EGYPTIAN

ARCHTECTURE
IN EGYPTIAN DRAWINGS THE
HOA – SEM I TORSO IS ALWAYS SHOWN
FRONTALLY WHILE THE FACE,
HANDS AND LEGS ARE IN PROFILE
 HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE : EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE

GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION: Egyptian landscape

varies from the strip of fertile land in the
valley of the river Nile, arid region to a vast
desert.

Nile is the longest, life giving river is the

conduit of ancient culture & essence of Egypt.

Egyptian Architecture
Prominent features are
tombs (Mastaba, massive
Royal Pramids) and temple.
 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EGYPT IS DOMINATED BY ONE GREAT
RIVER, THE NILE, WHICH ORIGINATES IN THE HIGHLANDS OF
UGANDA AND PASSES THRU SUDAN & ETHEOPIA AS IT
TRAVERSES MORE THAN 2000 MILES BEFORE FLOWING OUT
INTO THE MEDDITERRANEAN SEA TO THE NORTH.

TWO CENTERES 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.

WITHIN THE 600 LOWER MILES OF THE RIVER VALLEY,

AGRICULTURE IS FACILITATED BY THE WARM CLIMATE AND
THE ANNUAL FLOOD DEPOSITS OF ORGANIC SILT, WHICH
RENEW THE FERTILITY OF THE FIELDS.

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
AT A VERY EARLY STAGE, EGYPTIANS ALSO DEVELOPED WRITING ORIENTED SETTLEMENTS IN TURBULENT MESOPOTAMIA.
IN THE FORM OF HIEROGLYPHS, A SYSTEM USING BOTH
PICTORAL AND PHONETIC SYMBOLS TO RECORD INFORMTION
Tombs- Eternal homes to Egyptians. As they believed in life after death
therefore there was a believe that dead man survived in his tomb.

Types of Tombs: Mastabas, pyramids

What is a MASTABAS?
A rectangular superstructure of
ancient Egyptian tombs, built of
mud brick or, later, stone, with
Used for
sloping walls and a flat roof. Facing preserving
Towards north and south direction dead bodies
Example: Mastaba at Aha,Squarra
What is a PYRAMID?
A pyramid is a structure whose
outer surfaces are triangular. The
base of a pyramid can be
quadrilateral, or polygon shape.
Example: The great Pyramid of
cheops at Giza
Style of architecture in Egyptian civilization influenced by availability of
material
As rich clay was abundant from Nile delta so it was used to manufacture
sun-dried bricks.

• Pyramids were constructed using

fine lime stone from Mokattam
hills.

• Temples were constructed using

Sandstone which plenty at Silsila.

• Dead bodies
stored in stone
coffins or
sarcophagus.

All houses built in unbaked bricks.

• The First Pyramid was built by: Cheops

• The Great Pyramid of Giza (also known

as the Pyramid of Khufu or the Pyramid
of Cheops) is the oldest and largest of
the three pyramids in the Giza pyramid
complex
Height-146.7 metres (481 ft) appox.
Base Length of 230.34 metres (756 ft)

Cairo, Egypt

• Giza pyramid complex Includes

the Great Pyramid of Giza,
the Pyramid of Khafre, and
the Pyramid of Menkaure, along
with their associated pyramid
The Giza pyramid complex, complexes and the Great Sphinx
also called the Giza of Giza.
Necropolis
• Four face roughly equilateral Triangles. Pyramid on solid stone base. Casing with limestone
• Entrance from north at 17m from ground
• Grand gallery has a passage 2.1 m wide and 2.3 m high at end of grand gallery there is king’s
chamber.
• King chamber has five tires of stone beam up to height of 2.1m
• Pyramid of Khafre second tallest pyramid of the Giza complex

• The Pyramid of Menkaure is the smallest of the three main Pyramids

of Giza. It now stands at 61 m (204 ft) tall with a base of 108.5 m
(356 ft).

The Great Sphinx of Giza is

a limestone statue a mythical
creature with the body of a lion
and the head of a human.

• Facing directly from West to

East

• It is believed to represent
the pharaoh Khafre.

• Statue is 20m high. 73.13 m

long.
Great Sphinx of Giza
• IN PREDYNASTIC AND EARLY DYNASTIC TIMES,
THE EGYPTIAN CLIMATE WAS MUCH LESS
ARID THAN IT IS TODAY. LARGE REGIONS OF
EGYPT WERE COVERED IN TREED SAVANNA
AND TRAVERSED BY HERDS OF GRAZING
UNGULATES.
• FOLIAGE AND FAUNA WERE FAR MORE
PROLIFIC IN ALL ENVIRONS AND THE NILE
REGION SUPPORTED LARGE POPULATIONS OF
WATERFOWL.

