unit-1ancient egyptian purush

7/28/2019 Unit-1ancient Egyptian Purush

1/35

FACTORS INFLUENCING ARCHITECTURE:

Geographical: The satellite imagery shows 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, which was known as

the valley of the dead. The Nile river also served as a route of transport & communication &

is considered to be sacred b the E tians as it serves as the life blood of E t.

ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE


2/35

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 thepreservation of its ancient buildings. Since sufficient light reached the interiors through

doors & roof slits, Egyptian architecture is characterized by the absence of windows. The

massive walls, without openings, protected the interior from the fierce desert sun & also

provided the surface for hieroglyphics which is a script with pictorial representations.

The absence of rain also resulted in the use of flat roof with thick stone slabs.


3/35

Religious: The key note of the Egyptian religion is the submission to the power of the

sun god, Ammon & the worship of Osiris, the man-god who died & rose again to eternal

life. Egyptian religion had many gods representing the sun, moon, stars & animals. 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 descendent of the sun god, headed adespotic government, which employed vast armies of laborers in the erection of

monumental buildings, when the annual inundations made agriculture impossible.

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.

Historical: The Pharaohs who ruled Egypt have been divided into 30 dynasties & 3

divisions by historians as follows:

1. Ancient kingdom (4400 2466 BC) Mastabas were built during the 3rd dynasty & most

pyramids were built during the 4th dynasty.

2. Middle kingdom (2466 1600 BC) 12th dynasty founded the great temple of Ammon

at karnak.

3. New kingdom ( 1600 332 BC) Thebes became the capital & queen Hatsheputconstructed the terraced temple at Der-el bahari. Amenophis III built the temple at

luxor & Rameses II completed the hypostyle hall of Ammon temple, built the rock

temple at Abu simbel & the Ramesseum at Thebes, mainly by using the slave labor of

the hebrews.


4/35

ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER OF EGYPT

The walls of Egyptian buildings are sloped on the outside, which is referred to as the

batter of the walls, while remaining vertical on the inside. These windowless walls

were suitable for their relief sculptures known as hieroglyphics.

Egyptian columns have an inverted bell capital derived from the papyrus flower or thebud capital derived from the lotus bud.

Temples are approached by avenues of sphinxes, with the body of a lion & the head of a

man, ram or hawk. The entrance to the temples are articulated by massive pylons. The

interior of temples have great courts, hypostyle (pillared) halls & mysterious chambers.

Light was brought to the interior of temples using clear story lighting method & all wall

surfaces and columns had pictorial frescoes & carvings, painted in brilliant colors.

Egyptian architecture is impressive for its monumental scale, the solidity & the eternalcharacter of its buildings.


5/35

EVOLUTION OF PYRAMIDS

At first priests & high ranking officials came to be buried in tombs that were known as

mastabas. Most of them had many storage chambers for storing all types of goods needed

in the next life. However, due to frequent thefts, an under ground tomb known as the

stairway mastaba came to be preferred. The picture above shows the early mastabas at

Giza with false doors & other safety devices.


6/35

ZOSERS STEPPED PYRAMID AT SAKKARA

The step pyramid of pharaoh Zoser was an

intermediate stage in the evolution of the

pyramid. Its architect Imhotep built it in stages.

It was started as a square, solid mastaba, but a

series of extensions made it into a six steppedpyramid with a rectangular ground-plan.


7/35


8/35

The bent pyramid was first built at Meydum, which collapsed. Subsequently another bent

pyramid was built at Dahsur, the picture which is given above. It was similar in construction

to other pyramids in that it was started with an angle of 52 degrees to the ground. About

half way into the construction the architect changed the angle to 43.5 degrees up to thepeak. It marks another stage in the evolution of the great pyramids.


9/35

The Giza pyramid complex, on the outskirts of Cairo is considered to be the onlyremaining monument of the 7 wonders of the ancient world. It consists of the greatpyramid of Cheops (Khufu), the pyramid of Chephren (Khafre), the smaller pyramid of

Mykerinus (Menkaure), the great Sphinx & other valley pyramids & offering chapels.These 3 pyramids are a testimony to the engineering skills of the ancient Egyptians.

