The Historical Timeline of Architecture

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The Historical
Timeline of Architecture

Egyptian

Pre-Historic
 SYRIA

GIZA
MEMPHIS

EGYPT
KARNAK
THEBES

NUBIA

• Geographical Influence
- Egypt known as “ The Land of Pharaoh “, &
“desert Land “.
- The “ Nile River” is their means -of
communication , highway , & lifeline . Egypt’s
greatest wealth was its fertile “soil”.
- Beyond riverbanks, barren desert and
rugged cliffs prevented attack from invaders
- Mediterranean and Red seas
*Geological Influence
1.Stone – abundant building material except on temples and pyramids
a. Soft Stone

1. Limestone 2. Sand Stone 3. Alabaster

b. Hard Stone
Quartzite

Granite Basalt Porphyry

2. Sun Dried Bricks - made up of clay & 4. Acacia - for their boat
chopped stone for pyramids & temples.

5. Sycamore – mummy coffins

3. Date Palm – for roofing’s & Palm
Leaves– for roofing materials.
*CLIMATIC INFLUENCE
Structures have no downspout , drainage , gutters due to absence of rain . No
windows to cut heat penetration and sandstorm.
*RELIGIOUS INFLUENCE
Pyramids - were built because they believe
in “ Life after Death “ & for the preservation
of the dead body.

Pharaoh - is not only king but also “god”

both political & religious ruler, when he dies
he becomes “osiris”, god of dead. They’re
“monotheistic” in theory & “ polytheistic” in
practice.
DIFFERENT EGYPTIAN GODS:
a.) AMUN—RA : chief god
b.) RAH : symbol of the sun , hope for eternal life , sun god from Heliopolis
c.) ATUM : world creator
d.) OSIRIS : god of the dead
e.) ISIS : wife of osiris
f.) HORUS : sky god, son of osiris, also reincarnation of “ Ra” himself
g.) SET : dread god of evil, brother of pleasure
i.) THOT : ibis headed god of wisdom
j.) ANUBIS : jackal headed god of death
k.) PTAH : god of craftsmen
l.) SERAPIS : bull god
*HISTORICAL INFLUENCE
1.ANCIENT KINGDOM ( 1ST – 10TH DYNASTY )
Development of two types of tombs
a.) Mastaba b.) Pyramid

1st Dynasty
MENES 3000-2938BC
- first Pharaoh of Egypt
who united Upper and
Lower Egypt.
- Built the Sadal-El-Kafra
Dam. v1

Sadal-El-Kafra Dam
- Cornerstone of Egypt’s building legacy
- Inspired the pharaohs build bigger and
bolder structures. v2
*HISTORICAL INFLUENCE
Nile River
- Served as the engine for territorial and
economic expansion, v3
- Used by the Egyptians to travel materials
- Current flows from South to North
- Wind blows from North to South, v4

PYRAMIDS
- Were not only to preserve the mummy of
the Pharaoh for the return of the soul in
the infinite hereafter
- Aslo to be the centre of the cult of the
royal dead
MASTABAS (Mud brick)
Parts:
• Rectangular flat-topped funerary mound, with
• Stairway with 2 doors: one for
battered side, covering a burial chamber below
ritual, second was a false door v6
ground
for spirits
• First type of Egyptian tomb
• Column Hall
• Developed from small and inconspicuous to huge an
• Offering Chapel
imposing
• Serdab (contains statue of
• consisted of two elements:
deceased)
1. Rectangular super structure above ground
• Offering room with Stelae (stone
- Visited by priests and loved ones
with name of deceased inscribed)
2. Substructure of Sealed Chambers
• Offering table
- Houses the king‟s sarcophagus and all the amenities
• Sarcophagus – Egyptian coffin
that he needs for eternity. V5
- Niche located at the east side
Flaw of the Mastabas
- Impermanence
- Material used, “Mud bricks” are
vulnerable to the elements
 MASTABA
1stone facing
2 sacrificial chapel
3 tombstone
4 fill
5 shaft
6 masonry seal
7 stone slab
8 burial chamber
9 sarcophagus

