 Prehistoric structure and features

 The Egypt people : their cultures,

characteristics and achievements
 Evolution of Tombs, temples
 Classical Egypt buildings and the
usage of materials/ constructions
 The Great Pyramid of Khufu, Giza
 Obelisk, Sphinx and Rock Hewn
 Pre-historic Structures

1) Monoliths (Maenhir, from Maen, a

Stonehenge (restored, after Inigo Jones)
stone, hir, high), or single upright
stones. Ie: Carnac stone.

Circles of Avebury (restored).

2) Dolmen/ Cromlechs, table-stones, From Waring's Stone Monuments.
generally consisting of one large flat
stone supported by others which are 3) Circles of Stone. Ie: Stonehenge
upright.
The Carnac stones are a dense collection of
more than three thousand standing stones
around the French village of Carnac—the
largest such collection in the world. The
stones were erected between 4500 and
3300 B.C.
The giant stone statues (Moai) of
Easter Island. Although it was thought
at first that the statues were merely
heads, excavation has shown almost
all of them to have bodies.
 Pre-historic Structures

Beehive Hut, Lewis. From Waring. Section of chambered Burial Mound, New Grange,
Ireland. From Waring.

"Nurhag," near Islii, Sardinia Section of Pict's House, Pierowall, Orkney.

4) Tumuli.
 Pre-historic Structures

Lake Dwellings, or Crannoges, Lake Ardakillin, Ancient Swiss Lake Dwellings. From Troyon's Hab.
Roscommon. From Troyon's Hab. Lacustres, 1860. Lacustres, 1860.

Ornaments on stone, Gozo. From Waring.

5) Wooden hut
The Unfinished Obelisk of Aswan, Egypt
Antequera, Spain
The three most important dolmens (or passage
mounds) in Spain— are some of the largest in the
world.
Ggantija is a complex of two megalithic temples on the
Maltese island of Gozo. The stone temples were
constructed around 3600 B.C., the second-oldest religious
structures ever found.
Gobekli Tepe is the oldest religious structure between
10,000 and 9000 B.C. The site contains stone structures
and stone pillars which feature carvings of various
predatory animals.
Yonaguni Monument, Japan
These formations feature flat parallel edges, right angles,
sharp edges, pillars, and columns—leading many to believe
that the site could be man-made.
 Gulf of Cambay, India
In 2001, evidence of a sunken city was found
off the coast of India, in the Gulf of Cambay.
Several manmade structures have been
identified using sonar, including large buildings
and canals.
Ancient Egypt c.3000 BCE – 300 CE
 Egypt Timeline & Key Dates
c.2750 BCE Egyptian c.1200 BCE The first c.30 BCE Defeat, by
begin writing on chapter of Bible are Augustus, and suicide
papyrus scrolls, which written in Hebrew. of Cleopatra, last of
can be stored in Graeco-Egyptian
libraries. monarchs.
1492 BCE Tuthmosis I is c.1020 BCE The
the first pharaoh buried in a Hebrew King David
tomb cut into rock in conquers Philistine
Egypt’s Valley of the Kings. and unifies Israel

3000 BCE 2000 BCE 1000 BCE 1 CE

332 BCE Alexander

c.2650 BCE Imhotep, high the Great conquers
priest of Ptah at Memphis, Egypt and the
erects a pyramids made of Hellenization of the
stone at Sakarra. country begins.

1450 BCE Egyptians c.50 Christianity

begin telling the time emerges from
c.3150 BCE Rise of
with sundials. Palestine and spread
Egyptian civilization
by Paul to Rome after
along banks of the
death of Christ.
River Nile.

BCE (Before Common Era) / BC (Before Christ),

CE (Common Era) / AD (Anno Domini) – in the year of our lord / jesus (Christ)
The geographical

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. The Nile river
also served as a route of
transport & communication.
The g e o lo g i c a l
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.
 The people and their culture

The Pharaoh, who was considered to be the descendant of the sun god. 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.

