEADING TO THE INNER SANCTUMS OF THE TEMPLE.
Ground-plan of the Rock-cut Temple at Section of the Rock-cut Temple at Ipsamboul.
Ipsamboul

THE HALL AND THE PYLON WERE BUILT AT AN OBLIQUE ANGLE TO THE REST OF THE TEMPLE,
PRESUMABLY TO ACCOMMODATE THE 3 PRE-EXISTING SHRINES LOCATED IN THE NORTHWEST
CORNER.
 CAPITAL AND COLUMNS

Palm Capital

Isis Capital

Fanciful Column from

Painted Decoration
Egyptian Column with Egyptian Column with Sculptured Capital
Lotus Bud Capital Lotus Flower Capital.

Crowning Cornice and Bead.

• ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE IS
BASED MAINLY ON RELIGIOUS
MONUMENTS & MASSIVE STRUCTURES
CHARACTRISED BY :
a. THICK, SLOPING WALLS WITH FEW
OPENINGS
b. OBTAINED STRUCTURAL
STABILITY IN MUD WALLS
c. THE INCISED(CUT/ MARKS) AND
FLAT MODELED SURFACE THAT
ADORED STONE BUILDINGS MAY
HAVE BEEN DERIVED FROM MUD
WALL ORNAMENTATION.
• USE OF THE ARCH WAS DEVELOPED
DURING THE FOURTH DYNASTY
• THERE WAS POST AND LINTEL
CONSTRUCTIONS, WITH FLAT ROOFS
CONSTRUCTED OF HUGE STONE BLOCKS
SUPPORTED BY THE EXTERNAL WALLS AND
THE CLOSELY SPACED COLUMNS.
• WALLS, COLUMNS & BEAMS WHERE
DECORATED/ COVERED WITH
HIEROGLYPHIC/ GRAPHICS, PICTORIAL
FRESCOES AND CARVINGS PAINTED IN
BRILLIANT COLORS.
• EGYPTIAN ORNAMENTATION
WERE SYMBOLIC, SUCH AS
THE SCARAB, OR SACRED
BEETLE, THE SOLAR DISK,
AND THE VULTURE, PALM
LEAVES, THE PAPYRUS
PLANT, AND THE BUDS AND
FLOWERS OF THE LOTUS.
• HIEROGLYPHS WERE
INSCRIBED FOR DECORATIVE
PURPOSES AS WELL AS TO
RECORD HISTORIC EVENTS
• ANCIENT EGYPTIAN TEMPLES
WERE ALIGNED WITH
ASTRONOMICALLY
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS, SUCH
AS SOLSTICES AND
EQUINOXES, REQUIRING
PRECISE MEASUREMENTS.
• MEASUREMENTS AT THE
MOST SIGNIFICANT TEMPLES
MAY HAVE BEEN
CEREMONIALLY
UNDERTAKEN BY THE
PHARAOH HIMSELF.
BUILDING MATERIALS

• THE TWO PREDOMINANT

BUILDING MATERIALS USED IN
ANCIENT EGYPT WERE: SUN-
BAKED MUD BRICK AND STONE,
MAINLY LIMESTONE, SANDSTONE
AND GRANITE WERE ALSO USED.

• FROM THE OLD KINGDOM ONWARD,

STONE WAS GENERALLY RESERVED
FOR TOMBS AND TEMPLES.

• BRICKS WERE USED FOR ROYAL

PALACES, FORTRESSES, THE WALLS
OF TEMPLE AND TOWNS, AND FOR
SUBSIDIARY BUILDINGS IN TEMPLE
COMPLEXES.

• EGYPT HOUSES WERE MADE OUT

OF MUD, RIVER BED MUD

• MUD WAS PLACED IN MOLDS AND

LEFT TO DRY IN THE HOT SUN TO
HARDEN FOR USE IN
CONSTRUCTION.
QUESTION
•“Egyptians Buildings reflect the impact of religion and
society on architectural character of Egypt.” Explain in
detail.