HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE & THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT -I

Egyptian Civilization
 EARLY RIVER VALLEY CIVILIZATION

Made lasting contributions to civilizations.

Impact of geography (location) on the origin of civilization
Religion, beliefs
Social structure
Writing
Government
 EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION

The climate was good for agriculture, but with little

or no rainfall, farmers had to depend on the river for
irrigation by constructing canals to carry water out
into the valley.

The Nile provided

the perfect
waterway for trade.

The land of Egypt was protected

by natural barriers on all sides.
 EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION

• Egyptians believed in reincarnation, or, life after death

• Their belief in re-birth after death became their driving force behind their funeral practices ‘
mummification’.
• The dead were buried in monumental tombs: Pyramid, mastabas..

They also worshipped natural elements (Nile river,

earth)and some animals that were considered
sacred: crocodile, cat , beetle.
Egyptian religion was ‘polytheistic’, that is ,they
believed in various gods and goddesses and

Pyramid

Mastabas Temple of Khons,Karnak

Historian have divided Egyptian history into three major periods:
the Old Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom and the New Kingdom.
These were long periods of stability much construction of pyramids and temples, and
considerable intellectual and cultural development and activity happened n these
periods.
These major periods were punctuated by ages of political chaos known as the
Intermediate Periods, which were characterized by weak political structures and rivalry
for leadership.

c.a. 3100-2700 B.C. Unification of Egypt, Construction of

Early Dynastic Period mastabas
The Old Kingdom c.a. 2700-2200 B.C.
Construction of mastabas & pyramids
First Intermediate Period c.a. 2200-2050 B.C.
The Middle Kingdom c.a. 2050-1652 B.C. Mastabas cam again.
Second Intermediate Period c.a. 1652-1567 B.C.
The New Kingdom c.a. 1567-1085 B.C. temples
Post-empire c.a. 1985-30 B.C.
Characteristics of Egyptian Architecture

Scant tree growth

prevented the
extensive use of
wood as a
building material,
but because fine
clay was
deposited by the
floodwaters of
the Nile, the
ceramic arts
developed early.
 The Egyptians developed post-and
lintel construction—the type
exclusively used in their monumental
buildings—even though the use of the
arch was developed later.
CONCEPT OF THE ROYAL NECROPOLIS
 Concept Of The Royal Necropolis
•Dead buried in “cities of the
dead”, called Necropolis located in
desert

•The pharaoh and his court lived in

Memphis

•When they died they were buried

at the Necropolis.

•Earthly dwelling of ancient

Egyptians was temporary

•The tomb as a permanent dwelling

•Tombs serve as focus for the

worship of the dead
•
•The Tomb evolved before the old
kingdom from Mastaba.
EGYPTIAN TOMB ARCHITECTURE
 Egyptian tomb Architecture

•Tombs were most outstanding architectural element 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, through the
stepped pyramid to the renown ancient Egyptian pyramid

We will examine each of these next

Building Typology Of Egyptian Architecture

1. MASTABAS
2. ROYAL PYRAMID
3. TEMPLES
MASTABAS
Tombs started with Mastaba.
Rectangular in shape with sloping sides & flat roofs
Very simple tomb without any decoration.
MATERIAL USED:-
Sun-baked mud-brick or stone structures and consisted of
Single elevated platform. MASTABAS

Enormous amounts of time, money, and manpower involved in the building of their tombs.

Mastabas are built on the west side of the Nile (symbol of death, where the sun sets).

A mastaba consist of 3 parts:-

1. Burial chamber/ tomb:- 30’ below ground

2. Serdab :- statue of a dead person

3. Chapel:- prayer and offerings

 TYPES OF MASTABAS

MASTABA OF AHA-SAKKARA (1st Dynasty) MASTABA AT BEIT KHALAF (2nd – 3rd Dynasty)

MASTABA AT GIZEH (4th Dynasty) MASTABA OF THI – SAKKARA (5th Dynasty)

1. MASTABA OF AHA-SAKKARA( 1ST DYNASTY)
•Plain mastaba

•Several small rooms, center one containing

sarcophagus

•Others funerary offerings

•Construction in broad pit below the ground

•Doors on East and South side

The tomb at the centre
2. MASTABA AT BEIT KHALAF ( 2ND & 3RD DYNASTY)
2. MASTABA AT BEIT KHALAF ( 2ND & 3RD DYNASTY)
3. MASTABA AT GIZEH (4TH DYNASTY)
4. MASTABA OF THI – SAKKARA ( 5TH DYNASTY)

Larger in size than other mastabas

143’ X 110’ in size, 30’ height

Staircase has been added.

Separate offering rooms

Serdabs:- Statue of the dead person

Material:- Sun baked mud bricks

PYRAMIDS
 PYRAMIDS
Egyptians built pyramids as tombs for Pharaohs and their queens.

The pharaohs were buried in pyramids of many different shapes and sizes

There are about 80 pyramids known today.

Have used limestone as a material for exterior

The three largest and best-preserved is at Giza.