• HUNTING WOULD HAVE BEEN COMMON

FOR EGYPTIANS AND THIS IS ALSO THE
PERIOD DURING WHICH MANY ANIMALS
WOULD HAVE BEEN FIRST DOMESTICATED.
BY ABOUT 5500 BC, 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, THE BADARI, WAS KNOWN A PREDYNASTIC PERIOS JAR DECORATED
FOR ITS HIGH QUALITY CERAMICS, STONE
TOOLS, AND ITS USE OF COPPER.
A HYDRAULIC CIVILIZATION
‘MENI’ WAS THE FIRST KING WHO IS BELIEVED TO HAVE UNITED THE TWO KINGDOMS OF NORTH AND SOUTH
EGYPT.
IN 2700 YEARS, EGYPT WAS RULED BY 30 DYNASTIES.

THERE WERE TWO DISTINCT REGION – UPPER EGYPT AND LOWER EGYPT.
BECAUSE OF THE NILE, THE ANCIENT EGYPTANS HAD NO USE FOR WHEELED VEHICLES OR EVEN PAVED ROADS.
THE CHARIOT WAS A FOREIGN IMPORT THAT ARRIVED LATE TO THE WATER-BOURE EGYPTIANS, WHO, NOT
SURPRIIGLY, DEVELOPED SOHPISTICATED CONSTURCTION TECNIQUES FOR BOATS OF ALL SIZES.

THE NATION OF EGYPT DEFINED ITSELF BY THE NILE, AND THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE ENGINEERS OF THE
PYRAMIDS LEARNED TO SURVEY, TO LEVEL, AND TO ORGAIZE LARGE WORK FORCES ON THE BANKS OF THE
RIVER.

IT HAS ALSO BEEN SPECULATED THAT , BECAUSE THE FARMERS WERE INACTIVE DURING FLOOD TIMES, THEY
WERE AVAILABLE FOR CONSCRIPTION ONTO CONSTRUCTION WORK GANGS FOR MASSIVE PROJECTS LIKE THE
PYRAMIDS.
OLD KINGDOM 2920 – 2134 BCE
EARLY TOMBS
NO CIVILIZATION SEEMS SO CONCERNED THE ‘MASTABA’S
ABOUT THE PASSAGE OF LIFE FROM THE
MATERIAL WORLD TO THE SPIRIT WORLD
AS THE EGYPTIANS. PERHAPS THEY
FEARED THAT IF THE SPIRIT DID NOT
TRANSITION SMOOTHLY, IT WOULD CREAT
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 ,
WHLE 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 THESE TOMBS WERE CONSTRUCTED OF SUN DRIED BRICKS
ENTRANCE WAS FILLED WITH PIECES OF OR STONE AND WERE BASED ON DESIGNS OF ACTUAL
STONE AND SEALED. A SMALL CHAMBER DWELLINGS CONSTRUCTED OF LESS DURABLE MATERIAL
WAS BUILT ABOVE GROUND TO 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-SED MORTUARY TEMPLE