•Mastaba K.1 at Beit Khallaf – has a massive stairway tomb of crude brick, typical of
third dynasty
•Mastabas at Gizeh – development of offering chapel, under-ground tomb chamber and
sloping-sided superstructure having two widely spaced recesses on the long east side,
the southern one of which serves as a false door, fourth dynasty
•Mastaba of Thi, Sakkara – a large pillared court is attach to the north end of the east
side, fifth dynasty
DJOSER 2667 to 2648 BC
- Best known for his
innovative tomb,” The
Step Pyramind, which
dominates the
landscape of Saqqara v7
- is the World’s first large
scale monument in
stone
IMHOTEP
- Served as chancellor to
the pharaoh and the
high priest of the son
god Ra at Heliopolis
- He is considered to be
the first architect and
engineer and physician
in early history
- Built the first grandest
Mastaba, “The Step
Pyramid”v8
V9
 PYRAMID COMPLEX

11 sacrificial altar
12 mortuary temple, funerary
temple
13 step pyramid, stepped pyramid
14 court
15 south tomb
16 north house
17 south house
18 cult chapel
19 ceremonial or Jubilee court
20 entrance hall, colonnaded hall
21 surrounding wall
22 western platform

Step Pyramid Cross-Section

 SNEFERU 2613 to 2589 BC V10 and 11
- Credited with developing the pyramid into its true from

Bent Pyramid

Pyramid at Meydum North Pyramid

Corbel Vault

Pyramid at Meydum
- Attributed to Huni, last King of the Third
Dynasty
- At one stage was a seven-stepped
structure, contrived by building six thick
layers of masonry, each with Tura
Limestone
- Sides sloping steeply at 75 degrees
PARTS
1. Around the pyramid was a
stone enclosure
2. Small Offering Chapel –
located at the east faced of the
Pyramid with an offering table
3. Two Stelae – located in its inner
small court
4. Causeway – from the eastern
wall leading to the Valley
building
 PARTS

1. Double walled rectangular

enclosure
2. Offering chapel
3. Mortuary temple on the east
side
Bent Pyramid 4. Causeway leading to the Valley
Building
- The angle of inclination of the sides
changes about half way up from 54
degrees 15 minutes in the lower part
to 43 degrees in upper
- Change in slope had the object of
lightening the weight of the upper
masonry, as the walls and chambers and
passages began to show fissures
- The tomb chambers are covered by
corbelled roofs with gradually in-stepping
courses from all four sides
 PARTS

1. Double walled rectangular

enclosure
2. Offering chapel
3. Mortuary temple on the
east side
North Pyramid 4. Causeway leading to the
Valley Building

- Made after the abandonment of the Bent

Pyramid
- was designed and completed as the
earliest known true pyramid
- The pitch of its sides is 46 degrees and 36
minutes
PYRAMIDS AT GIZA v12a

Valley Temple
- In this building and on its
roof, various ceremonies of
purifications, mummification
and opening of the mouth
were conducted

Causeway
- A raised passageway
ceremonially connecting the
valley temple with an
ancient Egyptian pyramid

Sphinx
- A figure of an imaginary
creature having the body of a
lion and the head of a man,
ram, or hawk, commonly
placed along avenues leading
to ancient Egyptian temples or
tombs
PYRAMIDS AND PYRAMID TEMPLES AT
GIZA

A. Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops)

B. pyramid of Khafre (Chefren)
C. pyramid of Menkaure (Mycerinus)
D. pyramid temple of Khufu (Cheops)
E. pyramid temple of Khafre (Chefren)
F. pyramid temple of Menkaure (Mycerinus)
G. valley temple of Khafre (Chefren)
H. valley temple of Menkaure (Mycerinus)
J. Great Sphinx
K. sphinx temple of Amenhotep II
L. 4th dynasty sphinx temple

PYRAMID COMPLEX

11. Western necropolis

12. boat grave, boat pit
13. Eastern necropolis
14. pyramid
15. mortuary temple, pyramid temple
16. pyramid causeway
17. valley temple
18. queen’s pyramid
19. sphinx
20. sphinx temple
Cheops (Khufu) v12
- The son of Seneferu, and the second
King of the Fourth dynasty
- His pyramid was the largest of the
famous three on the site, measures
more the twice to that of St. Peter‟s
Basilica in Rome
- Height is 146.4 and 230.6m square on
plan
- The four sides of the pyramid face the
cardinal points, are nearly equilateral
triangles and make an angle of 51
degrees 52 minutes with the ground
The Great Pyramid of Cheops

