history of architecture at ANCIENT EGYPT AND ANCIENT NEAR EAST

1. ANCIENT NEAR EAST/WEST ASIA
ARCHITECTURE
MAP OF ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA MAP OF NEAR EAST REGION
RULED BY: SUMERIANS, ASSYRIANS, BABYLONIANS
AND PERSIANS
MESOPOTAMIA
TEMPLES WERE OFTEN THE MOST CENTRAL AND
IMPORTANT BUILDINGS.

2. ANCIENT NEAR EAST/WEST ASIA
ARCHITECTURE
GEOGRAPHICAL
- WEST ASIA ARCHITECTURE
DEVELOPED IN THE TWIN
RIVERS
- MESOPOTAMIA REFERS TO
PERSIA, ASSYRIA, &
BABYLON
CLIMATE
MESOPOTAMIA EXPERIENCE FLOODS AND HEAVY RAINS
PERSIA EXPERIENCE HOT AND DRY CLIMATE WHICH RESULT
IN BUILDING OPEN TYPE TEMPLES
RELIGION
ASSYRIA & BABYLON
CONVERSION OF SOIL INTO CLAY TO PRODUCE BRICKS
PERSIA
USES TIMBER AND COLORED LIMESTONE.
MESOPOTAMIANS WERE SUPERSTITIOUS AND BELIEVERS
OF SYMBOLISM, GENIES AND DEMONS
PERSIANS WERE BELIEVERS OF GOOD AND EVIL.
SOCIAL AND POLITICAL
BABYLONIANS HAVE THE HIGHEST DEGREE OF
CIVILIZATION AMONG THE THREE.
HISTORICAL
1. BABYLONIAN EMPIRE
MOST POWERFUL STATE IN THE ANCIENT WORLD AFTER THE FALL
OF ASSYRIAN EMPIRE
2. ASSYRIAN EMPIRE
WAS A MESOPOTAMIAN KINGDOM AND EMPIRE OF ANCIENT
NEAR EAST.
3. NEO-BABYLONIAN PERIOD
ALSO KNOWN AS THE SECOND BABYLONIAN/CHALDEAN EMPIRE.
WAS THE LAST OF THE GREAT EMPIRED TO BE RULED BY
MONARCHS' NATIVE TO MESOPOTAMIAN.
4. PERSIAN EMPIRE
REFERS TO THE SERIES OF IMPERIAL DYNASTIES.
CUNEIFORM
WEDGE SHAPED CHARACTERS ON CLAY TABLETS

3. ANCIENT NEAR EAST/WEST ASIA
ARCHITECTURE
CHARACTERISTICS AND FEATURES
PERSIAN ARCHITECTURE
COLUMNAR AND TRABEATED WITH FLAT TIMBER ROOF
SOMETIMES DOMED.
ASSYRIAN & BABYLONIAN
ARCUATED TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION
ARCH
VAULT
AND FLAT STRIPS BUTTRESSES
WITH GLAZED TILE ADORNMENT
ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER:
MASSIVENESS, MONUMENTALITY, GRANDEUR
CITIES:
CITY OF UR
– ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CITY BY THE SUMERIANS.
- LARGEST CITIES OF ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA.
ARCHITECTURE
MATERIALS:
MESOPOTAMIANS USED ASPHALT AS A BUILDING MATERIAL
5000 YEARS AGO AND WHERE THUS, THE FIRST PEOPLE TO USE
PETROLEUM
ZIGGURAT
MEANING TO BUILD ON A RAISED AREA.
BABEL MEANS GATE OF GOD.
BABYLON MEANS GATE OF THE GOD.
SQUARE/RECTANGLE IN PLAN CONTAINING THE FIRE ALTAR
LARGEST SUMERIANAND MESOPOTAMIAN STRUCTURES.
TOWER LIKED STEPPED PYRAMIDS MADE FROM MUD BRICK.
TYPES OF ZIGGURAT
1. ARCHAIC ZIGGURAT
HAVE ONE FLAT TOP RECTANGULAR MOUND CARRYING THE
UPPER TEMPLE.
2. TWO OR MORE ZIGGURAT
WITH SEVERAL TIERS/STAGES
3. SEVEN SQUARE BASE ZIGGURAT