PYRAMID
PROCESSIONAL HALL COURT
 ONE OF THE COURTYARDS WAS A
THE EARLY PYRAMIDS PLACE FOR HOLDING THE HEB-SHET
RACES, A FERTILITY RITUAL.
BEGUN AS A MASTABA, THE PYRAMID WAS BUILT UP IN SEVERAL
STAGES. THIS WAS EGYPT’S FIRST MONUMENTAL CONSTRUCTION IN THE MAIN COURT ARE TWO ‘8’
IN STONE – SO IT HAS SURVIVED ~ 4600 YEARS SHAPED STONE PILLARS
REPRESENTING DJOSER RUNNING
IMHOTEP, ARCHITECT OF THE THIRD DYNASTY PHAROAH DJOSER IS THE HEB-SHET RACE.
CREDITED WITH DESIGNING THIS PYRAMID FOR DJOSER’S
FUNERARY COMPLEX AT SAQQARA, OUTSIDE MEMPHIS. THERE ARE 2 BURIAL CHAMBERS:
ONE IS BENEATH THE PYRAMID AND
IT HAS A LARGE RECTANGULAR PLAN COVERING 35 ACRES WITH A CONTAINS THE PHAROAH’S MUMMY
33’ HIGH , I MILE LONG SURROUNDING WALL . THERE IS ONLY ONE IN AN ALABASTER COFFIN. THE
SMALL ENTRANCE WITH A SMALL DOOR IN THE SOUTH EAST ENTRACE PASSAGE TO THIS PASSAGE
CORNER THAT LEADS INTO A NARROW COLLONADED PROCESSIONAL WAS BLOCKED BY A STONE 6’ IN
HALL. AT THE END OF THE HALL IS THE MAIN COURTYARD WITH THE DIAMETER AND WEIGHING 6 TONS
STEPPED PYRAMID IN 6 STEPS BUILT IN DIFFERENT STAGES. BUT THAT DID NOT DETER TOMB
ROBBER’S .
IT IS 397’ X 358’ IN PLAN, WITH A HEIGHT OF 197’.
THE EXTERIOR IS FINISHED IN LIMESTONE. THE SECOND CHAMBER WAS
DISCOVERED MUCH LATER IN THE
IN THE INTERIOR, IMITATION OF ORIGINAL MATERIALS ARE FOUND SOUTH SIDE OF THE PERIMETER
IN STONE LIKE REED BUNDLES AND PAPYRUS STALK COLUMNS, LOG WALL – BUT IT WAS ALSO
CEILINGS, EVEN A STONE HINGS FOR AN IMMOBILE STONE DOOR. PLUNDERED. ORIGINALLY IT
CONTAINED THE EMBALMED
IN A SMALL CHAMBER, THE STATUE OF DJOSER SITS LOOKING (preserved corpse)INNARDS OF THE
OUTWARDS WITH A SMALL APARTURE CUT INTO THE WALL AT ITS PHAROAH. ITS INTERIOR WALLS
EYE LEVEL. – BEING THE ONLY ACESS TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD. WERE FINISHED IN BLUE TILE WORK
SET BETWEEN A BASKED WEAVE
PATTERN BETWEEN WOODEN STRIPS
AND COLUMNS
BASE = 397’ X 358’ SLOPE = 51* 05’ 35”
CLADDING OVER AN EXISITING SNEFRU WAS THE FIRST RULER OF THE 4TH
THE FIRST STONE
STEPPED PYRAMID DYNASTY. HE RULED FROM 2575 -2551 BCE.
PYRAMID
DURING HIS REIGN HE BUILT 3 PYRAMIDS – ONE
IN 6 STEPS
CORBELLING (support) IN MEIDUM (OUTSIDE CAIRO) AND TWO IN
USED FOR THE 1ST DAHSHUR. SNEFRU WAS A CULT FIGURE AND WAS
TIME IN STONE CONSTRC. REVERED UPTO 2000YRS AFTER HIS DEATH.
SNEFRU’S PYRAMID (ONION),
1 DJOSER’S PYRAMID, SAQQARA 2 THE FIRST PYRAMID HE BUILT WAS IN EXPANDING
MEIDUM
AND FINISHING AN EXITING PYRAMID BUILT BY AN
EARLIER PHAROH AT MEDIUM. INITIALLY A STEP
BASE = 616’ X 616’
PYRAMID, HE HAD IT CLADDED IN DRESSED
L. SLOPE = 54* 27’ 44”
LIMESTONE. AS THE SLOPE WAS QUITE STEEP, THE
U. SLOPE = 41* 22’
TOP PORTION OF THE PYRAMID FELL OFF

344’
REVEALING THE INNER CORE, HENCE IT IS ALSO
REFERED TO AS THE ‘ONION’ PYRAMID.

HIS SECOND PYRAMID WAS IN DAHSHUR. AFTER

3 SNEFRU’S PYRAMID (BENT), DAHSHUR THE COLLAPSE OF THE TOP OF THE EARLIER
PYRAMID AT MEIDUM, HALFWAY THRU THE
BASE = 722’ X 722’ CONSTRUCTION OF THIS PYRAMID, IT’S SLOPE
BASE = 755’ X 755’
SLOPE = 43*22’ WAS REDUCED FROM ~54* TO ~41* FOR
SLOPE = 51* 50’ 40”
STABILITY. IT IS THEREFORE ALSO KNOWN AS THE
344’

COVERS OVER 13 ACRES

BENT PYRAMID.
481’

THE THIRD OF SNEFRU’S PYRAMID, ALSO AT

4 SNEFRU’S PYRAMID (RED), DAHSHUR DAHSHUR, IS KNOWN AS THE ‘RED’ PYRAMID, AS
ITS LIMESTONE CLADDING HAS BEEN SCAVENGED
AND ONLY ITS OXIDIZED LIMESTONE CORE,
TURNED RED, IS VISIBLE. THIS PYRAMID WAS THE
BASE = 705’ X 705’
5 KHUFU’S PYRAMID (CHEOPS’S), GHIZA FIRST ‘TRUE’ PYRAMID.
SLOPE = 53* 20’
THE MOST IMPORTANT PYRAMID COMPLEX IS AT
BASE = 335’ X 343’
471’