• The belief in life after death made the Egyptians to build numerous tomb-
houses & pyramids for the preservation of the dead.
• Egyptians later, belief in God built temples and dedicated to worship their
god or goddess.
http://study.com/academy/lesson/egyptian-social-
structure-from-slaves-to-pharaoh.html
Gods of Ancient Egypt
The Egyptians had as many as 2,000 gods, often represent as part human, part
animal. This mural, picturing the gods of Anubis and Horus, was discovered on
tomb walls in the Valley of the Kings.
The climate

Egypt has a warm, sunny climate with very little rainfall that has led to the
preservation of its ancient buildings. Since sufficient light reached the interiors
through doors & roof slits, Egyptian architecture is characterized by the absence of
windows. The absence of rain also resulted in the use of flat roof with thick stone
slabs.
The use of SYMBOLIC motifs

Cobra, Sphinx, solar disk & Vulture (protection), scarab/ sacred

beetle (resurrection) and spiral & feather ornament (eternity)
The use of SYMBOLIC motifs

Palm leaves & Papyrus plants (fertility), Bud & Flower of lotus
Types of TOMBs
Evolution of burial techniques (TOMB)

1 simple grave pit 2 mastaba 3 step pyramid

4 bent pyramid 5 great pyramid

Tomb’s Components

1. Burial chamber : below the ground

and housed and protected the body and
spirit.
2. Mortuary chapel : above the ground
and was accessible to visitors who would
perform rites.

False door : to establish connection

between world of dead and living. The
design on the door allowed the spirit to
move freely between tomb and the
chapel.
Terracotta funerary cone : owner’s
name inscribed and placed above the
entrance door
1 Simple grave pit
• A simple hole in the ground which was just large enough
to hold the body of the deceased and a few grave goods.
• Over the years lining of wood or stone, a roof and then
small chamber was added.
• Pit graves was the most common type of graves, usually
belonging to the commoners.
2 Mastabas
The first royal tombs, called mastabas. It have many storage or offering compartments,
housing funerary chapels, shrines, offering tables and were quite evidently close copies
of contemporary houses.

In the Old Kingdom, even after the Pharaohs began to be buried in pyramids, other
royal officials were still interred in Mastabas, usually around the site of the pyramid.
2 Mastabas
Usage and shape of Mastabas

• A sepulchral structure built above ground.

• Mastabas were built above a shaft at the
bottom of which was situated a tomb.
• The structure above the ground were
relatively low.
• Rectangular in plan with inward-sloping
walls.
• Flat roof.
• Built of brick and faced with limestone
slabs.
• Sides sloping at an angle of about 75
degrees
• They were derived from the rude heaps of
stones piled over earlier mummy holes.
2 Mastabas
Components of Mastabas

(i) The outer chamber, in which were

placed the offerings to the Ka or ”
double,” decorated with festal and
other scenes which are valuable
from an historical standpoint.

(ii) The inner secret chamber, known as

the ”serdab,” which contained
statues of the deceased members of
the family.

(iii) The chamber containing the

sarcophagus, reached by an
underground shaft.
2 Mastabas
Components of Mastabas

The Niche or fake doors in these buildings had an imaginary purpose, were thought
as a way that permitted the Spirit of the deceased, return to this world to obtain
nourishment needed to keep living his Ka, and for such deeds, family members,
close friends and other persons, brought offerings and celebrated specific rituals, for
this purpose.
2 Mastabas
Decorations of Mastabas

• Plain undecorated exterior

• The interior of mastaba walls were
decorated with texts and images,
illustrating scenes from the daily life
of the deceased, offering scenes and
ritual hunt scenes.
The Mastaba of Thi, Sakkara

Well preserved and restored. It consists of a small vestibule, beyond

which is a large court, where offerings to the deceased were made,
and from which a mummy shaft led to the tomb chamber. The wall
has mural reliefs which represent harvesting, ship-building,
slaughtering of sacrificial animals, as well as arts and crafts of Old
Egypt, while Thi himself is pictured in a papyrus thicket, sailing
through the marshes.
3 Step Pyramid
Pyramid of Djoser, Sakkara

• Built by the 2nd Pharaoh of 3rd Dynasty.

