Ancient Egyptian religion was a complex system of polytheistic beliefs and rituals which were

an integral part of ancient Egyptian society.

Agriculture
Farming in Egypt was dependent on the cycle of the Nile River. The Egyptians
recognized three seasons:

Akhet (flooding) June to September

, Peret (planting), October to February

Shemu (harvesting) March to May

The ancient Egyptians cultivated emmer and barley were used to make the two main food
staples of bread and beer.

Papyrus growing on the banks of the Nile River was used to make paper

Vegetables included leeks, garlic, melons, squashes, pulses, lettuce, and other crops, in
addition to grapes that were made into wine

Animals, both domesticated and wild Nile provided a plentiful source of fish. Bees were also
domesticated

The history of ancient Egypt occurred as a series of stable kingdoms, separated by

periods of relative instability known as Intermediate Periods: the Old Kingdom of
the Early Bronze Age, the Middle Kingdom of the Middle Bronze Age and the New
Kingdomof the Late Bronze Age.

Old Kingdom (2686–2181 BC)

advances in architecture, art, and technology were made during the Old Kingdom, fueled by the
increased agricultural productivity and resulting population, made possible by a well-developed
central administration.[26] Some of ancient Egypt's crowning achievements, the Giza
pyramids and Great Sphinx, were constructed during the Old Kingdom.

Pharaohs also made land grants to their mortuary cults and local temples, to ensure that these
institutions had the resources to worship the pharaoh after his death.

Middle Kingdom (2134–1690 BC)

The pharaohs of the Middle Kingdom restored the country's stability and prosperity, thereby
stimulating a resurgence of art, literature, and monumental building projects

New Kingdom (1549–1069 BC)

The New Kingdom pharaohs began a large-scale building campaign to promote the god Amun,
whose growing cult was based in Karnak. They also constructed monuments to glorify their own
achievements, both real and imagined. The Karnak temple is the largest Egyptian temple ever built.
Government and economy
The pharaoh was the absolute monarch of the country and, at least in theory, wielded complete
control of the land and its resources

The temples formed the backbone of the economy.

they did use a type of money-barter system,

Social status
Close relation between religion and architecture

The priesthood was powerful and unlimited authority

The Egyptians attained a very high degree of learning in astronomy, mathematics ,Philosophy,
and literature Egyptians were strong believers in future creation and preservation of their
bodies and reaction of monuments as the pyramids

Natural resources
Egypt is rich in building and decorative stone, copper and lead ores, gold, and semiprecious stones.
These natural resources allowed the ancient Egyptians to build monuments, sculpt statues, make
tools, and fashion jewelry.[93] Embalmers used salts from the Wadi Natrun for mummification, which
also provided the gypsum needed to make plaster

Copper was the most important metal for too lmaking in ancient Egypt

High-quality building stones were abundant in Egypt; the ancient Egyptians quarried limestone all
along the Nile valley, granite from Aswan, and basalt and sandstone from the wadis of the eastern
desert.

. Their dwellings Most ancient Egyptians were farmers tied to the land. Their dwellings were
restricted to immediate family members, and were constructed of mud-brick designed to remain cool
in the heat of the day. Each home had a kitchen with an open roof, which contained a grindstone for
milling grain and a small oven for baking the bread.

Walls were painted white and could be covered with dyed linen wall hangings.

Floors were covered with reed mats, while wooden stools, beds raised from the floor and individual
tables comprised the furniture

Music and dance were popular entertainments ancient Egyptians enjoyed a variety of leisure
activities, including games and music. Senet, a board game

Architecture
The architecture of ancient Egypt includes some of the most famous structures in the world:
the Great Pyramids of Giza and the temples at Thebes
 The ancient Egyptians were skilled builders; using only simple but effective tools and sighting
instruments, architects could build large stone structures with great accuracy and precision that is
still envied today.