GIZA, WITH 3 PYRAMIDS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY –

SLOPE = 51*21’25”
THE PYRAMID OF KHUFU, THE PYRAMID OF HIS
SON KHUFRE AND THEN THAT OF HIS SON
MENKAURE. THE PYRAMID OF KHUFU (CHEOPS’S)
IS THE BIGGEST STONE MONUMENT EVER BUILT,
6 KHAFRE’S PYRAMID (CHEPHREN’S), GIZA MENKAURE’S PYRAMID (MYCERINUS’S), GHIZA 7 THE PYRAMID OF KHUFRE IS ALMOST SIMILAR IN
SIZE BUT AS IT IS ON A RAISED PODIUM, IT SEEMS
LARGER, THE SMALLEST AND MOST HURRIEDLY
BUILT IS THE PYRAMID OF MENKAURE.
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,
TRANSPORTED
FROM MORE
DISTANT
LOCATIONS.
 MASTABA TOMPS

PYRAMID OF KHUFU / CHEOPS

MORTUARY TEMPLE

CAUSEWAY TO THE MORTUARY TEMPLE

PYRAMID OF KHUFRE / CHEPHREN

SPHINX

VALLEY TEMPLE WITH CAUSEWAY TO THE

MORTUARY TEMPLE

SITE PLAN OF THE PYRAMIDS, GIZA, EGYPT, 2550 – 2460 BCE

PYRAMID OF MENKAURE
SMALL PYRAMIDS FOR KHUFU’S PYRAMID IN PARTICULAR HAS A LARGE NUMBER OF
THE QUEENS OF
MENKAURE
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
LEADING TO KHAFRE’S PYRAMID
 1 KHUFU
KHUFU’S /CHEOPS’S PYRAMID
2 KHUFRE 2550 – 2460 BCE
2520 – 2494 BCE
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 HERE.

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

CHAMBER IS THE HIGHEST OF THE THREE. THIS IS THE 2490 - 2472 1
BIGGEST CHAMBER AND IS APPROACHED THRU A
CORBELLED GALLERY . THIS GALLERY HAS PAIRS OF KHUFRE/CHEPHEREN
MASSIVE STONE BEAMS GOING INTO THE UPPER PART THE PYRAMID OF KHUFRE IS
OF THE PYRAMID TO HELP TRANSFER THE TOP LOAD IMMEDIATELY IDENTIFIED BY
AWAY FROM THIS GALLERY. ITS DRESSED LIMESTONE TOP.
ORIGINALLY ALL THE
THE ROOF OF THE GALLERY IS FLAT AND IS COVERED PYRAMIDS WERE FINISHED IN
BY 5 MASSIVE STONE SLABS CREATING HOLLOW DRESSED LIMESTONE.
2
EASING SPACES ABOVE THEM. THE GALLERY IS
APPROACHED THRU A 4’ HIGH ASSENDING PASSAGE,
MAKING IT SEEM MORE DRAMATIC. THERE ARE 2 THE PHAROAH’S BODY WAS
VENTS FOR AIR. BROUGHT TO THE VALLEY
TEMPLE BY BOAT &
THE PHAROH’S CHAMBER IS FINISHED IN RED GRANITE EMBALMED. THEN IT WAS 3
WHILE THE REST OF THE CONSTRUCTION IS IN TAKEN TO THE MORTUARY
LIMESTONE TEMPLE FOR LAST RITES.
 KHAFRE’S PYRAMID AND THE SPHINX, EGYPT, GIZA COMPLEX
2550-2460 BCE
THE VALLEY TEMPLE TO KHAFRE’S THE SPHINX HAS BEEN CARVED OUT OF THE EXISTING
TOMB IS SQUARE IN PLAN WITH A ROCK OUTCROP ON SITE.
CENTRAL COURYARD SURROUNDED
BY 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 PHAROES.

