Ancient Egyptian architecture
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For at least ten thousand years, the Nile valley has been the site
of one of the most influential civilizations in the world. Even
today, its architectural monuments, which include Great Pyramid and
the Great Sphinx, are among the largest and most famous buildings in
the world.
Due to the scarcity of wood, the two predominant building materials
used in ancient Egypt were unbaked mud brick and stone. From the Old
Kingdom onward, stone was generally reserved for tombs and temples,
while bricks were used even for royal palaces, fortresses, the walls
of temple precincts and towns, and for subsidiary buildings in
temple complexes. |
Most ancient Egyptian towns have been lost because they were
situated in the cultivated and flooded area of the Nile Valley,
although the dry, hot climate of Egypt preserved some mud brick
structures. Examples include the village Deir al-Madinah and the
fortresses at Buhen and Mirgissa. On the other hand, many temples
and tombs have survived because they were built on ground unaffected
by the Nile flood and were constructed of stone.
Thus, our impression of ancient Egyptian architecture is based
mainly on its religious monuments, massive structures characterized
by thick, sloping walls with few openings, possibly echoing a method
of construction used to obtain stability in mud walls. In a similar
manner, the incised and flatly modeled surface adornment of the
stone buildings may have derived from mud wall ornamentation.
Although the use of the arch was developed during the fourth
dynasty, all monumental buildings are post and lintel constructions,
with flat roofs constructed of huge stone blocks supported by the
external walls and the closely spaced columns.
The exterior walls, as well as the columns and piers, were covered
with hieroglyphic and pictorial carvings in brilliant colors. Many
motifs of Egyptian ornament are symbolic, such as the scarab, or
sacred beetle, the solar disk, and the vulture. Other common motifs
include palm leaves, the papyrus plant, and the buds and flowers of
the lotus. Hieroglyphics were decoration as well as records of
historic events.
The Giza Necropolis stands on the Giza Plateau, on the outskirts of
Cairo, Egypt. This complex of ancient monuments is located some
eight km inland into the desert from the old town of Giza on the
Nile, some 20 km southwest of Cairo city centre. This Ancient
Egyptian necropolis consists of the Pyramid of Khufu (also known as
the Great Pyramid and the Pyramid of Cheops), the somewhat smaller
Pyramid of Khafre (or Kephren), and the relatively modest-sized
Pyramid of Menkaure (or Mykerinus), along with a number of smaller
satellite edifices, known as "queens" pyramids, and the Great
Sphinx.
The pyramids, which were built in the Fourth Dynasty, testify to the
power of the pharaonic religion and state. The Great Pyramid, which
was probably completed c. 2580 BC, is the oldest and largest of the
pyramids, and is the only surviving monument of the Seven Wonders of
the Ancient World. The pyramid of Khafre is believed to have been
completed around 2532 BCE, at the end of Khafre's reign. The date of
construction of Menkaure's pyramid is unknown, because Menkaure's
reign has not been accurately defined, but it was probably completed
sometime during the 26th century BC.
Karnak
The temple complex of Karnak is located on the banks of the River
Nile some 2.5 km north of Luxor. It consists of four main parts, the
Precinct of Amon-Re, the Precinct of Montu, the Precinct of Mut and
the Temple of Amenhotep IV (dismantled), as well as a few smaller
temples and sanctuaries located outside the enclosing walls of the
four main parts, and several avenues of ram-headed sphinxes
connecting the Precinct of Mut, the Precinct of Amon-Re and Luxor
Temple.
The key difference between Karnak and most of the other temples and
sites in Egypt is the length of time over which it was developed and
used. Construction work began in the 16th century BC. Approximately
30 pharaohs contributed to the buildings, enabling it to reach a
size, complexity and diversity not seen elsewhere. Few of the
individual features of Karnak are unique, but the size and number of
features is overwhelming.LuxorLuxor Temple is a large Ancient Egyptian temple complex located on
the east bank of the River Nile in the city today known as Luxor
(ancient Thebes). Construction work on the temple began during the
reign of Amenhotep III in the 14th century BC. Horemheb and
Tutankhamun added columns, statues, and friezes – and Akhenaten had
earlier obliterated his father's cartouches and installed a shrine
to the Aten – but the only major expansion effort took place under
Ramesses II some 100 years after the first stones were put in place.
Luxor is thus unique among the main Egyptian temple complexes in
having only two pharaohs leave their mark on its architectural
structure.
The temple proper begins with the 24-meter high First Pylon, built
by Ramesses II. The pylon was decorated with scenes of Ramesses's
military triumphs (particularly the Battle of Qadesh); later
pharaohs, particularly those of the Nubian and Ethiopian dynasties,
also recorded their victories there. This main entrance to the
temple complex was originally flanked by six colossal statues of
Ramesses – four seated, and two standing – but only two (both
seated) have survived. Modern visitors can also see a 25-metre tall
pink granite obelisk: this one of a matching pair until 1835, when
the other one was taken to Paris where it now stands in the centre
of the Place de la Concorde.
Through the pylon gateway leads into a peristyle courtyard, also
built by Ramesses II. This area, and the pylon, were built at an
oblique angle to the rest of the temple, presumably to accommodate
the three pre-existing barque shrines located in the northwest
corner. After the peristyle courtyard comes the processional
colonnade built by Amenhotep III – a 100-metre corridor lined by 14
papyrus-capital columns. Friezes on the wall describe the stages in
the Opet Festival, from sacrifices at Karnak at the top left,
through Ammon's arrival at Luxor at the end of that wall, and
concluding with his return on the opposite side. The decorations
were put in place by Tutankhamun: the boy pharaoh is depicted, but
his names have been replaced with those of Horemheb.
Beyond the colonnade is a peristyle courtyard, which also dates back
to Amenhotep's original construction. The best preserved columns are
on the eastern side, where some traces of original colour can be
seen. The southern side of this courtyard is made up of a 32-column
hypostyle court that leads into the inner sanctums of the temple,
which begin with a dark antechamber. |
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