4. ANCIENT NEAR EAST/WEST ASIA
ARCHITECTURE
CITY OF UR CITY OF BABYLON

5. ANCIENT NEAR EAST/WEST ASIA
ARCHITECTURE
ZIGGURAT

6. ANCIENT NEAR EAST/WEST ASIA
ARCHITECTURE
ETEMENANKI (TOWER OF BABEL)
• TEMPLE OF THE
FOUNDATION AND HEAVEN
& EARTH
• DEDICATED TO MARDUK
(GOD OF BABYLON)
• LARGE TEMPLE TOWER IN
CITY OF BABYLON
ZIGGURAT
RESIDENCE OF THE CITY’S CHIEF GOD
HEAVEN OF ANU
MIDDLE HEAVENS
UNDERWORLD
THE SKY
THE EARTH
THE APSU

7. ANCIENT NEAR EAST/WEST ASIA
ARCHITECTURE
ZIGGURAT
WHITE TEMPLE AT WARKA (URUK)
WARKA MEANS URUK
THE WHITE TEMPLE WAS RECTANGULAR
MEASURING 17.5 X 22.3 METERS AND, AT ITS CORNERS,
ORIENTED TO THE CARDINAL POINTS.
TYPE: ARCHAIC ZIGGURAT

8. ANCIENT NEAR EAST/WEST ASIA
ARCHITECTURE
ZIGGURAT OF URNAMMU, UR
• ONE OF THE LARGEST AND BEST-PRESERVED
ZIGGURATS OF MESOPOTAMIA.
• BUILT DURING EARLY BRONZE AGE
• DEDICATED TO THE MOON GOD NANNA.
• MATERIAL: MUD BRICK WITH BURNT BRICK FACING
THE ZIGGURAT AT CHOGHA-ZANBIL ELAM
• TYPICALLY TRANSLATED AS BASKET MOUND
• BUILT BY UNTASH-NAPIRISHA
• LAST SURVIVING ZIGGURAT
• WORLD’S LARGEST ZIGGURAT
ZIGGURAT

9. ANCIENT NEAR EAST/WEST ASIA
ARCHITECTURE
TOWER OF BABEL ZIGGURAT AT BORSIPPA
BORSIPPA OR BIRS NIMRUD
- WAS AN IMPORTANT ANCIENT CITY OF SUMER.
- ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE IN BABYLON
ZIGGURAT

10. ANCIENT NEAR EAST/WEST ASIA
ARCHITECTURE
HANGING GARDENS AT BABYLON
ONE OF THE 7 WONDERS OF THE ANCIENT WORLD LISTED
BY HELLENIC CULTURE.
-WITH ASCENDING SERIES OF TIERED GARDENS
CONTAINING A WIDE VARIETY OF TREES, SHRUBS AND
VINES.
BUILT BY ITS GREATEST KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR II
CITY OF BABYLON - PALACE OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR
ZIGGURAT

11. ANCIENT NEAR EAST/WEST ASIA
ARCHITECTURE
ZIGGURAT

12. ANCIENT NEAR EAST/WEST ASIA
ARCHITECTURE
THE ZIGGURAT OF DUR-KURIGALZU
AN ENORMOUS BRICK SANDSTONE STRUCTURE FROM
THE DESERT SANDS, A HUMAN-MADE STRUCTURE.
DEVOTED TO THE CHIEF BABYLONIAN GOD, ENLIL.
AL ZAQURA BUILDING IN BAGHDAD
OCCUPIED BY THE OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER
BRUTALIST ARCHITECTURE STYLE - REMINISCING AN
ANCIENT ZIGGURAT.
ZIGGURAT

13. ANCIENT NEAR EAST/WEST ASIA
ARCHITECTURE
CITY OF BABYLON
ISHTAR GATE
• EIGHTH GATE TO THE INNER CITY OF BABYLON.
• ORDERED BY KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR II.
• WALLS WERE FINISHED IN GLAZED BRICKS MOSTLY IN
BLUE, WITH ANIMALS, AND DEITIES.
• DEDICATED TO THE GODDESS OF FERTILITY AND LOVE.
• REPRESENTED BY LIONS.

