EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION

EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION

1) Nature & Geography moulded Egypt and

Mesopotamia differently.
2) Life in Egypt depended on a single, predictable
River Nile which came to be looked upon as
divinity. Thus the person [Pharoah] who
tended the Nile, also came to be looked upon
as Divine. His sculpture brings out his divinity
in many ways.
EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION

3) Dependant on a single river, Egypt presented a

more unified, calm and confident appearance.
A robust optimism set in, in Egypt. Happy with
life, here and now, Egyptians wanted to
prolong it after death, and built up a rich city
of the dead.
4) Fundamental to Egyptians was the idea of
continuity of life, after death.
EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION

5) Could nature have prompted this idea of Life

after Death ?
6) Three conditions had to be fulfilled to ensure
life after death :
i) The body had to be preserved :
Embalming and mummification.
EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION
ii. Right kind of shelter to preserve the body :
Pit Grave, Mastaba, Step Pyramid, Bent Pyramid, True
Pyramid, Dummy Pyramid.
Rock-cut Tombs : Corridor type, Individual Tomb type.
When all else failed, there was the “Curse of the Pharoah”.
How effective was it to deter the tomb robber ?

iii. Sustenance for the body :

a) Actual daily offerings by the son or relatives
b) Professional priests engaged by written contracts
c) Writing, Art and Magic ensured perpetuity of life after
death
EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION

7) Slides of sculpture of the Pharoah.

8) Paintings within the tomb.
« EGYPTIAN TEMPLES »
EGYPTIAN TEMPLES

 MORTUARY

 CULT
EGYPTIAN TEMPLES

1) Cult Temples were Dwelling Place for Gods,

whose Cult Image was fed, clothed & washed
therein.
2) Best-known cult temples were at Karnak and
Luxor; and the best-preserved one is at Edfu.
3) Layout & Design of Cult Temples :
Cult Temples were not just shrines, but were
magnificent complexes consisting of :
EGYPTIAN TEMPLES
a) Entrance pylon or portal :
Eg : Pylon of Temple of Amon, at Karnak was 143’ high, 370 feet
long and 49’ at the base, approached via an Avenue of Sphinxes,
half a mile long.

b) Peristyle :
Two parallel rows of huge lotus-bud columns, roofed over on 3
sides, surrounded the centre which was open to the sky.

c) Hypostyle Hall :
A forest of columns - the Glory of Egyptian Temples.

d) Inner Sanctum Sanctorium : Was almost plunged in darkness.

EGYPTIAN TEMPLES

4) An Egyptian Cult Temple differed

fundamentally in its design and layout from a
Roman Temple, a Christian Church, or even a
mosque.
5) An Egyptian Cult Temple differs from a Greek
Temple, like the Parthenon.