2. MASTABA
Egyptians believed that only the souls of kings went on to enjoy life with the gods.The souls of the
nobles, on the other hand, continued to inhabit the tomb and needed to be nourished by daily
offerings of food and drink.
When people died, their ka (the life force or soul of the deceased) was released.To encourage the
soul to return to the body, the body was preserved and a statuette in the likeness of the deceased was
placed in the tomb.
Statuettes called shabti or shawabti, (slaves for the soul) were also placed in the tombs to perform
work on behalf of the deceased in the afterlife.
Courtiers and families of the monarch were buried in these low rectangular brick or stone
structures.They were built on the west side of the Nile (symbol of death, where the sun falls into the
underworld)
Egyptians believed in a mysterious kingdom of the dead on the western side where the sun went
down.They also believed that the dead man survived in his tomb.
3. Rich nobleman were buried in mastabas.
Nobles buried their dead bodies along with
precious possessions such as jweles, furniture,
crockery
Grave, also calledThe House of Double, was
constructed in a broad pit below ground.
Superstructure was covered by a rectangular flat
roof, with sloping sides.
I dynasty: the grave had a small house with few
offerings
IV dynasty: Tomb chambers were sunk deeply
and connected with horizontal passages, cut
from north end of superstructure
V andVI dynasty: offering rooms became more
elaborate, statues of the dead were often placed
in a small room known as serdab
Images of dead were carved on upright stone
slab called stele through which KA the spirit was
believed to enter the chapel to feed on the
offering
https://khaledgamean.wordpress.com/2019/0
2/10/mastabas-of-the-old-kingdom-at-saqqara-
the-tomb-of-merefnebef/
MASTABAS OFTHE OLD KINGDOMAT SAQQARA -The tomb
of Merefnebef
7. PYRAMIDS
Built only for pharaohs.
Early pyramids were similar to mastaba, after which the true pyramids were evolved
Stages of development : stepped pyramid of Zoser at Saqqara and Medum
Bent pyramid at Dashur
Finest and most geometrical at Giza
Limestone as core material of construction
Granite used fir kings chamber and passages
Entrance mostly from north
Sides were alligned with cardinal points
Large stone blocks were raised and turned by means of levers
Stone blocks were hauled up along the slopping ramps of earth or sand.
Dressing of finished surface was done top to botton, apex stone coated with gold
Pyramids were part of a building complex which also consisted of a temple for worship, a chapel
for offering, a small cause way over the canal to connect the valley with the river Nile, enclosed
with massive walls
8.
9.
10. THE GREAT PYRAMID OF CHEOPS AT GIZA
Built outside the city of Memphis, near Cairo.
Built for Cheops also known as Khufu, the second king of IV dynasty
Base : 230.5m X 230.5m
Height : 146m
Four faces form almost equilateral with an angle of 51 deg with the ground.
Four corners oriented at cardinal points
From north, entrance is provided at a height of 17m from the ground through which a small
corridor is built.
Corridor descends at an angle of 26 deg well below the ground where an underground chamber
is provided on the central axis.
An ascending corridor , at an angle of 30 deg, about 18m along, is constructed through the
descending corridor nearly at ground level.
It connects the queens chamber, 21m above the ground, also on central axis.
It is left incomplete and closed for the second change in plan for kings chamber
11.
12.
13. From here, the ascending corridor is widened into a large passage, well known as Grand Gallery.
This is 2.1m high and 2.3m height, covered by a corbelled vault in 7 courses of 8.5m where it
tapers to 1.1m
At the end of the gallery is the king’s chamber where granite sarcophagus is placed.
Chamber measures: 10.36m x 5.23m and 5.8m high, lined with granite stone and covered with 5
tiers of stone beams raising to a height of 21m from floor
Two air shafts about 20cm x 15cm are provided from outer faces of the pyramid to the kings
chamber to serve as ventilation as well as free passage for the KA.
14.
15.
16. TEMPLES
Rectangular plan
Two types of temple: Mortuary temples for ministration to pharaohs; Cult temples for worship of
Gods
Mortuary temples were primarily for the pharaohs, inside a walled enclosure, consisting of series
of rooms
Pillared court, hypostyle hall, dark mysterious chamber, chapel. Heights of which diminishing
behind the pylons
Pylons are massive doorway with opening between two sloping towers
Complex also consisted of residences for priests, office buildings, pantries, sacred water tank for
religious rites
Cult temples were mostly carrying out for processions
Temples were oriented towards NILE
17.
18. TEMPLE OF KHONS AT KARNAK
Khons the moon God
Obleisks in front, also approached through a series of sphinxes
Roof of stone slab over the court was supported by 28 massive columns arranged on three sides.
Four columns in central aisle were taller, clearstorey windows were provided
Sanctuary consisted of sacred boat of khons
19. TEMPLES OFAMON AT KARNAK
AMON RA, the sun God
366m x 110m rectangular base plan
6 pair of Pylons made one after the other by successive Pharaohs
Great court measures 103m x 84m, hypostyle measures 103m x 52m, supported by 134 great
columns in 16 rows. Columns are 21m high 3.58m in dia with papyrus flower or bell capital. Side
columns are 13m 2.67m dia.
Walls, shafts of columns and architrave are covered with incised relief in different colors