• Constructed as series of smaller terraces
one on top of the other.
• 1st monument built entirely of stone.
• Designed by Imhotep and defied in Egypt
as God of Architect.
• Consists 6 tiers with rectangular base (109
m X 121 m).
• Height : 59.93 m (now 58.63 m due to
erosion).
• The royal tomb is 28m underground with a
vertical shaft leading to it. The entrance was
sealed with a 3 ton piece of granite.
Imhotep (2667-2648 BCE)
Imhotep was chief architect to the Egyptian pharaoh
Djoser. He was responsible for the world's first known
monumental stone building, the Step Pyramid at
Sakkara and is the first architect we know by name.

Imhotep's intelligence and determination enabled him

to rise through the ranks to become one of Djoser's
most trusted advisors. During the Late Period his
veneration extended to deification and he became a
local god at Memphis where he was glorified for his
skills as a physician and a healer.

When the Greeks conquered Egypt they recognised in

him attributes of their medicine god Asclepius, and
continued to build temples to him.
3 Step Pyramid

Pyramid of Djoser, Sakkara

• A series of corridors and a tomb chamber was dug. Some of the chambers are
lined with blue tiles.
• Interior contains network of channels and shaft with the burial chamber of
Dsojer at its center.
• Stone blocks used were slightly larger than bricks previously used during the
construction of raw mastabas.
4 Bent Pyramid
Pyramid of Snefru, Dahshur

• Built by Pharoah Snefru, in 2600 BCE.

• This first Egyptian attempt at a smooth-sided
pyramid was likely designed to have very
steep sides. But a lack of stability probably
influenced the architects to aim for a new
angle halfway through construction.
• Total height 344ft (105 m) had an
unprecedented two burial chambers, each
with a separate entrance.
4 Bent Pyramid
Bent pyramid having the same size as the
Red Pyramid about a kilometer to the
north, and second only to the pyramids of
Cheops (Khufu) and Chephren (Khafre)
at Giza. It was built by command of the
pharoah Sneferu, who ruled from 2613 -
2589 BC and did more than any other
person to advance the science and
custom of pyramid building. Sneferu
was the father of Khufu, also known as
Cheops, who built the Great Pyramid at
Giza.
5 Great Pyramid
5 Great Pyramid of Khufu
Egyptian pharaoh Khufu rules 2589-66 BCE,
and his tomb is the largest of three pyramids at
Giza, standing further north and east than the
other two.

His tomb was robbed thousand years ago and

internal layout has changed, so little knowledge
on him. However, pharaoh was buried alone in
this massive, man-made mountain which
probably took 20 years to build with slave
labour.

The largest pyramid ever built with 147m

(481ft) high and consists of some 2.3million
blocks of stone weighing an average of 2.5 tons.
Its four equal sides each measure 241m (791ft).
The pyramid was originally covered with
polished limestone, which eroded and removed.
5 Great Pyramid of Khufu
The pyramid has three burial chambers, though one person was buried here.
• The first is underground called subterranean chamber which carved into bedrock.
• The second, aboveground chamber was called the queen's chamber.
• The third is the king's chamber, which held a red granite sarcophagus placed
almost exactly at the center of the pyramid.
Khufu (2609-2584 BCE)

Also known by his Greek name, Cheops, the Egyptian

pharaoh Khufu was the second pharaoh of the Fourth
Dynasty.

Khufu's full name was Khnum-Khufwy, which means

'[the god] Khnum protect me'. He was the son of
Sneferu and Queen Hetepheres I, and is believed to
have had three wives.

Khufu was the first pharaoh to build a pyramid at Giza.

The funerary cult of Khufu was still followed in the
26th Dynasty, and he became increasingly popular
during the Roman period.
The Grand Gallery
The high-roofed passageway leading to the entrance to the King’s Chamber has slits
that allow in the light. The gallery may have been used as an observatory, or possible
to store the huge blocks of granite that ultimately closed off the burial chamber.
Vast blocks of stone
The rough outline of the huge blocks that
form the pyramid was originally masked by a
casing of white limestone. The construction is
now clearly visible.
How they were
constructed?
External Ramp and Crane Theory

Moving a statue in 12th Dynasty Egypt. Please note the person

pouring a "lubricant" in front of the sled.