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
2200 – 2150 BCE
AFTER THE OLD KINGDOM, BECAUSE OF ALL THE AFTER 130 YRS OF THE SECOND INDETERMINATE
SPENDING IN BUILDING PYRAMIDS AND PERIOD THE EGYPTIANS WERE ABLE TO
MOURTARY AND LOCAL TEMPLES, THE COUNTRY RECONQUER THEIR TERRITORY AND
ENTERED A 140-YEAR PERIOD OF FAMINE AND PERMANENTLY ERRADICATED THE PRESENCE OF
STRIFE KNOWN AS THE FIRST INTERMEDIATE THE ASIATICS FROM EGYPT. IN THE NEW KINGDOM
PERIOD THAT FOLLOWED, MILITARY BECAME A CENTRAL
PRIORITY FOR THE PHARAOHS SEEKING TO
UPPER AND LOWER EGYPT PASSED INTO THE EXPAND EGYPT’S BORDERS AND SECURE HER
HANDS OF SEPARATE RULERS. AROUND 2055 BCE, DOMINANCE OF THE NEAR EAST.
THE UPPER EGYPT RULERS DEFEATED THE
SOUTHERN KINGDOM AND REUNITED THE TWO
LANDS INGAURATING A PERIOD OF ECONOMIC &
CULTURAL RENNAISSANCE KNOWN AS THE
MIDDLE KINGDOM

ON DISCOVERY OF GOLD MINES NEAR THE CITY OF

NUBIA, THE PAHROAHS INVITED ASIATIC SETTLES
INTO THE DELTA REGION TO PROVIDE A
SUFFICIENT LABOUR FORCE ESPECIALLY FOR
ACTIVE MINING AND BUILDING CAMPAIGNS.

1650BC
HOWEVER DUE TO INADEQUATE NILE FLOODS, IT
LED TO THE 2ND INDETERMINATE PERIOD WHEN
MAXIMUM TERRRITORIAL EXTENT
THE ASIATIC SETTLERS BEGAN TO SEIZE CONTROL
OF ANCIENT EGYPT (15TH CENTURY)
OF THE DELTA REGION, EVENTUALLY COMING OT
POWER IN EGYPT.
ALABASTER STATUE OF
KING MENKAURA EGYPT'S WEALTH, HOWEVER, MADE IT A
(NOW AT THE BOSTON TEMPTING TARGET FOR INVASION, PARTICULARLY
MUSEUM BY THE LIBYANS AND THE SEA PEOPLES. INITIALLY,
THE MILITARY WAS ABLE TO REPEL THESE
INVASIONS, BUT EGYPT EVENTUALLY LOST
CONTROL OF SYRIA AND PALESTINE.

THE HIGH PRIESTS AT THE TEMPLE OF AMUN IN

THEBES, IN SOUTH EGYPT, ACCUMULATED VAST
TRACTS OF LAND AND WEALTH AND THEIR
GROWING POWERS SPLINTERED THE COUNTRY
DURING THE THIRD INDETERMINATE PERIOD.
NORTH EGYPT PASSED INTO THE HANDS OF THE
IN 322 BC, ALEXANDER THE
SMENDES
GREAT CONQUERED EGYPT
WITH LITTLE RESISTANCE
THE LIBYANS HAD BEGUN SETTLING IN THE
FROM THE PERSIANS AND
WESTERN DELTA AND DECLARING AUTONOMY.
WAS WELCOMED BY
THEY RULED FOR SOME 200 YRS. THEY ALSO
EGYPTIANS AS A DELIVERER.
GAINED CONTROL OF SOUTH EGYPT.
ALEXANDER SHIFTED THE
NEW CAPITAL TO
AROUND 670 BCE ASSYRIANS BEGAN THEIR
ALEXANDRIA.
ATTACK ON EGYPT. BY 525 BCE THE POWERFUL
HE SUPPORTED THE OLD
PERSIANS BEGAN THEIR CONQUEST OF EGYPT
TRADITIONS OF EGYPT.
ASSUMING THE TITLE OF PHARAOHS. HOWEVER
THEY PREFERED TO RULE FROM THEIR OWN
BY 30 BCE ROME SENT
CAPITAL OF SUSA LEAVING EGYPT IN THE HANDS
FORCES TO CONQUER EGYPT,
OF A SATRAPY. EGYPT WAS NEVER ABLE TO
MAKING IT A PROVINCE OF
PERMANENTLY OVERTHROW THE PERSIANS.
ITS EMPIRE.
 (RECONSTRUCTED) MENTUHOTEP II’S
MORTUARY TEMPLE, DEIR-EL-BAHARI,
EGYPT
2061 – 2010 BCE