The most well-known of these pyramids was built for the Pharaoh Khufu(Cheops). It is
known as the 'Great Pyramid'.
TYPICAL PYRAMIDS COMPLEX

Mortuary temple:-
•Temple constructed adjacent to pyramids.
•Used as a resting place

Sanctuary:-
A sacred place, such as shrine

Chapel:-
Used for offerings and prayer

N Causeway:-
A way/path from temple to the pyramid
 Construction method

Progressive picture showing:-

Slaves dragging blocks of stone up a big ramp.
Use of "External Ramp" during construction
Construction method
 TYPES OF PYRAMIDS

Step Pyramid of Zosar Saqqara, Egypt Bent Pyramid at Sneferu Meidim Pyramid

Cheops
Chephren

Menkaure

Pyramid of Giza Pyramid of Khufu Pyramid of Khufu

PYRAMID OF ZOSAR SAKKARA, EGYPT
 PYRAMID OF ZOSAR
SAKKARA
Imhotep took idea of the mastabas and stacked six of them one on top
of other creating a stairway to Heaven

This became the Egypts 1st monumental construction made completely

of stone
Begun as a mastaba, the pyramid was built in several stages:-
A mass rising in 6 steps

THE "GRAND GALLERY" INSIDE THE PYRAMID

 PYRAMID OF ZOSAR
SAKKARA

358’.
4

1. 2. Festive ceremony 33’ high wall

-East 3 397’ PLAN

35 ACRES OF LAND

1. 2. 3. 4.
EXAMPLE OF PYRAMID: KHUFU’S PYRAMID AT GIZA
INTRODUCTION:-

Khufu (Cheops in Greek) outside of Cairo (Giza)

Belief :- Pharaoh would join sun-god of 4th dynasty

20 years to build the pyramid of Khufu.

The Pyramid of Giza is about 4,500 years.

Also known as the Great Pyramid

The tallest building in the world till 1800

Large team of labourers, during flood season when agriculture work was impossible.

Built with over 2 million of blocks of stone.

Total weight of the structure is 6.5 million tons.

Sphinx, a man headed lion of 187’ long and 66’ high carved in natural rock.
Khufu, khafre and Menkaure are the Pharaohs of 4th dynasty.
1. Khufu/Cheops
1st built, unplanned without proper proportions

755 x 755 base, area of 13 acres, height of 481 feet. Angle at 51 degree

Lime stone in the exterior. Pharoahs chamber made of granite.

2. Pyramid of khafre/Chephren,
Son of khufu, smaller in size than Khufu.

705 feet sq. base, angle of 53 degree.

Height 471 feet

Sphinx at the entrance to the north.

Best state of preservation.

N

3. Menkaure
Smallest of Giza, a son of Khafre.
343’ at the base, slope of 51 degree, 213’ high
4. CAUSEWAY connected from river temple to the upper or mortuary temple at the base.
KING’S CHAMBER
Original chamber built underground
Is in center of pyramid with red granite

QUEEN’S CHAMBER
The original burial place
Located underground, beneath the Great Pyramid

GRAND GALLERY
Grand passage leading from the entrance to the King’s Chamber
Originally intended to be used only once, for the king’s burial

Weight-relieving chambers :-
King's chamber distribute the weight to overlying
rock and prevent the king's chamber from
collapsing.

Entrance on the north side

Two air shafts connect king’s chamber to outside

for ventilation
 ROCK –HEWN TOMBS
Beni Hassan consists of three main elements:-
1. COLONNADE ENTRANCE:- Portico for public worship
2. A CHAMBER OR HALL:- With columns supporting the roof serving as a chapel
3. CHAPEL :- A small recess towards the back where the person is buried

The columns on the exterior were shaped like a prism with 8 or 16 sides

VIEW

1 2 3

ENTRANCE
TEMPLES
 TYPES OF TEMPLES

Great temple of Amun at Karnak Hatshepsut’s Mortuary temple, Deir-el-bahari

Temple of Khons,Karnak Great temple of Ramesses II, Abu Simbel

 TEMPLE OF KHONS, KARNAK
OBELISKS
pylons

LIGHT SANCTUARY

COURT HALL

OBELISKS
PYLONS
 TEMPLE OF KHONS, KARNAK

COLLONADED COURTYARD

BIRDS EYE VIEW FRONT VIEW

 TEMPLE OF KHONS,KARNAK

Obelisks
(landmark)

Pylons
(Tall tower like str.)
 WORKER’S SETTLEMENT- CITY OF KAHUN
The world‟s 1st “workers‟ housing” was in the ancient town of Kahun

Built about 3000BC for the builders of the pyramids at Kahun near Giza.

The town was laid in rectilinear grid.

Comprised a few large houses (government quarters) and many smaller ones

Acropolis:- Community centre, place of worship and seat for government quarters which were a
higher group of community
ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES:-
Nile connected axis to the whole region. It also acted as a major
highway.
River nile
Fine example of standardized buildings grouped into special zones.

Brick row houses for workers and craftsmen, often back to back

A quarter of large mansions for government officials

An enclosed compound

LOCATION MAP
Government Quaters

Workers Housing

PLAN