An external ramp was used to build the lower

third of the pyramid and was then cannibalized,
its blocks taken through an internal ramp for
the higher levels of the structure.
 The ramps were built on inclined
planes of mud brick and rubble.
They then dragged the blocks on
sledges to the needed height. As the
pyramid grew taller, the ramp had to
be extended in length, and its base
was widened, else it would collapse.

Moving stone blocks on land was possible Long distance transport was
by use of sleds and ramps (with lubricating made possible by use of boats
agents). and/or floating rafts.
How they were constructed?
Internal ramp theories

Wooden hoists on notches

left in the edge of the pyramid
could have been used to turn
blocks onto the next part of
the internal ramp.
How they were
constructed?
Rope roll station,
tracks and haulers on
pyramid flank theory

A wooden track is
constructed directly on the
pyramid face and
anchored on the casing.
Valley of the King, Thebes (Luxor)
One of the most popular archeological sites of the world and has been declared
as the World Heritage site in 1979. It is located on the western bank of Nile,
opposite to the Thebes (known as Luxor).
Tombs of the Kings, Thebes (Luxor)
Tombs of the Kings, Thebes (Luxor)
After the heroic era of pyramid building, later pharaoh chose to be buried very
differently, in sarcophagus buried deep underground, largely to protect their remains
and treasures from tomb robbers.
The mummies pharaoh of 18th, 19th and 20th dynasty were hidden in richly decorated
rock chamber, some supported by rows and columns.
These chambers can be as deep as 96m (315ft) below ground and as far as 210m
(690ft) into the rock face, reached by long, sloping corridors, stairs and labyrinthine
antechamber.
Most tombs have similar
component which is 3 corridors,
antechamber and sarcophagus
chamber.
Sarchopagus Chamber (Burial
Chamber)
Sarchopagus is a decorated
coffin to place a mummy of
paroah.
Earthly treasures
Hidden below ground, the walls and ceilings of the many Tombs of the Kings are
adorned with colourful paintings and elaborate inscriptions.
http://study.com/academy/lesson/the-valley-of-
the-kings-tombs-facts-location.html
A pathway along the
Valley of Kings, is one of
the famoust tourist spot.
Entrance to underground tombs of a paroah named tutankhamun.
To be continue…
Questions?
 Types and characteristics of
temples
 Classical Egypt buildings and the
usage of materials/ constructions
 Great temples in Abu Simbel
 Obelisk, Sphinx and Rock Hewn
 E g y pt i a n s Te m p le s
c h a r ac te r i s t i c s
• Temples were the homes of the gods.
• The vast temple complexes of the New Kingdom grew out of humble
beginnings. The local population built a small mud-brick shrine for their own
but they expanded it slowly over the centuries by adding new wings and
replacing it to stone buildings.
• Their walls covered with colored scenes carved onto the stone, showing the
Pharaoh fighting in battles and performing rituals with the gods.
• Temples were either built single buildings or great complexes.
• Innermost shrine is important, where the statue of the god was kept.
• The activities of the temple revolved around the worship and celebration of the
god’s cult, and religious festivals.
• Temples owned land, livestock and received donations and taxes, in order to
support the large armies of priests and servants.
• Around many Temples were sacred lakes or sacred pools to perform their
religious rites in a state of purity.
 Types of Egyptians Temples

There are 2 principal types of temple:

1. Cult temples, known as “mansions of the gods”. Cult temples were

dedicated to the worship of the gods of Egypt— Amun, Ptah, Horus, Osiris, etc.—
and were designed to accommodate their images.