BURIAL
CHAMBER
• AXIAL DESIGN
•COMBINES TEMPLE & TOMB IN A SINGLE COMPOSITION
• HAS TWO LEVELS OF COLLONADED TERRACES
SURROUNDING A MAONARY MASS.
• STEPS LEADING TO HYPOSTYLE HALL
• HALL OF PILLARS LEADS TO A COURTYARD AND
THEN THRU A FOREST OF COLUMNS TO
MENTUHOTEP’S ACTUAL BURIAL VAULT CARVED
INTO THE ROCK CLIFF.
• THEY REPLICATED IN STONE ORDINARY
THE MIDDLE KINGDOM WAS TERMINATED BY THE ARRIVAL OF DEWLLINGS OF WOODEN AND REED STURCTURES
HYKSOS, SHEPHARD KINGS, WHO MAY HAVE COME FROM ASIA. WITH SLIGHTLY ARCHED ROOFS COMPOSED OF
DURING THE SECOND INTERMEDIATE PERIOD THEY RULED FOR A MATS LAID ON A FRAME.
100 YEARS. THEY INTRODUCED METALLURGY, 2 PEOPLE CHARIOT,
NEW DEITIES, BUT NO LASTING ARTISTIC INNOVATION • SERVED AS A PROTOTYPE FOR THE MORE ELLABORATE
ADJOINING FUNERARY CO MPLEX BY THE NEW
KINGDOM PHARAOH HATSHEPSUT
PLAN OF THE ROCK CUT TOMBS , BENI-HASAN, EGYPT
2000-1900 BCE
EVEN WHEN WORKING
AMORPHOUS ROCK, THE BUILDERS
CHOSE TO REPLICATE
RECTANGULAR GEOMETRIES AND
TO CARVE DETAILS REFLECTING THE
WOODEN AND PLASTERED REED
CONSTRUCTION THAT DOUBLESS
CHARACTERIZED HOUSES. THE
LOWER OF THE TWO PLANS
CORRESPONDS TO THE SECTION

MORE TYPICAL OF MIDDLE KINGDOM TOMBS

ARE THOSE AT BENI HASAN, WHICH ARE CUT
INTO ROCK CLIFFS AND PROVIDED WITH
SHELTERING PORTICOES. REFLECTING THE
POLITICAL IMPORTANCE OF THEIR BUILDERS,
THESE TOMBS WERE CONSTRUCTED FOR
MINOR NOBLES AND COURT OFFICIALS, WHO
EVIDENTLY ENJOYED CONSIDERABLE INFLUENCE
AND WEALTH.
THE NEW KINGDOM ( 18TH TO 20TH DYNASTIES )
1550 – 1070 BCE
TO PRESERVE THE WORLDLY REMAINS OF
THE PHARAOH AND THWART THE THIEVES,
EIGHTEENTH DYNASTY BUILDERS , THE FIRST
RULERSIN THE NEW KINGDOM , RELIED ON
CONCEALMENT AND IMPROVED POLICING
OF THE ROYAL NECROPOLIS.

NEW KINGDOM PHAROAHS WERE INTERRED

SECRETLY IN THE DESERT WILDERNESS
BEYOND DEIR-EL-BAHARI, A REGION KNOWN
AS THE LALLEY OF THE KINGS, WERE VERY
MODEST CHAMBERS WERE HEWN OUT OF
THE CLIFFS, AND THE ENTRANCES WERE
HIDDEN BY DIRT AND SAND. SPIRITUAL
NOURISHMENT FOR THE DESCEASED WAS
PROVIDED AT INCREASINGLY ELABORATE
SEPARATELY ERECTED FUNERARY TEMPLES.