- Consists of three separate chambers

v13

1. Kings Chamber – were the

sarcophagus is located
- Made up of polished red granite
2. The Subterranean chamber and the so-
called Queen’s Chamber‟
- Are discarded projects, abandoned in
turn in favour of the „Kings chamber‟

Grand Gallery – a passageway that is

2.1m wide and 2.3m high, covered by
a ramped, corbelled vault of seven
great courses, rising to a height of 8.5m
vertically from the floor

3. Subterranean Chambers
GREAT PYRAMID
ALPHA DRACONIS
OSIRIS
1. principal
entrance
2. ‘Queen’s
Chamber’
3. great ascending
corridor
4. King’s Chamber
5. relieving vault
6. tunnel aligned
with holy stars, or
air shaft
7. false or
unfinished burial
chamber
8. dead-end or
unfinished tunnel
PYRAMIDS AT GIZA v12a

Valley Temple
- In this building and on its
roof, various ceremonies of
purifications, mummification
and opening of the mouth
were conducted

Causeway
- A raised passageway
ceremonially connecting the
valley temple with an
ancient Egyptian pyramid

Sphinx
- A figure of an imaginary
creature having the body of a
lion and the head of a man,
ram, or hawk, commonly
placed along avenues leading
to ancient Egyptian temples or
tombs
Chefren (Khafra)
- Son of Cheops king of the fourth
Dynasty
Pyramid of Chephren
- Is the second of the three Pyramids at
Gizeh and only a little less large than the
Great Pyramid, measures 216m on the
sides and with a height of 143m
- Has a steeper slop 52 degrees and 20
minutes
Great Sphinx of Chephren
- The colossal enigmatic monster carved from a spur of rock left by Cheops‟ quarry masons
- Bears the head of Chephren, wearing a royal head-dress, false beard and cobra brow
ornament, and has the body of a recumbent lion
The Pyramid of Mykerinos (Menkaura)
(Fourth Dynasty)

- Is much smaller than its two predecessors at

Gizeh
- 109m square and 66.5m high
- Sides sloping at 51 degrees
Sahure - Second pharaoh of the 5th
dynasty

Pyramid of Sahure
- Is the first pyramid that was built
in the Necropolis of Abusir Egypt
- Is remarkable for the triple series
of enormous pared-stone false
arches which cover its tomb
chamber
 1) Entrance hall, 2) Closed corridor, 3) Pillared courtyard, 4) Magazine rooms, 5) Offering
chapel, 6) Main pyramid, 7) Cult pyramid, 8) Side entrance, 9) Five niches chapel, 10)
Transverse corridor.
Rock Hewn Tombs
- Are rare before the Middle Kingdom, at that time they served for the nobility rather than
royalty

Tombs, Beni Hasan

- consist of chamber behind a porticoed façade
plainly imitating wooden construction in the
character of the eight or sixteen-sided, slightly
fluted and tapered columns

Tombs, Beni Hasan

- in the arid mountain on the west side of Nile
Ramesses III, IV, IX- served only for the
sarcophagus and funerary deposits
View of the central East Valley, showing area
around KV62

The tomb of Twosret and Setnakhte showing

descending corridor
List of burials in the Valley of the Kings
 Temples – 2 classes
Mortuary Temples– for ministration to deified Pharaohs
Cult Temples – for the popular worship of the ancient and mysterious gods
Mortuary Temples
- Developed from the offering chapels of the royal mastabas and
pyramids
- Became architecturally more important during the Middle
Kingdom, when royal burials began to be made in the hillside
- During the New Kingdom they stood quite detached from the
customary corridor tombs
Cult temples
- Began in the worship of multifarious local deities
- In the cult temples processions were a feature, so free circulation
was required through or around the sanctuary

Common Features of Cult and Mortuary Temples

- Avenue of sphinxes leading to a tall portal guarded by a towering pylon, an axial plan
with a colonnaded forecourts and a hypostyle hall set before a dark, narrow
sanctuary in which stood a statue of the deity and walls lavishly decorated with
pictographic carvings in low or sunken relief.
Temple of Khons, Karnak
- cult temple- characterized by entrance pylons, court hypostyle hall,
sanctuary and various chapels, all enclosed by a high girdle wall, the
entrance pylon fronted by obelisk
 TEMPLE PILLARS

OBELISKS HYPOSTYLE HALL

Temple of Mentuhetep, Der el- Bahari, Thebes
(Middle Kingdom 2065BC)- mortuary temple V14

