The architecture of ancient Egypt evolved over three main periods - the Archaic Period saw the unification of Egypt and early stone architecture, the Old Kingdom established absolute kingship and saw the construction of pyramids along the Nile, and the New Kingdom built large temples along the Nile connected by vast axes with Thebes emerging as the new capital city. Burial monuments were a core part of Egyptian architecture from early pyramid complexes like that of Zoser to later temples and mortuary structures built for pharaohs like Hatshepsut.

1. The architecture of ancient Egypt

2. ARCHAIC PERIOD 3000-2665 BC
unification of two kingdoms of Egypt
stone architecture
OLD KINGDOM until 2150 BC ca
absolute kingship
Pyramids along the Nile Valley
MIDDLE KINGDOM 2250-1750 BC
political and social chaos-provincial governors
pharaoh is a mediation between deities and people
Sun god Amon cult
NEW KINGDOM 1600-1300 BC
The emerging of a capital: Thebes
a vast Empire from Sudan to Palestine
Temples replaced tombs as landmarks along the Nile River
connected each others through vast axes

3. THE NILE RIVER AS
A GREAT AXIS

4. SENSE OF ETERNITY
AND STABILITY

5. THE CORE OF EGYPTIAN
ARCHITECTURE: BURIAL MONUMENTS
FIRST TYPES

6. Zoser mortuary complex at Saqqara, Archaic Period, 2680 BC circa.

9. Zoser mortuary complex at Saqqara, the
serdab or sitting statue of the Zoser king.

12. Cheops pyramid
Chefren pyramid
Mykerinos pyramid
XXVI century BC
Chefren complex
Valley temple
Sphinx Temple of Harmakhis
Mortuary temple

16. Cheops pyramid
Chefren pyramid
Mykerinos pyramid
XXVI century BC
Chefren complex
Valley temple
Sphinx Temple of Harmakhis
Mortuary temple

21. Hatshepsut complex in Der el-Bahri, 1500 BC circa.

22. Mentuhotep
Mortuary temple
Middle Kingdom
XXI century BC
Hatshepsut
Mortuary temple
New Kingdom
XVI century BC
Karnak Amon
temples
New Kingdom
XVI-XV century BC
Luxor Amon
temple
New Kingdom
XVI-XIII century BC

23. Hatshepsut complex in Der el-Bahri, 1500 BC circa. The sphinx avenue