The domestic dwellings of elite and ordinary Egyptians were constructed from perishable materials
such as mud bricks and wood,

Peasants lived in simple homes,

palaces of the elite and the pharaoh were more elaborate structures A New Kingdom palaces, such
as those in Malkata and Amarna, show richly decorated walls and floors with scenes of people,
birds, water pools, deities and geometric designs

Important structures such as temples and tombs that were intended to last forever were constructed
of stone instead of mud bricks. T

he architectural elements used in the world's first large-scale stone building,

Djoser's mortuary complex, include post and lintel supports in the papyrus and lotus motif.

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Tag: sand pit grave

THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN

ARCHITECTURE
F E B R U A R Y 1 6 , 2 0 1 6 Posted in A R C H I T E C T U R E , H I S T O R Y Tagged C O N S T R U C T I O N O F
PYRAMIDS, EGYPTIAN TEMPLES, MASTABA, OBELISKS, PYRAMID OF
GIZA, PYRAMIDS, SAND PIT GRAVE, TYPES OF TOMBS, VALLEY OF KINGSLEAVE A
COMMENT
Map of Ancient Egypt

TIMELINE OF ANCIENT EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION:

CLICK HERE
FACTORS INFLUENCING EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE

 Geographical:
The narrow fertile strip of alluvial soil on the banks of river Nile flowing through the
desert, which made agriculture possible that resulted in the development of towns &
settlements on the eastern bank of the river. Egyptians built their pyramids & tomb
structures on the western bank. The Nile river also served as a route of transport &
communication.
 Geological:
Egypt had limestone in the north, sandstone in the central region & granite in the
south. The gigantic scale of Egyptian architecture was mainly possible due to the
Egyptian methods of quarrying, transporting & raising enormous blocks of stone to
position. Sun-dried & kiln burnt bricks made from Nile mud & chopped straw were
used for palaces & houses, while stone was used for pyramids & temples.
 Climatic:
Egypt has a warm, sunny climate with very little rainfall that has led to the
preservation of its ancient buildings. Since sufficient light reached the interiors
through doors & roof slits, Egyptian architecture is characterized by the absence of
windows. The absence of rain also resulted in the use of flat roof with thick stone
slabs.
 Religious:
The belief in life after death made the Egyptians to build numerous tomb-houses &
pyramids for the preservation of the dead.
 Social:
The Pharaoh, who was considered to be the descendant of the sun god. Social life is
graphically depicted in the wall sculptures of tombs. Slave labor is written all over the
monuments of Egypt with the priests enjoying an exalted position in society.
THREE KINGDOMS OF EGYPT
CHARACTERISTIC OF EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE

 Sun-baked bricks and stone ( limestone, sandstone & granite) were predominant
material- due to scarcity of wood.
 Old kingdom onward stones were reserved for tombs and temples.
 Ancient Egyptian temples were aligned with astronomically significant events
such as, solstices and equinoxes.
Bricks used for :
1. Royal Palaces
2. Fortresses
3. Walls of temple precincts and towns
4. Subsidiary buildings in temple complexes
5. Houses of the citizen
 Architecture was based on religious monuments, massive structures characterized
by thick sloping walls with few openings, to obtain stability.
 Use of arch was developed during Fourth Dynasty
 Exterior and interior walls, columns and piers were covered with hieroglyphic ad
pictorial frescoes and carvings painted in brilliant colours.
Use of symbolic motifs:
 Scarab (sacred beetle)
 solar disk
 Vulture
Common motifs:
 Palm leaves
 Papyrus plant
 Buds and flowers of lotus

Ornament:

 Lotus Papyrus & Palm – for “ fertility”

 Solar Discs & Vutures w/ wings – for “ protection ”
 Spiral & feather ornament – for “ eternity ”
 Scarab or sacred beetle – for “ resurrection”
RELIGIOUS BUILDINGS/MONUMENTS

•massive structures characterized by thick, sloping walls with few openings.