- mortuary temple is directly related to a corridor tomb

- Terraced in two main levels, at the base of steep cliffs
Temple of Hatshepsut, Del er-Bahari,
Thebes – (New Kingdom 1520BC)

- built by her architect, Senmut –

mortuary temple, located alongside
with the temple of Mentuhetep.
- Place of burial lay far away in the
corridor tom in the mountains
- Mortuary temple, was dedicated
Amun and other gods.
Processional way of sphinxes
 Wall relief depicting
Queens trade expedition to
Punt
 Relief depicting Anubis

Eight or sixteen sided Pillars Divine Birth of Hatshepsut

Great Temple of Amun, Karnak, Thebes - The grandest of
all Egyptian
temples
- Was not built
upon one
complete plan,
owes its size,
disposition and
magnificence to
the work of
many kings
- 1,500 years of
construction,
renovation and
modification
 Great Temple of Amun, Karnak, Thebes

Karnak Temple in the Middle Kingdom

Senusret I (Kheperkara)

- Built a limestone temple, fronted by

impressive portico of square pillars
with statues of king in the pose of
the god Osiris
- White Chapel, pillars were decorated
with finely carved scenes of the king
interacting with Amun-Ra and other
gods
- Rectangular mud brick wall encircled
the middle kingdom temple of
Senusret I
 Great Temple of Amun, Karnak, Thebes
Karnak Temple in the Early 18th Dynasty
Amenhotep I (Djeserkara)
- Two lines of stone chapels
- Bark chapel was added to the
temple
- Line of small chapels
- Mud brick wall and door to the
Middle Kingdom forecourt
were removed and replace by
a high wall and gate w/ a
double columned portico
- At the temple’s main western
door, new large gate or pylon
was erected
 Great Temple of Amun, Karnak, Thebes

Karnak Temple in the Early 18th Dynasty

Thutmose I (Aakheperkara)
- Fourth and fifth pylons were added
- New hall between fourth and fifth pylons
- two red granite obelisks were raised in front of the fourth pylon
 Great Temple of Amun, Karnak, Thebes

Karnak Temple in the Early

18th Dynasty

Thutmose II
(Aakheperenra)
- New pylon was
added to the
temple, creating a
deep ―festival
hall‖ of the king.
 Great Temple of Amun, Karnak, Thebes
Karnak Temple in the Early 18th Dynasty

Hatshepsut (Maatkara), Queen

- Rennovation of the hall of Thutmose I bet fourth and fifth pylons

- Two red granite obelisks were erected within the festival hall
- Disassembled the Osiris portico
- Removal of the central bark shrine, chapels gateway of
Amenhotep I to make room for her new palace
- Two room bark chapel built in front of the ―palace‖ made of rose
quartzite, black granite, the red chapel
- On the east sige another pair of obelisk was constructed outside
the Thutmose I stone enclosure walls
Great Temple of Amun, Karnak, Thebes
 Great Temple of Amun, Karnak, Thebes

Karnak Temple in the Early 18th Dynasty

Thutmose III
- Addition of a huge temple called, Akhmenu, placed behind
Karnak’s eastern wall
- New sandstone enclosure wall, encircling the Akhmenu within
the sacred space of the greater temple precint
- Contra-temple was added, an area for those who are not allowed
to enter the temple to interact with the divinities
- Erected another pylon between Hatshepsut’s pylon
- Calcite bark shrine, replacing that of the calcite shrine of
Amenhotep
- Digging of a large sacred lake
- Along the east side of the like a mud brick enclosure wall was
constructed
Great Temple of Amun, Karnak, Thebes
Great Temple of Amun, Karnak, Thebes

Contra Temple
Great Temple of Amun, Karnak, Thebes

A model rendering of Pylon VII with

actual reliefs from Karnak.
 Great Temple of Amun, Karnak, Thebes
Karnak Temple in the Early 18th
Dynasty
Thutmose IV
(Menkheperura)
– added a vividly painted
sandstone double
peristyle to the court of
the fourth pylon
- Placed a Calcite bark
shrine in the festival hall
- On the east side of
Karnak, he raised a giant
red granite obelisk
 Great Temple of Amun, Karnak, Thebes