14. ANCIENT NEAR EAST/WEST ASIA
ARCHITECTURE
ASSYRIA
CITY OF KHORSABAD - PALACE OF SARGON
• CONTAINS 700 ROOMS
• CITY OF KHORSABAD BUILT BY KING SARGON AND
ABANDONED WHEN HE DIED IN BATTLE.
• ROYAL CAPITAL OF ASSYRIA.
IMPORTANT PARTS OF PALACE:
SERAGLIO - KING’S RESIDENCE, MEN’S APARTMENT,
RECEPTION COURTS
HAREM – PRIVATE FAMILY APARTMENTS OR WOMEN’S
QUARTER
KHAN - SERVICE CHAMBERS, A MOSLEM INN FOR
TRAVELERS

15. ANCIENT NEAR EAST/WEST ASIA
ARCHITECTURE
HALL OF HUNDRED COLUMNS AT PERSEPOLIS
• ALSO KNOWN AS THE THRONE ROOM.
• STARTED BY XERXES AND COMPLETED BY HIS SON
ARTAXERXES I
• MEASURING 70X70 METERS
• SECOND LARGEST BUILDING OF PERSEPOLIS
• ITS FUNCTION WAS CHANGED AND IT BECAME A
STOREROOM. BEACAUSE THE TREASURY HAD BECOME
TOO SMALL TO CONTAIN ALL TREASURES THAT HAD
BEEN HOARDED IN PERSEPOLIS.
• ROYAL AUDIENCE HALL – MOST IMPRESSIVE ASPECT
OF THE PALACE.
PERSIA

16. ANCIENT EGYPT
EGYPT
EGYPT MEANS TWO LANDS
REFLECTING THE TWO SEPARATE KINGDOMS OF UPPER AND LOWER
UPPER EGYPT REFERS TO THE SOUTHERN EGYPT
LOWER EGYPT REFERS TO THE NORTHERN EGYPT
PHARAOHS – RULERS OF EGYPT
COMPARISON BETWEEN EGYPT AND MESOPOTAMIA
EGYPT
• FLOURISHED UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF ONE RULER AND PEACEFUL
• LOCATED PRIMARILY WITHIN ONE RIVER VALLEY
MESOPOTAMIA
DIVIDED INTO SEVERAL KINGDOMS AND CITY STATES.
SPREAD OUT BETWEEN TWO RIVERS, COULD BE EASILY ATTACKED FROM ANY DIRECTION.

17. ANCIENT EGYPT
PERIOD:
OLD
MIDDLE
NEW

18. ANCIENT EGYPT
PYRAMIDS
ARE ROYAL TOMBS
GREEK FOR WHEATEN CAKE - GREEK
THOUGHT THE PYRAMIDS LOOKED LIKE
CAKES SITTING ON THE DESERT.
EGYPTIAN NAME FOR TOMB – CASTLE
OF ETERNITY
IMHOTEP
WAS THE ARCHITECT OF THE PYRAMIDS.
A SCULPTOR, POET PRIEST,
GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL, ASTROLOGER,
MAGICIAN AND HEALER.

19. ANCIENT EGYPT
MAP OF THE GIZA, PLATEAU
PYRAMIDS
ARE ROYAL TOMBS
GREEK FOR WHEATEN CAKE - GREEK THOUGHT THE
PYRAMIDS LOOKED LIKE CAKES SITTING ON THE DESERT.
EGYPTIAN NAME FOR TOMB – CASTLE OF ETERNITY
IMHOTEP
WAS THE ARCHITECT OF THE PYRAMIDS.
A SCULPTOR, POET PRIEST, GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL,
ASTROLOGER, MAGICIAN AND HEALER.
PYRAMIDS WERE DESIGNED TO 3 FORMS
STEP PYRAMID
STEPPED WITH TIERS
BENT PYRAMID
STRAIGHT-SIDED/SLOPED PYRAMID

20. ANCIENT EGYPT
GEOGRAPHICAL
- KNOWN AS THE LAND OF PHARAOH AND THE
DESERT LAND.
- THERE GREATEST WEALTH WAS ITS FERTILE SOIL
- NILE RIVER – EGYPT’S MEANS OF
COMMUNICATION, HIGHWAY AND LIFELINE
GELOLOGICAL
STONE
ABUNDANT BUILDING MATERIALS EXCEPT ON
TEMPLES AND PYRAMIDS
SOFT STONE
LIMESTONE, SANDSTONE, ALABASTER
HARD STONE
QUARTZITE, BASALT, PORPHYRY
SUN DRIED BRICKS
MADE OF CLAY AND CHOPPED STONE FOR PYRAMIDS
AND TEMPLES
CLIMATE
STRUCTURES IN EGYPT HAS NO DOWNSPOUT,
DRAINAGE AND GUTTERS DUE TO THE ABSENCE OF
RAIN
NO WINDOW TO CUT HEAT PENETRATION
RELIGION
1. PYRAMIDS WERE BUILT BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE IN LIFE
AFTER DEATH.
2. PHARAOH IS NOT ONLY A KING BUT ALSO A GOD.
3. PHARAOH BECOMES OSIRIS AFTER DEATH, MEANS GOD OF
DEAD
SOCIAL AND POLITICAL
MONARCHY – GOVENRMENT
PHARAOH-RULER, HIGH PRIEST
HORUS – SON OF OSIRIS, SUCCESSOR
VIZIER-KING MOST POWERFUL OFFICIAL
ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER:
1. SIMPLICITY
2. MONUMENTALITY
3. SOLIDITY/MASSIVENESS
FEATURES OF EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE
BATTERED WALL
-INCLINATION FROM BASE TO TOP
NECROPOLIS
CITY OF THE DEAD.