• possibly a method of construction used to obtain stability in mud walls.•the incised
and flatly modeled surface adornment of the stone buildings has derived from mud
wall ornamentation.
•the use of the arch was developed during the fourth dynasty, all monumental
buildings are post and lintel constructions,
•flat roofs are constructed of huge stone blocks supported by the external walls and
the closely spaced columns.
•Exterior and interior walls, as well as the columns and piers, were covered with
hieroglyphic and pictorial frescoes and carvings painted in brilliant colors.
•Many motifs of Egyptian ornamentation are symbolic, such as the scarab, or sacred
beetle the solar disk the vulture palm leaves, the papyrus plant buds and flowers of the
lotus and Hieroglyphs were inscribed for decorative purposes as well asto record
historic events or spells.
ANCIENT EGYPTIAN OBELISKS
-The Obelisks symbolized the sun god Ra and it was believed that the structure
possessed magical power and protected the temples and tombs.
-It is a monumental tapering column carved from a single block of stone.
-It was capped with a pointed top.
-The term is derived from the Greek word obelisks meaning “needle”.
-Procedure of building it was similar to that of pyramid.
-On each side of obelisk contains a line of hieroglyphic inscriptions containing the
title of Pharaoh and praising the God was seen.
-Placed in pairs at the entrance of the temples associated with sun, also on some
tombs. categorized as:
1. “minor obelisks”
2. “giant or major obelisks”- height of 9-32 m and tip covered with gold so that it
would catch the first ray of sun and reflect.

Types of Tomb

1) Simple Pit graves

 A simple hole in the ground which was just large enough to hold the body of the
deceased and a few grave goods.
 Over the years lining of wood or stone, a roof and then small chamber was added.
 Pit graves was the most common type of graves, usually belonging to the
commoners.
2) Mastabas

 It’s a heap of stone that would cover the graves of Pharaoh.

 These blocks covered the real tomb.
3) Rock –cut Chapels
 A rock-cut tomb or koka is a burial chamber that is cut into the living rock usually
along the side of a hill.
 It was a common form of burial for the wealthy in ancient times in several parts of
the world.
 examples are found in Egypt, most notably in the town of Deir el-Medina,
between the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens
4) Pyramids
 Most famous of all types of burial tomb.
 Built for the Pharaohs of the New Kingdom to last for all eternity.
 The dead was accompanied by all the things required for comfortable afterlife.
CONSTRUCTION OF TOMBS

 Had 2 essential architectural components:

1. Burial chamber : below the ground and housed and protected the body and spirit
2. Mortuary chapel : above the ground and was accessible to visitors who would
perform rites.
 False door : to establish connection between world of dead and living. The design
on the door allowed the spirit to move freely between tomb and the chapel.
 Terracotta funerary cone : owner’s name inscribed and placed above the entrance
door
MASTABAS