AMONG THE MOST SPLENDID OF THE

WIGHTEENTH DYNASTY TEMPLES IS THE HATSHEPSUT WAS BURIED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE
FUNERARY COMPLEXC OF QUEEN MOUNTAIN RANGE IN THE VALLEY OF THE KINGS, SO THE
HATSHEPSUT (1473 – 1458 BCE) AT DIER – TEMPLE COMPLEX WAS A MORTUARY CHAPEL DEDICATED TO
AL- BAHARI. IT IS NOTABLE BOTH FOR ITS THE GOD AMUN, THE SUN GOD WITH WHOM THE PHARAOH
ARCHITECTURE AND FOR THE FACT THAT ITS WAS ASSOCIATED.
PARTON WAS A WOMAN.
PLAN & VIEW OF HATSHEPSUT’S
MORTUARY TEMPLE,
DEIR-EL-BAHARI, EGYPT
1473 –1458 BCE
RAMPS LED FROM THE VALLEY TO THREE BROAD
TERRACES, EACH DEFINED BY COLONNADES,
WHICH ALSO SERVE AS RETAINING WALLS FOR
THE NEXT LEVEL.
THE OVERALL DESIGN WAS INSPIRED BY THE
NEIGHBORING TEMPLE OF MENTUHOTEP,
ALTHOUGH HATSHEPSUT’S TEMPLE IS
CONSIDERABLY LARER AND GRANDER.
COLUMNS IN THE NORTH COLONADE OF THE
SECOND TERRACE ARE FACETED IN A MANNER
SUGGESTING THE FLUTES OF LATER DORIC
COLUMNS.
RELIEF CARVINGS AND WALL PAINTINGS WITHIN
THE SANCTUARY SPACES AND IN THE GREAT HALL
DEPICT HATSHEPSUT’S DIVINE BIRTH AS THE
CHILD OF AMUN (SUN GOD) AND THE ACTIVITIES
OF HER PEACEFUL REIGN; INCLUDING TRADING
EXPEDITIONS TO PUNT (PERHAPS THE SOMALI
COAST) BEARING GOLD, IVORY, BABOONS, AND
BOTANICAL SPECIMENS. HATSHEPSUT IS
GENERALLLY DIPICTED AS A MAN.
TODAY, THOUGH THE TERRACES ARE
BARREN, IN THE EIGHTEENTH
DYNASTY THE TERRACES OF
HATSHPDUT’S TEMPLE WERE
EMBELLISHED WITH INCENSE TREES
PLANTED IN EARTH FILLED PITS TO
CREATE A GARDEN FOR AMUN’S
PROMENADES.

BURRIED IRRIGATION PIPES

SUPPLIED WATER TO SUSTAIN THE
PLANTS, AND PRIESTS PLACES
TRIBUTES TO THE GOD IN THE
SHADE BENEATH THE BRANCHES.
THE ENTIRE SETTING OF THE
TEMPLE, FROM THE AXIAL RAMP
APPROACH TO THE TERMINATION
OF THE PROCESIONAL WAY AT A
FALSE DOOR PAINTED ON THE WALL
OF THE FINAL ROCK HEWN
SANCTUARY, IS A MASTERLY
NLENDING OF ARCHITECTURE INTO
A DRAMATIC LANDSCAPE
INCLUDING RUGGED CLIFF FACES.
PLAN OF THE GREAT TEMPLE OF AMUN, KARNAK, EGYPT 1550 BCE

BEGUN IN 1550
BCE IT WAS
FIRST COURT ENLARGED BY
PYLON II THUTMOSE I,
HYPOSTYLE HALL ENRICHED BY
PYLON III OBELISKS GIVEN
BY HIS
TEMPLE OF PTAH
DAUGHTER,
PYLON IV HATSHEPSUT,
RAM HEADED
SPHINXES AND AGAIN
PYLON I EXPANDED WITH
FESTIVAL A HYPOSTYLE
TEMPLE OF
THUTMOSE III JUBILEE FESTIVAL
TEMPLE OF HALL
REMESSES III
CONTRUCED BY
TEMPLE OF
KHONSU THUTMOSE III
FOR HIS OWN
GLORIFICATION.
YET ANOTHER
SACRED LAKE
HYPOSTYLE
HALL, THE
FESTIVAL HALL OF
AMENOPHIS II
LARGEST OF ALL,
WAS BUILT BY
RAMESSES II.
 SUCCESSIVE RULERS WOULD
ADD NEW PORTIONS OR
PRECINCT OF RENOVATE OLDER TEMPLES,
MONTU
CREATING DESIGNS WHOSE
PRECINCT OF CHIEF ATTRIBUTE WAS
AMON - RE
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 AXIS TO THE PRECINCT
OF MUT

PRECINCT OF
MUT
 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
COLUMNS TO CREATE A SENSE OF
MYSTERY, THE DESIRED EFFECT FOR
RELIGIOUS RITUAL.