2. Mortuary temples, known as “mansions of millions of years”. In mortuary

temples the object of worship was the deified pharaoh.
 Egyptians Te m p le s

5 typical components in
Egyptian temples:
1) Pylon
2) Inner Court
3) Hypostyle Hall
4) Sanctuary
5) Sacred Lake
1 Pylons

• These are the large gates of the temple, they consisted of two tapering towers, each
surmounted by a cornice, joined by a less elevated section which enclosed the
entrance between them.
• The entrance was generally half the height of the two towers.
• Pylons were often carved and painted with scenes of the Pharaoh and gods with
scenes emphasizing a king’s authority since it was the public face of a cult building.
• In front of the pylon were a pair of obelisks and statues of the Pharaohs.
Obelisks
• An obelisk is a monolithic stone monument
whose four sides, which generally carry
inscriptions, with pyramidion at the top.
• The ancient Egyptians usually erected them
in pairs and associated them with the rays of
the Sun, which increase in width as they
reach the Earth.
 2 Inner court

• This was a large open Hall, which decorated walls showing scenes of the Pharaoh
and the gods. Sometimes there was a second pylon leading to the Hypostyle hall
deeper in.
• It had a transitional purpose, where the appropriate purification rituals were
undertaken by the pharaoh and priests before they could enter the temple proper.
Also, a place where burnt offerings of sacrificial animals were made to whichever
god or gods were worshipped within.
3 Hypostyle hall
• This is a large colonnaded hall
entirely roofed except for the central
aisle which was lit by windows,
• Scenes of religious rituals were
carved into the walls.
• The capital of the massive column
often in the shape of the papyrus
Flower.
• This was considered the reception
area of the god and accessible only to
the priests and the Pharaohs were
allowed to enter the hypostyle hall,
which was used for religious rituals.
• Smaller side doors, intended for
bringing in offerings led into small
rooms
Egyptian columns came in a variety of types—over 30 have been identified
with a mixture of papyrus, lotus and palm—the selection depending on the
setting in which they were used.
4 Sanctuary
• The sanctuary was the most special and
important part of the temple. It was a very
dark and relatively small room.
• The floor sloped steadily upwards until
the sanctum was reached, while the roof
was lower.
• Only the High Priest and the Pharaoh
could ever enter the sanctuary.
• In the middle of the sanctuary stood the
Naos with the statue of the god. The naos
was made of wood, with doors that were
kept closed and locked at all times except
for a rituals.
• In close connection to the sanctuary there
were other rooms for storage of the god’s
belongings, jewelry, insignia and ritual
tools.
4 Sanctuary
4 Sanctuary
• A temple could be consecrated to more than one god, but the Naos of the main
deities was always situated along the main axis, and lesser deities were placed on
either side.
• If both deities had the same importance, than a double sanctuary was constructed
along the main axis.
5 Sacred lake

• Most temple precincts included a sacred lake.

• Archaeologists have excavated a number of these in temples of the New
Kingdom.
• The priests used water from the sacred lake to perform rituals in the temple.
Great temple of Amun, Karnak

The Temple of Amun in Karnak, Egypt, is the grandest of all Egyptian

temples. It is a collective works of kings and their architects and craftsmen
over 1200 years.
The temple site, by a sacred lake, measures 366
x 110m (1200 x 360ft) built along two axis
running both east-west and north-south. Consist
of 10 pylons, vast courtyard, flanking temples,
hypostyle courtyard and numinous sanctuary.
The hypostyle hall at its core boasts no fewer
than 134 immense freestanding column
marching in 16 rows, all exuberantly decorated;
those at the centre are 21m (69ft) high and 3.6m
(12ft) in diameter.
Statues of Amun rams from the great
forecourt of the Temple of Karnak
 Temple of Hatshepsut,
Der El-Bahari, Thebes

The Temple of Hatshepsut resembling a 19th century neo-classical

museum or gallery, was built for the great Queen Hatshepsut (18th
Dynasty), to commemorate her achievements and to serve as a
funerary Temple for her, as well as a sanctuary of the God, Amon Ra.
Queen Hatshepsut
(1479 to 1458BCE)
Hatshepsut was the longest reigning female pharaoh in
Egypt, ruling for 20 years in the 15th century B.C. She
is considered one of Egypt's most successful pharaohs.

She served as queen alongside her husband, Queen Hatshepshut

Thutmose II, but after his death, claimed the role of
pharaoh while acting as regent to her step-son,
Thutmose III.

She reigned peaceably, building temples and

monuments, resulting in the flourish of Egypt. After
her death, Thutmose III erased her inscriptions and
tried to eradicate her memory.