Historical Background
1. This type of structure was an elaboration of the Pre – Dynastic Period burial-pit
and mound form. Mastabas were favored as funerary monument from the Early
Dynastic Period on
2. As the Egyptian craftsmanship increased in the Early Dynastic Period, mastaba
such as those of the first dynasty at Saqqara, were elaborate, having many storage
or offering compartments, housing funerary chapels, shrines, offering tables and
were quite evidently close copies of contemporary houses.
3. In the Old Kingdom, even after the Pharaohs began to be buried in pyramids,
other royal officials were still interred in Mastabas, usually around the site of the
pyramid.
Usage and Shape
 1. A sepulchral structure built above ground.
2. Mastabas were built above a shaft at the bottom of which was situated a tomb.
3. The structure above the ground were relatively low.
4. Rectangular in plan with inward-sloping walls.
5. Flat roof.
6. Built of brick and faced with limestone slabs.
7. Sides sloping at an angle of about 75 degrees
8. They were derived from the rude heaps of stones piled over earlier mummy holes.
9. They consisted of three parts :
(i) The outer chamber, in which were placed the offerings to the Ka or ” double,”
decorated with festal and other scenes which are valuable from an historical
standpoint.
(ii) The inner secret chamber, known as the ” serdab,” which contained statues of the
deceased members of the family.
(iii) The chamber containing the sarcophagus, reached by an underground shaft.
The Niche or fake doors in these buildings had an imaginary purpose, were thought
as a way that permitted the Spirit of the deceased, return to this world to obtain
nourishment needed to keep living his Ka, and for such deeds, family members, close
friends and other persons, brought offerings and celebrated specific rituals, for this
purpose.
The niches were built in the interior or exterior of the building, having different forms
and sizes that run from small window-like niches to a series of niches with emplaced
statue, and diverse decorations that also reveal a position status; in some locations,
replaced by the real door at the entrance of the mastaba by Niches, or added columns
at to decorate the entry way, probably to indicating the level of privacy that they
wished for. In some niches of these mastabas have at the one or two representations of
the same person, either sitting or standing as guarding the entrance way, guarding or
greeting the entrance door to his dwelling place in paradise in an imaginary place in
the Sky.
Decorations and Examples
1. Plain undecorated exterior
2. The interior of mastaba walls were decorated with texts and images, illustrating
scenes from the daily life of the deceased, offering scenes and ritual hunt scenes.
The Mastaba of Thi, Sakkara
1. Well preserved and restored, dates from the Fifth Dynasty, and was erected to Thi,
who held the position of royal architect and superintendent of pyramids.
2. It consists of a small vestibule, beyond which is a large court, where offerings to
the deceased were made, and from which a mummy shaft led to the tomb
chamber.
3. The masonry is accurately jointed, and the bas-reliefs are some of the finest and
most interesting in Egypt.
4. A second tomb chamber, 22 ft. 9 ins. by 23 ft. 9 ins. and 12 ft. 6 ins. high, has
mural reliefs which represent harvesting, ship-building, slaughtering of sacrificial
animals, as well as arts and crafts of Old Egypt §while Thi himself is pictured in a
 papyrus thicket, sailing through the marshes.

PYRAMID SYMBOLISM
 Thought to represent the primordial mound from which the Egyptians believed the
earth was created.
 Also represents the descending rays of the sun.
 Most of them were faced with polished, highly reflective white limestone
 This gave them a brilliant appearance from distance
 It was also named in ways to represent solar luminescence.
 Example the formal name of bent pyramid at Dashur is The Southern Shining
Pyramids.
 Also believed to be designed as a machine of resurrection.
 Built on the west bank of Nile, which as the site of the setting sun was associated
with the realm of dead.
STEPPED-PYRAMID OF THE 3RD DYNASTY

Pyramid at Djoser at Saqqara

 Built by the 2nd Pharaoh of 3rd Dynasty.
 Constructed as series of smaller terraces one on top of the other.
 1st monument built entirely of stone.
 Designed by Imhotep and defied in Egypt as God of Architect.
 Consists 6 tiers.
 Rectangular base (109 m X 121 m).
 Height :59.93 m (now 58.63 m due to erosion).
 Volume : 330,400 cu.m
 The royal tomb is 28m underground with a vertical shaft leading to it. The
entrance was sealed with a 3 ton piece of granite.
 A series of corridors and a tomb chamber was dug. Some of the chambers are
lined with blue tiles.
 Interior contains network of channels and shaft with the burial chamber of Dsojer
at its center.
 Stone blocks used were slightly larger than bricks previously used during the
construction of raw mastabas.
Pyramid of Maidum
 The last ruler of the 3rd Dynasty, Huni, built the last and largest of the Dtepped-
pyramid
 Tiers : 7-8
 Base : 122 m
 Height : 82 m
 Snefru the founder of 4th Dynasty, brigged the gaps between the steps by adding
the coating
 1st regular pyramid was hence formed
 Over the years the terrace structure resurfaced due to erotion.
Pyramids of Snofru

