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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
Stop Here
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
?
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
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