Karnak Temple in the Early

18th Dynasty

Amenhotep III
(Nebmaatra)
- Tear down the
pylon erected by
Thutmose II
- Destroy most of
the festival hall
- Erected a new
pylon
 Great Temple of Amun, Karnak, Thebes
Karnak Temple in the Early 18th Dynasty
Tutankhamen (Nebkheperura) Destroy most of the festival hall
- Series of ram-headed sphinx statures be placed along the
processional rout from the Amun precenct’s southern gate to the
temple of Mut
 Great Temple of Amun, Karnak, Thebes

Karnak Temple in the Early 18th

Dynasty

Horemheb
(Djeserkheperura)
- Tear down Akhenaten’s
Karnak structures
- Ninth pylon, situated
along the southern
processional route added
- Completion of the
unfinished pylon of
Amenhotep III
 Great Temple of Amun, Karnak, Thebes

Karnak Temple in the Early 19th

Dynasty

Sety I (Menmaatra)
Tear down Akhenaten’s
Karnak structures
- Constructed a massive
hypostyle hall between
the third and second
pylons
 Great Temple of Amun, Karnak, Thebes

Karnak Temple in the Early 19th Dynasty

Ramesses II (Usermaatra Setepenra)
- Added a small shrine before the single obelisk of Thutmose IV
- The shrine was called the Temple of Amun-Ra, consisted of a
gateway and pillared hall with a central false door
- Added an entrance to eastern karnak, marked by two red
granite obelisks and a pair of sphinxes
- Finished the decoration of the interior hypostyle hall
- Added his monumental battle scene refiefs
Great Temple of Amun, Karnak, Thebes
 Great Temple of Amun, Karnak, Thebes

Karnak Temple in the

Early 19th Dynasty

Ramesses IX
(Neferkara
Setepenra)
- Monumental inscribed
gateway on the door to
the southern processional
route between third and
fourth pylons
 Great Temple of Amun, Karnak, Thebes

Karnak Temple in the

Early 19th Dynasty

Ramesses IX
(Neferkara
Setepenra)Tear
down Akhenaten’s
Karnak structures
- Monument al inscribed
gateway on the door
to the southern
processional route
between third and
fourth pylons
 Great Temple of Amun, Karnak, Thebes

Ptolemy VIII
Euergetes II
(Physkon)]

- The eastern
temple of
Amun-Ra was
modified.
- Central false
door was
removed
 The Temple at Luxor,
Thebes

- Substantially the work of

Amenophis III
- Pylons were added by
Rameses II
- Structure was dedicated
for the Theban triad,
Amun, Mut and Khons
- Amenhopis built a
mortuary temple on the
west bank at Thebes,
but little survives except
the twin seated statues
of himself, famous from
ancient time as the
Colossi of Memnon
The Temple, Island of
Elephantine

- Site map of Elephantine. Includes the Temple

to Satet (5), the Temple of Khnum (2), and the
First and Second Nilometers (1 & 3)
The Temple, Island of Elephantine
- A Nilometer was a
structure for measuring
the Nile River's clarity
and the water level during
the annual flood season

- was one of the small

Mammisi Temples of
Birth Houses which
often were subsidiary to
them
- Sanctuaries perpetuating
the tradition of the divine
birth of the Pharaoh from
a union of the god Horus
and a mortal mother, and
Hathor, the mother-
goddes, of the god Bes,
protector of the newly
born
 Temple of Seti I, Abydos

- Has two pylons, two forecourts and two hypostyle halls,

and is unique having seven sanctuaries side by side
- Seti I, built a second mortuary temple on the west bank at
Thebes; his successor, Rameses II added the finishing
touches to both
Temple of Seti I, Abydos
Ramesseum, Thebes
(A) the main temple;
(B) the royal palace,
located south of the first
court,
(C) The temple or
mammisi of Mout-Touy
and of Nefertari, north of
the large hypostyle hall of
the main temple ;
the enclosure wall and the
sacred lake, (the location
of the last has not been
found yet) ; (E)

- Is as typical of the New

Kingdom mortuary
temples as that of
Khons, Karnak
- Is of the cult type, though
the differences of
principle are not very
great
The Great Temple, Abu Simbel
- Is one of two
rock-hewn
temples at
this place
commanded
by the
indefatigable
Ramses II
- Most
stupendous
and
impressive of
its class.
- The temple
has been
moved from
its original site
on the Nile to
a higher level
The Great Temple, Abu Simbel