 Snofru built 3 pyramids

 At Meidum
 Bent Pyramid(at Dashur)
 Red Pyramid (Dashur)
 Its difference from the pyramids of that of 3rd dynasty:
 The funeral complex is open with no surrounding wall
Pyramids of Giza
 After 2 centuries, of the pyramids of Snefru, the Pyramid of Giza Plateau was
built.
 It’s base covers over 13 acres and its volume is around 90,000,000 cubic feet. You
could build 30 Empire State buildings with its masonry. It is 454 feet high which
is equivalent to a modern 48-story building. There are currently 203 courses or
steps to its summit.
 The foundation of the Great Pyramid is amazingly level. No corner of its base is
more than one-half inch higher or lower than the others.
CONSTRUCTION OF PYRAMIDS

VALLEY OF KINGS OF ANCIENT EGYPT

 One of the most popular archeological sites of the world.

 It is located on the western bank of Nile, opposite to the Thebes (modern day
Luxor), within the heart of Theban Necropolis.
 Also known as The Valley of the Gates of the Kings..
 Declared as the World Heritage site in 1979.
 The valley used for primary burials from approximately 1539 B.C to 1075 B.C
and contains some 60 tombs.
 Besides the tombs of Pharaohs the site also have the tombs of famous nobles and
officials and their wives.
 The quality of the tombs vary in different qualities of Limestone,
 The site was damaged due to flood.
Most tombs followed a similar pattern:
 3 corridors
 An antechamber
 Sunken sarcophagus chamber
TEMPLES

1. Two main classes – mortuary temples, for ministrations to deified Pharaohs and
Cult temples, for the popular worship of ancient and mysterious gods.
2. Royal burials more important than mortuary temples.
3. Their special character merged into that of the cult temples, lost the distinction
between the two types.
4. Cult temples essentials were rectangular palisaded court entered from a narrow
end flanked by pennon – poles centrally within them an emblem of deity pavilion
comprising vestibule and sanctuary

EGYPTIAN TEMPLES FUNCTION AND EVOLUTION

 Temples were the homes of the gods.

 Every temple was dedicated to a god or goddess and he or she was worshipped
there by the templepriests
 The vast temple complexes of theNew Kingdom grew out of humble beginnings.
The local population built a small mud-brick shrine for their own, local deity,
 chosepriests out of their midst to serve it, and brought offerings in return for
favors and protection. They expanded it slowly over the centuries by adding new
wings but eventually the state began to administer them, replacing mud-brick
structures by stone buildings,
 The involvement of the general public in the temple ceremonies became small.
 Ordinary people had no access to the inner regions of the temples which could
only be entered after elaborate purification rituals.
 Temple buildings in theNew Kingdom were made of stone. their walls covered
with colored scenes carved onto the stone, showing the Pharaoh fighting in battles
and performing rituals with the gods.
– Temples were single buildings or great complexes,
 The most essential component for any temple was the innermost shrine, where
thestatue of the god was kept.
 The activities of the temple revolved around the worship and celebration of
thegod’s cult, and religious festivals.
 Around many Temples were sacred lakes or sacred pools. These pools allowed
both thepriests and followers to attend and perform their religious rites in a state
of purity.
 Temples owned land,livestock and received donations and taxes, in order to
support the large armies of priests and servants.

COMPONENTS OF EGYPTIAN TEMPLES

There were Five components of Egyptian temples

 Pylons:

– These are the large gates of the temple, they consisted of two tapering towers, each
surmounted by a cornice, joined by a less elevated section which enclosed the
entrance between them
– The entrance was generally half the height of the two towers.
– Pylons were often carved and painted with scenes of the Pharaoh and gods with
scenes emphasizing a king’s authority since it was the public face of a cult building.
– In front of the pylon were a pair of obelisks and statues of the Pharaohs.
 Inner Court:

– This was a large open Hall, which decorated walls

showing scenes of the Pharaoh and the gods.
– It had a transitional purpose, serving as an interface between the outside world and
the sanctified regions deeper within the temple.
– People were only allowed to enter the Outer Courtyard on festival days.
– Sometimes there was a second pylon leading to the Hypostyle hall deeper in.
 Hypostyle Hall:

