Egyptian Architecture

Early Kingdom Tomb Why did Egyptians Build Pyramids

• The pyramids were a response to desert landscapes

• For structures to be visible in the desert they have to be huge

• The pyramids also represent the Egyptian will to achieve immortality for the pharaohs

• Pyramids are the everlasting home of the pharaoh’s

Early Kingdom Tomb Pyramid Construction

• How were the pyramids constructed?

• No accurate knowledge about the method of construction of the pyramids

• Estimates vary:~ 100,000 men worked 3-4 months each year for 30 years to build the pyramids.

• Limestone quarried from nearby

• Workers paid in food, clothing and drinks

Architectural Ideas• Ancient Egyptians viewed

earthly dwellings as temporary

• They paid little attention to house construction

• The tomb was seen as a permanent dwelling for the afterlife

• Great effort was put in tomb construction

• The mummified dead body was buried in a stone box called sarcophagus in the tomb

Historical Background Characteristics & Beliefs

Historical Background Social Characteristics & Beliefs

Architectural Ideas

• Believed a dead person needs all her/his worldly goods

• Tomb usually packed w/ all the treasures of dead person

• If anything cannot be provided, it is painted on the walls of the tomb

Historical Background Social Characteristics & Beliefs

Architectural Ideas

• Tombs also have charms to protect dead person & her/his property

• Dead buried in cities of the dead, called Necropolis located in desert

• During the Old Kingdom, the pharaoh and his court lived in Memphis

• When they died they were buried at the Necropolis at Saqqara

• Necropolis translated means city of the dead; necro=death & polis=city

Architecture of the CivilizationIntroduction

Architecture of the CivilizationIntroduction

• Tombs were most outstanding architectural acheivement of the period

• Tombs also serve as the focus for the worship of the dead

• The Tomb evolved during the Old Kingdom from the Mastaba, later to the steppe pyramid and then to the renown ancient Egyptian geometric pyramids we know today

• Mastaba means “eternal house” or “house for eternity”

Early Kingdom Tombs Mastaba

• The earliest method of burial in ancient Egypt was in shallow pits in the desert. The desert dried the bodies and preserved them

• When animals preyed on bodies, people began to dig deeper

• To prevent this they built a bench-like structure over graves called Mastaba. The earliest Mastaba were decorated with painted patterns in brilliant colors

•

Early Kingdom TombsMastaba

Early Kingdom TombsMastaba

• The Serdab and Chapel are located above ground

• The serdab is a room where the statue of the dead person is kept – Statue acts as a

substitute for body in case it is destroyed

Early Kingdom TombsMastaba

• Egyptians believed that the Ka or spirit must return to the body or a copy of it

• If both body and statue were destroyed, the ka would die

• The chapel is where the ka is supposed to live forever – Colorful room meant to deceive the gods

into letting the ka enter the next world

Early Kingdom TombsSteppe Pyramid

• King Zoser (Djoser) was the powerful pharaoh of the third dynasty of the old kingdom

• The steppe pyramid was built for king Zoser by Imhotep

• It was built as a funeral complex in the Necropolis

• Imhotep initially thought of the tomb as a large Mastaba of stone

Early Kingdom TombsSteppe Pyramid

• Dissatisfaction w/ result led to stacking of mastaba

• The result was the stepped pyramid

• The steppe pyramid shows the stages between the mastaba, the step and the geometric pyramid

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More on Egyptian Architecture

Early Kingdom TombsSteppe Pyramid

• Steppe pyramid was 200’ high w/ 6 giant steps

• Burial chamber is entered from north side & is 92’ down

• On either side of chamber are store rooms for king’s treasures

• All treasures buried w/ Zoser have been stolen

• A stone statue of Zoser also recently found staring out through peep holes in his Serdab

Early Kingdom Tomb Attempts at Pyramid Building

• After the stepped pyramids, there were several attempt at building a pure geometric pyramid

Early Kingdom Tomb The Pyramids at Giza

• Construction of a true geometrical pyramid achieved during reign of Cheops, son of Snefru

• Located at Giza • Called Great Pyramid

because of size• The pyramid is 482’

high on a plan 760’ square

Early Kingdom Tomb The Pyramids at Giza

• Two additional pyramids built at Giza

• 2nd largest in the center built by Chefren, the son of Cheops

• 3rd and smallest built by Mykerinus, son of Chefren

• The three together are referred to as the Pyramids at Giza

Early Kingdom Tomb Pyramid

• The pyramids designed as part of a funeral complex for burial of pharaoh

• Chefren’s complex is best preserved example

• Complex consist of three interconnected units: – A valley temple by the

river Nile where the pharaoh’s body was embalmed

– A pyramid mortuary temple for rituals

– A long narrow causeway connecting the two

• Located in Giza is the great Sphinx with the body of a lion and head of Chefren

• Reason for its construction is not clear

• A theory holds that it was produced from leftover material

• It may also have been carved to stand guard over the temple and tomb of Chefren

The Sphinx

The Sphinx

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MAJOR WORKSMajor WorksOld Kingdom1. Mastabas2. Stepped Pyramid of Zozer @ Saqqara by Imhotep3. Great Pyramids @ Giza    Cheops  (Khufu)                                               Chephren     (Kafra)                                    Mykerinus (Menkaura)  

Middle Kingdom 4. Rock Cut Tombs @ Beni Hasan

New Kingdom5. Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut6. Temple of Amen-Mut-Khonsu @ Luxor7. Temple of Amun @ Karnak8. Temple of Rameses II @ Abu Simbel9. Mortuary Complex of Rameses III @ Medinet Habu10.Temple of Horus @ Edfu

3200 - 2258 BC 2650 BC2575 BC2530 BC2500 BC

2134 - 1570 BC1975 - 1800 BC

1570 - 1085 BC1500 BC @ Deir el-Bahari by Senmut

1390 - 1260 BC1314 - 1200 BC1257 BC1198 - 1166 BC322 BC