- Is one of two rock-hewn temples at

this place commanded by the
indefatigable Ramses II
- Most stupendous and impressive of
its class.
- The temple has been moved from its
original site on the Nile to a higher
level
 Small Temple, Abu Simbel

- Located near the Great Temple of Abu Simbel, was a temple dedicated by Rameses II to his
defied Queen Nefartari and the goddes Hathor.
 The Rock-cut Temple at Gerf Hossein

- Originally known as the House of

Ptah
- Dedicated to Rameses II
- Built by the viceroy of Nubia
- During the flooding of Lake Nasser
the free-standing section was
dismantled and has been
reconstructed at New Kalbsha
- Most of the rock cut temple was
left in place and is now submerged
beneath the waters.
Ptolemaic and Roman Periods
Ptolemaic Kingdom
- a Hellenistic kingdom
in Egypt.
- ruled by the Ptolemaic
dynasty that Ptolemy I
Soter founded after the
death of Alexander the
Great in 323 BC—
which ended with the
death of Cleopatra VII
and the Roman
conquest in 30 BC.
Hellenistic period or Hellenistic civilization

- is the period of ancient Greek history between the

death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and the
emergence of ancient Rome as signified by the
Battle of Actium in 31 BC

- subsequent conquest of Ptolemaic Egypt in 30 BC.

The Temple of Isis, on the Island of Philae

- Marks an ancient sacred site

- Irregularities of the plan are due to piecemeal
building
- Column capitals are coarser and more ornate,
varied in design from column to column, and
have a very deep abacus blocks
The Temple of Isis, on the Island of Philae

- Colonnades appear more frequently on exterior of buildings

- Column capitals are coarser and more ornate

 Temple of Horus

- One of the best preserved temples in

Egypt.
- Temple dedicated to the falcon god Horus
- Built during the Ptolemaic period
- All inner rooms were completely dark and
windowless
 Temple of Horus

- Palm Columns
 Mammisi Temple, Edfu

- Small chapel attached to a larger temple

- Associated with the nativity of the god
- Stands in the outer enclosure of the Temple of Horus

1: Gate of Ptolemy II
2: First Pylon
3: Outer Courtyard
4: Colonnade and Storerooms
5: Mammisi (birth house)
6: Second Pylon
7: Inner Courtyard
8: Sanctuary if Isis
9: Temple of Horus the Avenger
10: Hadrian's Gate
11: Nilomete
 Temple of Hathor, Dendera

- Most imposing, standing in a brick-walled

temenos
- Resembles the structures from Edfu
- Many narrow chambers are concealed in the
thickness of the massive outer walls, and stairs
lead to the roof, where ceremonies took place
 Temple of Hathor, Dendera

- Most imposing, standing in a brick-walled temenos

1: Gate of Ptolemy II
2: First Pylon
3: Outer Courtyard
4: Colonnade and Storerooms
5: Mammisi (birth house)
6: Second Pylon
7: Inner Courtyard
8: Sanctuary if Isis
9: Temple of Horus the Avenger
10: Hadrian's Gate
11: Nilomete
Obelisk
- The sacred symbol of the sun god of
Heliopolis
- Usually stood in pairs astride temple
entrances
- Huge monoliths, square on plan and
tapering to an electrum-capped pyramidion
at the summit, which was the sacred part
 Obelisk in Piazza Giovani

- was brought to Rome from the Temple of Amun at Karnak

- Largest known obelisk erected by Thothmes III
- Monolith of red granite from Aswan
Obelisk
- The obelisk on the Thames Embankment,
London
- Originally at Heliopolis was brought to
England from Alexandria
- Bears the inscriptions of Thothmes III and
Rameses II
Dwellings
Dwellings
- Ordinary dwellings were
of crude brick
- One or two storeys high,
with flat of arched ceilings
and a parapeted roof
partly occupied by a
loggia
- Rooms looked towards a
north-facing court.