– This is a large colonnaded hall entirely roofed except

for the central aisle which was lit by windows,
– Scenes of religious rituals were carved into the walls.
– The capital of the massive column often in the shape of the papyrus Flower.
– This was considered the reception area of the god and accessible only to
the priests and the Pharaohs were allowed to enter the hypostyle hall, which was used
for religious rituals.
– Smaller side doors, intended for bringing in offerings led into small rooms
 Sanctuary:
– The sanctuary was the most special and important part of the temple. It was a very
dark and relatively small room.
– The floor sloped steadily upwards until the sanctum was reached, while the roof was
lower
– Only the High Priest and the Pharaoh could ever enter the sanctuary.
– In the middle of the sanctuary stood the Naos with the statue of the god. The naos
was made of wood, with doors that were kept closed and locked at all times except for
at the rituals
– A temple could be consecrated to more than one god, but the Naos of the main
deities was always situated along the main axis, and lesser deities were placed on
either side.
If both deities had the same importance, than a double sanctuary was constructed
along the main axis (like the one shown in the picture above)
– In close connection to the sanctuary there were other rooms for storage of the god’s
belongings, jewelry, insignia and ritual tools.
 Sacred Lake:

– Most temple precincts included a sacred lake.

-Archaeologists have excavated a number of these in temples of the New Kingdom.
-The priests used water from the sacred lake to perform rituals in the temple.
TEMPLE OF KHONS , KARNAK

1. A Cult temple.
2. It had entrance pylons, court hypostyle hall, sanctuary, and various chapels all
enclosed by high girdle wall.
3. The entrance pylons, fronted by obelisks, Corridor of Sphinxeswere approached
through an imposingavenue of sphinxes.
4. The temple is entered by a large Pylon, 32 meters long, 10 meters deep, and 18
meters high. Like the facades of other temples, it has four vertical grooves, with
corresponding apertures in the masonry, for the fixing of flagstaffs. In front of the
pylon are the remnants of a colonnade bordered by a row of sphinxes.
5. On the far side of the forecourt, a ramp leads up to the Vestibule with 12 columns.
Beyond this is a transverse Hypostyle Hall with eight papyrus columns; the four
columns flanking the central aisle have open capitals, while the columns between
the lateral aisles (which are 1.5 meters lower than the central aisle) have closed
capitals.
6. The light in the Hypostyle was admitted through clearstory.
7. Beyond was the sanctuary , with openings front and back and acirculating passage
around.
8. Beyond this was again a four- columned hall.
9. There were small rooms flanking the sanctuary.
10. on its rear were mainly chapels, for purpose of rituals.
11. The temple was protected by a great wall of the same height as thehalls.
12. The wall decreased in height towards the sanctuary end.
METHODS, TECHNIQUES, MATERIALS, TOOLS

 Initially, Egyptians built with mud. Mud was formed into mudbricks. Mudbricks
were dried and hardened in the sun. Structures built with mudbricks would later be
plastered with gypsum, giving a fresh shinning white finish.
 Later, Egyptians would become masters in stones. Limestone would be the
material most used. Troyu and the Moqattam Hills, east of Cairo, were the source
of numerous quarries from which limestone was cut.
 Granite was also used for the interior of tombs. Granite was quarried from
Swenet, in modern day Aswan.
 Canals were usually dug to the construction site. Stones weighing tons were
ferried on barges to the building sites. Levers and ramps were used to get the
stones on sleds. Giant ropes of palm fibers and reeds were made to pull these giant
stones in place. Manpower, not slaves but voluntary workers, were used for
construction.
 Oxens were sometimes used for muscle, instead of human.
 Copper was the metal used to make tools. Diorite, hard stone, was used to cut,
quarry limestone. Sleds without rollers were used to move large stones.