THE GREAT PYRAMIDS AT GIZA


10/35

The Great pyramid of Cheops (Khufu) is the largest & about 760 square in plan, rising

to a height of 480, & covers an area of 13 acres. The 4 sides facing the cardinal points

of the compass are nearly equilateral triangles, making an angle of 52 deg. with the

ground. Of the 3 pyramids the original polished limestone casing is seen at the base ofthe Cheops pyramid, the top of the Chephren pyramid, but not on the Mykerinus.


11/35

The most astonishing fact in the construction of the pyramids is - how did the Egyptians

manage to raise these enormous blocks of stone, weighing 2.5 tons & measuring 8x8x8

each, to a height of 480 ?. One of the theories is that ramps were built of mud brick &

rubble on which the stone blocks were dragged on sledges to the required height. Another

theory suggests that first a step pyramid was carved out of an existing mountain to formthe core, around which the ramps were built in a concentric fashion to raise the stone

blocks to each stage & fill up the steps to form the pyramidical shape. Finally the pyramid

was finished off by adding a casing of tura limestone, as shown below.

Though some of the pyramids indicate an accurate understanding of Pi, Egyptians were

incapable of arriving at this by calculation. It is possible that they had accidentally arrived at

it by counting the revolutions of a drum.


12/35

The entrance on the north side is 47 6 above the ground (Z), opens into a passage that

descends downwards leading to the subterranean chamber, about 60 below GL, which was

subsequently abandoned as a burial chamber. Midway from the descending passage anascending passage was cut into the rock that leveled off after a certain height, leading to

the Queens chamber, which was discarded. Finally a grand gallery of about 7 width,

tapering by corbelled courses of stone to a width of 3 6 at a height of 28, was built that

led to the Kings chamber, entirely constructed with granite. It measures 34 6x 17x 19 ht,

is roofed by 5 enormous blocks of stone & capped by 2 stones in an embryonic arch. The

chamber is sealed off by stone portcullises, weighing 50 tons each, fitted into recesses cutin the rock. An air shaft of 8x8 connects to the exterior for the Ka (spirit) to escape.


13/35

The section above clearly shows the descending corridor leading to the subterraneanchamber, the ascending corridor leading to the Queens chamber & the grand galleryleading to the Kings chamber in the Great pyramid of Cheops.

The section on the right is through the Kings chamber showing the roofing by massiveslabs of stone at 6 levels. The grand gallery & the ante chamber that would seal theentrance by accommodating the portcullises can also be seen.


14/35

The external casing of limestone has entirely disappeared in the Cheops pyramid,

excepting some parts around the base. The smaller pyramids of the nobility can be seenin the background & Idus tomb can be seen in the fore ground.


15/35

The funerary boat, which was excavated from the boat pits in 1954, is exhibited near

the Pyramid of Cheops.

This boat is thought to have been used by the King during his lifetime & had carried the

Pharaohs body across the river Nile to the pyramid, on his death.

The boat is 143 long with 6 pairs of oars & contains a cabin that is completely paneled

with the royal insignia of the palm capital.


16/35

The pyramid of Chephren (Khafre) is built next to the Great pyramid of Cheops, as he is

the son & successor. The Chephren pyramid is actually 10 shorter & 46 more narrow

at the base than the Cheops pyramid. But it looks taller than the great pyramid becauseit is built on higher ground. The slope of the pyramid is 53 degrees.


17/35

The top of the Chephren pyramid has retained the original limestone casing. There are 2

entrances located one above the other at a height of 50, that lead to a large limestone

chamber through a descending passageway. The lower corridor directly below the upper

corridor joins after a distance & leads to the inner chamber which is lined with granite.


18/35

This is a reconstructeddiagram of the pyramid of

Chephren with its causeway

connecting to the valley

temple, the pyramid of

Cheops & the surrounding

environs.


19/35

To the east of the pyramid is located the Mortuary temple, containing the 5 typicalspaces such as the entrance hall, a columned court, 5 niches for the statues of the

Pharaoh, 5 storage chambers & an inner sanctuary. There were 52 life size statues of

Khafre that were plundered or removed.

The pictures above show the statue of Khafre in the Cairo museum & the views of the

Valley temple that was constructed about 495 M away & connected to the mortuary

temple by a cause way.


20/35

The pyramid of Mykerinos is the smallest

of the 3 royal pyramids at Giza & he is

believed to be the successor of Khafre.

It is about 203 tall with a base of 339

square. He is believed to be the king who

alleviated the suffering of his people.