Dwellings in towns
- Space allowed
mansions stood in their
own grounds with :
grooves, gardens,
pools and minor
structures
Dwellings
- Remains of barrack-like dwellings for
workers exist at the pyramid sites
Fortresses
Fortress of Buhen

- Egyptian headquarters that is the

largest stronghold built in Nubia
- The best preserved of the
architectural monument of the
twelfth Dynasty
- Most of the fortresses during the
middle kingdom were on the west
bank of the Nile or on the islands
*SOCIAL AND POLITICAL INFLUENCE
MONARCHY – form of government
PHARAOH – King of Egypt, ruler , highest priest in Egypt
SON OF PHARAOH – normal successor to the throne
VIZIER – King’s most powerful official
CHANCELOR- he controls the royal treasuries, granaries ,& supervises the
census
CHIEF STEWARD- in charge of the King’s personal estate & household.

SOCIAL RANKS:
1. NOBLE FAMILIES- royal throne with his family
2. SOLDIERS, VIZIERS, CHANCELLORS, CHIEF STEWARDS – next to leaders
3. FISHERMEN, FARMERS, CRAFTMENS, MERCHANTS - ordinary Egyptians
4. SLAVES- lowest form
*ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
1. SIMPLICITY
2. MONUMENTALITY
3. SOLIDITY OR MASSIVENESS

SYSTEMS OF CONSTRUCTION:

POST & LINTEL COLUMNAR OR TRABEATED

*ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

FEATURES OF EGYPTIAN
ARCHITECTURE

1. Batter Wall – backward

slope of the face of a wall as it
rises
- inclination from base to top of
the façade

2. Hieroglyphics – ornaments,
pictures and writings
*ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
STRUCTURES
1. TOMBS

b. PYRAMID

a. MASTABA

c. ROCK CUT TOMBS OR ROCK HEWN TOMBS

*ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
a. Mastaba
- flat top or tapered solid temple
- Tomb houses that were made to
take the body at full length

Three important Parts:

1. Outer chamber – where offerings
were placed
2. Serdeb – inner chamber containing a. MASTABA

the statutes of the desceased Stele – is the upright stone slab containing
member of the family the name o f the dead found in the
mastaba
3. Sarcophagus – chamber
containing the ―coffin‖ reached by
an under ground shaft
*ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
b. Pyramid
- A massive masonry structure
having a rectangular base and
four smooth, steeply sloping
sides facing the cardinal points
and meeting at an apex used in
ancient Egypt as a tomb to
contain the burial chamber and b. PYRAMID
the mummy of the Pharaoh.
THREE TYPES OF PYRAMIDS:
- Was usually part of a complex of
buildings within a walled 1. STEP PYRAMID
enclosure, including mastabas 2. BENT PYRAMID
3. SLOPE OR TRUEPYRAMID
for members of the royal family
*ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
PARTS OF PYRAMID
COMPLEX
1. Elevated
Causeway
2. Offering Chapel
3. Mortuary Temple
4. Valley Temple
*ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
2. TEMPLES
A. Mortuary Temple
B. Cult Temple

PARTS

a. Entrance Pylon
- Massive sloping
towers fronted by
an obelisks known
as gateways in
Egypt.

b. Hypaethral Court
- Larger outer court
open to the sky
*ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
c. Hypostyle Hall
- A pillared hall in
which the roof
rests on columns

d. Sanctuary
- Usually
surrounded by
passages and
chambers used in
connection with
the temple service

e. Avenue of Sphinx
- Area where mystical
monsters were place
*ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
3. OBELISK

- Are monumental pillars usually in

pairs at the temple entrances
considered symbol of the sun
god Ra and usually standing in
pairs astride temple entrances.

- They are square in plan and

stands at the height of 9 to 10
times the diameter of the base

- Four sides tapers to the top on

the form of a small pyramid
*ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
4. SPHINX

Androsphinx
- A mystical monster
with a body of a lion
and head of a man
or
Heiraosphinx
- A mystical monster
with a body of a lion
and a head of a
hawk
Ciorphinx
- a mystical monster
with a body of a lion and
a head of a ram
*ARCHITECTURAL
CHARACTER

5. Capitals and Columns

- Bud & Bell Capital

- Polygonal Columns
- Papyrus Capital
- Volute Capital
- Palm type Capital
- Square Pillars
- Hathor – Headed Capital
- Osiris Pillars
*ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

6. Moldings
- ―Gorge and
Hollow
Molding‖ The
torus moldings
in Egyptian
temples were
used to cover
the angles
*ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

ORNAMENTS
a) Lotus Papyrus & Palm – for “ fertility”
b) Solar Discs & Vultures w/ wings – for “ protection”
c) Spiral & feather ornament – for “ eternity ”
d) Scarab or sacred beetle – for “ resurrection”