21. ANCIENT EGYPT
3 TYPES OF TOMB
1. MASTABA (HOUSE OF STABILITY)
TOMB HOUSES THAT WERE MADE TO TAKE THE BODY AT
FULL LENGTH
COMES FROM THE ARABIC WORD FOR A BENCH OF
MUD.
STELE
UPRIGHT STONE SLAB CONTAINING THE NAME OF THE
DEAD FOUND IN THE MASTABA

22. ANCIENT EGYPT
3 TYPES OF TOMB
1. MASTABA
CONSISTS OF 3 PARTS:
1. OUTER CHAMBER– WHERE OFFERINGS
WERE PLACED
2. SERDAB – INNER CHAMBER CONTAINING
THE STATUES OF THE DECEASED MEMBER
OF THE FAMILY
3. SARCOPHAGUS – CHAMBER CONTAINING
THE COFFIN

23. ANCIENT EGYPT
MASTABA OF THI
THI - ROYAL ARCHITECT AND SUPERINTENDENT
TOMB OF A COURT OFFICIAL WHO SERVED THREE
KINGS.
MASTABA
TOMB

24. ANCIENT EGYPT
2. PYRAMIID
MASSIVE FUNERARY STRUCTURE OF STONE OR
BRICK WITH A SQUARE BASE AND FOUR SLOPING
TRIANGULAR SIDES MEETING AT THE APEX.
MADE BY 100,000 MEN FOR 100 YEARS.
TOMB

25. ANCIENT EGYPT
PYRAMID OF DJOSER (2700 BC)
ARCHITECT: IMHOTEP
TYPE: STEP PYRAMID
MATERIAL: LIMESTONE
LOCATION: NECROPOLIS AT SAQQARA
THE SHAPE OF THE PYRAMID SUGGEST A STARWAY
TO THE SKY TO JOIN THE SUN GOD AMON RA.
FIRST PYRAMID BUILT AND OLDEST.
PYRAMID OF SNEFERU
ARCHITECT: SNEFERU
TYPE: BENT PYRAMID
TOMB

26. ANCIENT EGYPT
NORTH PYRAMID OF DASHUR
(ALSO CALLED THE RED PYRAMID)
TYPE: STEP PYRAMID
MATERIAL: RED LIMESTONE
LOCATION: DAHSHUR,EGYPT
THIRD LARGEST PYRAMID OF EGYPT BUILT DURING
THE REIGN OF SNEFERU
TOMB

27. ANCIENT EGYPT
TEMPLES:
EGYPTIAN TEMPLE WERE BUILT FOR THE OFFICIAL
WORSHIP OF THE GODS AND IN
COMMEMORATION OF THE PHARAOHS IN
ANCIENT EGYPT.
WERE SEEN AS HOUSES FOR THE GODS OR KINGS
TO WHOM THEY WERE DEDICATED.
KINDS:
1. CULT TEMPLE
TEMPLE FOR THE WORSHIP OF A DEITY.
2. MORTUARY TEMPLE
TEMPLE FOR OFFERINGS AND WORSHIP OF A
DECEASED PERSON, USUALLY A DEFIED KING.
TEMPLES

28. ANCIENT EGYPT
PYLON TEMPLE
EGYPTIAN TEMPLE TYPE WITH MONUMENTAL
GATEWAYS, FORMED BY TWINED PYLONS.
KIOSK
A FREE STANDING STONE CANOPY STRUCTURE
SUPPORTED BY COLUMNS IN EGYPTIAN ARCH.
HYPAETHRAL
PYLON
ENTRANCE GATEWAY
HYPOSTYLE HALL
LARGE HALL HAVING MANY COLUMNS IN ROWS
SUPPORTING A FLAT ROOF , SOMETIMES CLERESTORY
OBELISK
UPRIGHT STONE, SQUARE IN PLAN.
SANCTUARY (NAOS)
HAS A STATUE OF THE WORSHIPPED GOD
WHERE RITUALS ARE PERFORMED.
TEMPLES