21/35

The great Sphinx is located N.E of Chephrens valley

temple, which was the site of the quarry from which

the stones for the pyramids came. It was carved out

of the remaining spur of rock by his workers 4500years ago. The sphinx is carved out of sandstone & its

body is 200 long and 65tall. The face is 13 wide & it

was buried in the desert sand until a Pharaoh of the

5th dynasty excavated it. The pyramid is widely

considered to be a depiction of royal power of the

Pharaoh.


22/35

The great temple of Ammon at Karnak is the grandest of all Egyptian temples & was

built by many kings starting from the 12th dynasty down to Ptolemys period. It has six

entrance pylons, which can be seen in this picture & was built from BC 1550 323.


23/35


24/35

The pylons lead to a Great court measuring 338 by 278, which accommodates the shrine

of Seti II & the temple of Ramesses III. The central axis of the temple is oriented in the east-

west direction & the same is emphasized by 6 pairs of columns in the court. The 2nd pylon

leads to the Hypostyle hall, which was begun by Seti I & completed by Ramesses II. The 3rd& 4th lons lead to the sanctuar which also contains the festival hall.


25/35

The detail plan of the Ammon temple shows the 4 pylons leading to the sanctuary, which

has been mostly destroyed. However, the plan shows the 6 pairs of central columns in theh ost le hall with 126 9 rows x 7 lines x 2 sides shorter columns on either side.


26/35

The top view shows the view of the

great court with the temple of Seti I.

The bottom view shows another partof the court with the north gate in

the middle.

The row of columns near the

enclosure wall have bud capitals &

the 2nd pylon can be partially seen

on the right.


27/35

The great hypostyle hall is about 320 x 160 internally & is roofed by enormous slabs ofstone, supported by 138 columns. The roof of the central avenue is raised to a height of80 with the columns itself rising to 69 ht & having a diameter of 11 9 with lotusbloom capitals. The side avenues are lower in order to admit light through clear storeywindows with the columns rising to 42 ht and 9 diameter, having lotus bud capitals.The effect produced by this forest of columns is most awe-inspiring.


28/35

The 2 views above show the columns of the central avenue with lotus bloom capitals &

the columns of the side avenues with lotus bud capitals. The clear storey windowsthrough which light was brought to the interior of the temple can also be seen.


29/35

This picture clearly shows the clear storey windows made of stone located above theroofing of the side avenues & the columns of the central avenue with hieroglyphics.


30/35

Not much of the actual sanctuary

remains today as can be observed

from the picture on the top.

However all the walls & columns

were covered with incised

inscriptions in colour giving thehistory of the temple, the names of

the gods to whom it was dedicated &

the royal people who contributed to

its grandeur.

The picture below shows the festival

hall of Thutmose III, which wasconstructed during the last period.

The column capitals & shafts

resemble bundled reeds of papyrus

and look more elegant. They are also

considered to be the fore runners of

the fluted columns of the Greek.


31/35

The awesome effect of perspective & monumental scale produced by the forest of

columns in the hypostyle hall can be observed from the picture on the left. The obeliskof Queen Hatshepsut, located between the 4th & 5th pylon rises to height of 30m.


32/35

This is the view of the Ammon temple from across the sacred lake that shows the

ruined condition of the sanctuary. The obelisks erected by Thutmose I & queen

Hatshepsut can also be seen.


33/35

The great temple at Abu simbel is one of the most stupendous of Egyptian rock-cuttombs. The impressive faade, 119 wide & 100 high, is formed as a pylon with 4colossal statues of Ramesses II, who built it. The vestibule beyond has 8 Osiris pillars &

vividly colored wall relief's. Eight small chambers used for storage adjoin this vestibule.Beyond it is a small hypostyle hall with 4 pillars that leads to the sanctuary having altar.


34/35

The mortuary temple of Queen

Hatshepsut at Der el Bahari isquite interesting as it consists of 3

terraced courts cut out of the rock &

connected by a ramp.

The upper court if flanked by 2

sacrificial halls, while on the central

axis is the sanctuary, cut deep into

the rock.

The fluted columns with square

capitals are fore runners of the

Greek columns & the walls have fine

relief sculptures.


35/35

The Temple at Edfu is the best preserved since it was built during the last period. Themassive entrance pylons with relief sculptures leading to the colonnaded great court &the hypostyle hall with its faade of pillars can be seen in these 4 pictures.

unit-1ancient egyptian purush

Documents