architecture of Egyptian civilization

4. • Egypt was ancient even to the ancients.
• It was viewed by the Greeks & Romans of 2,000 yrs. ago in
somewhat the same way as the ruins of Greece & Rome are viewed
by the modern man.
• The great Greek historian Herodotus made a grand tour of
ancient Egypt in the 5th cent. B.C & wrote –
“Wonders more in number than those of any other land
and works it has to show beyond expression great.”

5. • One of the most ancient civilizations the architecture of which
has many monuments almost intact because of
1. Hot and Dry climate
2. The Materials used : Mostly Sandstone and Limestone
• Uses details of form derived from vegetable sources and earlier
mud and reed construction.
• Reflects the obsession with life after death of the ancient
Egyptians.
• The Hot Dry Climate and Clear Sunny Skies meant plenty of day
light and accompanying heat. To control this and as a protection
against sun and sandstorms no window openings were provided.
Day lighting is achieve through door openings which let in light
modified by colonnades. The gape between stone slabs for
roofing also helped. This was supplemented by clerestory
lighting or a gape between a higher and a lower roof. This was
protected from the sun and sand by stone grills.

6. THE MAIN TYPES OF ARCHITECTURE INCLUDED
1. Tombs – Which can be subdivided in to
a. Mastabas
b. Pyramids
c. Rock Cut Tombs
2. Temples – Which can be subdivided in to
a. Mortuary Temples
Which were mostly Rock Cut
b. Religious Temples
Which were mostly Built with stone masonry

14. • First known Egyptian tombs
• Bench-shaped masses rising above 30 ft.
• Composed generally of sun-baked mud brick
• Featured sloping walls and a flat roof Serdabs
• Burial chamber usually was surrounded by storage rooms, used to store goods for
the deceased to take along their journey in the afterlife.
• MASTABAS SERVED AS A MODEL FOR THE LATER EGYPTIAN PYRAMIDS.

15. The famous Stepped Pyramid at Saqqara, Egypt, c. 2630 B.C
• The Stepped Pyramid is the rectangular monument in the center of the
Enormous funerary/mortuary complex BUILT BY THE GREAT KING ZOSER in 2750
B.C.
• DESIGNED BY IMHOTEP, the first recorded architect in history and later
considered a god by the Egyptians.

21. • The trio of large pyramids at Giza (2550-2460 B.C) are the works of the 4th
dynasty pharaohs known as KHUFU, KHAFRE & MENKAURE (or
Cheops/Chephren and Mycerinus in Greek transliteration)
• The largest of the three that of Khufu, was built first and planned from the
start to be a true pyramid of unprecedented proportions.
• The smallest of the Giza trio belonged to Menkaure, a son of Khafre.

24. • Because of its outward size the Great Pyramid was called one of the seven
wonders of the Ancient World.
• But the interior , with its corridors, passageways, air shafts, Grand
Gallery and King’s Chamber, is no less an architectural marvel.

27. QUEEN HATSHEPSUT’S MORTUARY TEMPLE

30. Conjectural View and Plan of Mentuhotep’s mortuary temple at Deir-el-Bahari,
Egypt, C.2061-2010 B.C.
MENTUHOTEP’S MORTUARY TEMPLE

31. PYLON GATEWAY TEMPLE OF EDFU, EGYPT, 237-57 B.C

32. Temple of Khons at Karnak
Religious Temple

33. Temple of Khons at Karnak

34. ROCK CUT TOMB OF BENI HASAN AT ASWAN

36. TEMPLE AT ABU SIMBEL, NEAR PHILAE, EGYPT

41. Columns

44. Low – Relief work on A Temple Wall