HYPOSTYLE HALL OF THE KARNAK TEMPLE

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.
LUXOR TEMPLE

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.
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.
FRIEZES ON THE WALL DESCRIBE THE STAGES OF THE OPET FESTIVAL. THE DECORATIONS WERE PUT IN
PLACE BY TUTANKHAMUN.
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.
 CONCLUSION
WITHIN BOTH THE ZIGGURAT AND PYRAMID • ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE IS BASED
ENVIRONMENTS, PARTICIPANTS MOVED MAINLY ON RELIGIOUS MONUMENTS & MASSIVE
ALONG AN AXIS, TOWARD A TERMINUS, STRUCTURES CHARACTRISED BY :
WITH ARCHITECTURAL INCIDENTS LIKE a. THICK, SLOPING WALLS WITH FEW
GATEWAYS PROVIDING A RHYTHM AND OPENINGS
SIGNALLING CHANGES IN SPATIAL b. OBTAINED STRUCTURAL STABILITY IN
SIGNIFICANCE. MUD WALLS
c. THE INCISED(CUT/ MARKS) AND FLAT
THE PRINCIPLES REMAINED THE SAME AT MODELED SURFACE THAT ADORED
BOTH MIDDLE AND NEW KINGDOM STONE BUILDINGS MAY HAVE BEEN
FUNERARY COMPLEXES, WHERE GIANT DERIVED FROM MUD WALL
COLUMNS EMERGED AS INTERIOR ORNAMENTATION.
ARCHITECTURAL FREATURES.
• USE OF THE ARCH WAS DEVELOPED DURING THE
WHILE THE PYRAMIDS EXIBIT A MONOLITHIC FOURTH DYNASTY
SKIN, THE SURFACES OF ZIGGURATS WERE
ARTICULATED B MEANS OF BRICK BAND AND • THERE WAS POST AND LINTEL CONSTRUCTIONS,
POLYCHROMATIC GLAZES. WITH FLAT ROOFS CONSTRUCTED OF HUGE STONE
BLOCKS SUPPORTED BY THE EXTERNAL WALLS AND
AT THE FUNERARY TEMPLE COMPLEXES OF THE CLOSELY SPACED COLUMNS.
MENTUHOTEP AND HATSHEPSUT, WALL
ARTICULATION EVOLVED TO THE LEVEL OF • WALLS, COLUMNS & BEAMS WHERE DECORATED/
PROTO-COLUMNS, AND COLUMNS WILL BE COVERED WITH HIEROGLYPHIC/ GRAPHICS,
THE PRINCIPAL ELEMENTS IN THE CLASICAL PICTORIAL FRESCOES AND CARVINGS PAINTED IN
ARCHITECTURAL LANGUATGE FO THE BRILLIANT COLORS.
ANCIENT GREEKS AND ROMANS LATER.
• EGYPTIAN ORNAMENTATION WERE BUILDING MATERIALS
SYMBOLIC, SUCH AS THE SCARAB,
OR SACRED BEETLE, THE SOLAR • THE TWO PREDOMINANT BUILDING
DISK, AND THE VULTURE, PALM MATERIALS USED IN ANCIENT EGYPT
LEAVES, THE PAPYRUS PLANT, AND WERE: SUN-BAKED MUD BRICK AND
THE BUDS AND FLOWERS OF THE STONE, MAINLY LIMESTONE,
LOTUS. SANDSTONE AND GRANITE WERE ALSO
USED.
• HIEROGLYPHS WERE INSCRIBED
FOR DECORATIVE PURPOSES AS • FROM THE OLD KINGDOM ONWARD,
WELL AS TO RECORD HISTORIC STONE WAS GENERALLY RESERVED FOR
EVENTS TOMBS AND TEMPLES.

• BRICKS WERE USED FOR ROYAL PALACES,

• MEASUREMENTS AT THE MOST FORTRESSES, THE WALLS OF TEMPLE AND
SIGNIFICANT TEMPLES MAY HAVE TOWNS, AND FOR SUBSIDIARY BUILDINGS
BEEN CEREMONIALLY IN TEMPLE COMPLEXES.
UNDERTAKEN BY THE PHARAOH
HIMSELF. • 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.
  THE ENCIENT EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION

• MANY EGYPTION TOWNS HAVE

DISSAPEARED BECAUSE:

a. THEY WERE FLOODED AS THE RIVER

BED SLOWLY ROSE.
b. THE MUD BRICKS OF WHICH THEY
THE BUST OF QUEEN WERE BUILT DISINTEGRATED OR
NEFERTITI WERE DESTROYED AS WERE USED
ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUR BY PEASANTS AS FERTILIZER.
MASTERPIECED OF ANCIENT
EGYPTIAN ART • BUT, THE DRY & HOT CLIMATE OF EGYPT
PRESERVED SOME MUD BRICK STRUCTURES.

• SOME OF THE EXAMPLES INCLUDE:

A) THE VILLAGE DEIR AL-MADINAH
B) THE FORTRESSES AT BUHEN

• ALSO, MANY TEMPLES AND TOMBS HAVE

SURVIVED BECAUSE THEY WERE BUILT ON
HIGH GROUND UNAFFECTED BY THE NILE
FLOOD AND WERE CONSTRUCTED OF STONE.
GOLDEN MASK,
FROM THE MUMMY OF • SOME OF THEM ARE INACCESSIBLE, AS NEW
TUTANKHAMUN BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN ERECTED ON
ANCIENT ONES.