Tuthmose III
 Temple of Hatshepsut,
Der El-Bahari, Thebes

Designed by Senmut, the genius architect who built this Temple,

was inspired in his design by the plan of the neighboring mortuary
Temple of the 12th Dynasty King, Neb-Hept-Re.
 Temple of Hatshepsut,
Der El-Bahari, Thebes

Relief from the Red Chapel showing Hatshepsut's

Obelisks

Senmut gives a detailed

description of the quarrying,
transport and installation of
Hatshepsut's obelisks.
Great temple,
abu simbel

Known as Rock Hewn temple as it was cut into a rock. It was

one of six rock temples erected in Nubia during the long reign
of Ramesses II. A giant pylons shaped four gigantic statue of
the seated Rameses II. At his feet are small statues of his wife,
Nefertari, his mother, Mut-tuy and his children. While, the
above is a carved row of smiling baboons greets the sunrise.
Abu Simbel today is no longer at the same
location. The temples were dismantled and
relocated in 1968 on the desert plateau 64
meters (about 200 feet) above and 180
meters (600 feet) west of their original site
due construction of new High Dam in
Aswan.
Abu Simbel is a temple complex, originally cut into a solid rock cliff, in
southern Egypt and located at the second cataract of the Nile River. The two
temples which comprise the site (The Great Temple and The Small Temple)
were created during the reign of Ramesses II.
Statue of gods sitting with deified Pharoah, Rameses II
in the inner holiest sanctuary of Abu Simbel Temple.

It took twenty years to create the complex and that the

temples are dedicated to the gods Ra-Horakty, Ptah,
and the deified Ramesses II (The Great Temple) and
the goddess Hathor and Queen Nefertari, Ramesses'
favourite wife (The Small Temple).
The hypostyle hall of the Great Temple, with eight Osiris pillars
which shows Ramesses as a god, with Osiris, the god of the
Underworld as a translation of unending nature of the pharaoh.
Abu Simbel has a second,
smaller, temple that may have
been built for queen Nefertari.
Its front includes two statues of
the queen and four of the
pharaoh, each about 33 feet (10
meters) in height. Each is set
between buttresses carved with
hieroglyphs.
Great sphinx, giza

The Great Sphinx of Giza is a massive limestone statue resembles mythical

creature called a sphinx which literally translates as ‘Father of Dread’. The statue
sits in a reclining position, with the lion's body and paws facing forward. The
creature's human head is generally thought to be the likeness of Pharaoh Khafre.
The Sphinx built during the reign of Khafre, which it was built for that pharaoh.
Sphinx is only one of several structures erected as part of the deceased king and
sun god cult, the monument may have had the purpose of connecting the dead
pharaoh with the sun god. The translation of the Egyptian term for sphinx is "living
image of Atum." Atum was both the god of creation and the setting sun.
The sphinx was constructed out of one large limestone ridge, measuring 241 feet
long and 66 feet tall. This stratum varies in color from soft yellow to hard gray.
The body of the Sphinx was constructed out of the softer, yellow stone, while the
head was made from the harder gray stone. Other than the missing nose and lips
of the Sphinx, the head remains the most defining characteristic while the body
has suffered from erosion.
Hieroglyphics
• The word hieroglyph is Greek for "Sacred
writing" or "God's words“.
• Only elite Egyptians, like royals, nobles, priests
and scribes, could read hieroglyphs.
• Hieroglyphs are read vertically, horizontally,
from right-to-left or from left-to-right.
• The Egyptians first used hieroglyphs exclusively
for inscriptions carved or painted on temple
walls.
• This form of pictorial writing was also used on
tombs, sheets of papyrus, wooden boards,
limestone & stone.
• It tells the story of the pharaohs, the gods, the
common people and the natural world of
plants, birds & animals.
Hieroglyphics Another two Egyptian scripts,
hieratic and demotic, developed.

Hieratic was a cursive form of

hieroglyphics with less
complicated and connected signs.
Scribes used it to write documents
and letters, because writing in
hieratic was faster. Scribes always
wrote hieratic right-to-left and
used carved reed brushes.

Demotic was an abbreviated script

with signs that did not look like
the corresponding hieroglyphs.
Writing with demotic was even
faster than writing with hieratic.
 The end…
Questions?