Egyptian Architecture

Historical Background
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
Architectural Ideas Let’s Recap…
• 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
• Tremendous effort was
exerted in tomb construction
• The mummified dead body
was buried in a stone box
called sarcophagus in the
tomb
 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
 Architecture of the Civilization
Introduction

• During the old Kingdom, the pharaoh and his

court lived in Memphis
• When they died they were buried at the
Necropolis at Saqqara
• The earthly dwelling of the ancient Egyptians
was seen as temporary and the tomb as a
permanent dwelling
• Houses were built of temporary materials to last
for a lifetime
 Architecture of the Civilization
Introduction

• 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 steppe pyramid to the
renown ancient Egyptian pyramid
 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, the people dug
deeper
• In the end they built a bench-like structure over
graves to create first burial structure called Mastaba
 Early Kingdom Tombs
Mastaba
• The name mastaba is derived from podiums
found in the front of traditional houses
• In the Old Kingdom, rich and noble person
built mastaba for their burial in the city of the
dead
• Above ground the Mastaba is a large bench
of sun-baked bricks rising 9 meters high
• It had a flat top and slanting walls
• The earliest royal tombs were decorated with
painted patterns in brilliant colors
 Early Kingdom Tombs
Mastaba
• Internally, a mastaba
consist of three parts- a
burial chamber, a
serdab and a chapel
• The burial chamber
was located 30’ below
ground
– Connected to burial
chamber above ground
through a shaft
– place for the burial of the
dead person
 Early Kingdom Tombs
Mastaba
• In the chamber is found
the sarcophagus where
the dead body was
placed
• The burial chamber is
packed with all the
necessary things
needed in the afterlife
• After burial, the shaft to
the burial chamber was
sealed
 Early Kingdom Tombs
Mastaba
• 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 Tombs
Mastaba

• Egyptians believed that the Ka must

return to the body or a copy of it each
night
• If both body and statue are 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
– false door leading to the land of the dead
 Early Kingdom Tombs
Mastaba

• Some mastabas had fence walls, and

chambers for burial of servants
• Mastaba served as an embryo for the
evolution of the pyramid
 Early Kingdom Tombs
Steppe 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 at Saqqara
• Imhotep initially conceived of the tomb
as a large Mastaba of stone
More on Egyptian Architecture
 Early Kingdom Tombs
Steppe Pyramid
• Dissatisfaction w/
result led to
stacking of mastaba
• Result was stepped
pyramid w/ five
sloping setbacks
• The steppe pyramid
is the intermediate
step between
mastaba and
geometric pyramid
 Early Kingdom Tombs
Steppe 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 Tombs
Steppe Pyramid
• Serdab located on
north side, along
w/ funerary temple
• Steppe pyramid
stands at middle of
large complex
• Funeral complex
consisted of
palaces, temples &
steppe pyramid
• All surrounded by
fence wall 33’ high
 Early Kingdom Tombs
Steppe Pyramid

• Fence wall of funeral complex has breaking pattern of

~200 projections/recessions
• Fourteen were larger than the others & 13 out of the
fourteen had false doors
• False doors for use of Pharaoh’s Ka
 Early Kingdom Tombs
Steppe Pyramid

• Entrance door leads

to long hall w/ two
rows of columns
• One of the 1st uses of
columns in history
• Columns designed to
look like bundles of
reeds… & had flutes
 Early Kingdom Tombs
Steppe Pyramid
• In North Palace also
stone columns w/
capitals
• Designed to look like
papyrus plant
• Zoser’s funeral
complex designed as
model of his palace,
city & kingdom
• Shape of pyramid
suggests stairway to
the sky to join the sun
God Amon Ra
 Early Kingdom Tomb
Attempts at Pyramid Building

• After the stepped pyramids, there

were several attempt at building a
pure geometric pyramid
• Among the prominent attempts:
– pyramid at Medun
– two pyramids built by Snefru at
Dashur
 Early Kingdom Tomb
Attempts at Pyramid Building

• King Huni made the

first attempt at building
pure pyramid at Medun
• Constructed seven-
stepped pyramid with
square plan and height
of 90m and
• Angle of incline: 51°
• Pyramid did not have
mortuary temple
 Early Kingdom Tomb
Attempts at Pyramid Building

• Pharoah Snefru made

two attempts at pyramid
construction
• 1st pyramid, the Bent
pyramid at Dashur had
a square plan with a
height of 102m
• The pyramid had a
change of angle
midway, leading to its
being called the bent
pyramid
 Early Kingdom Tomb
Attempts at Pyramid Building

• Snefru’s 2nd
pyramid--north
pyramid--is place he
was buried
• Low pitch of 43°
instead of 52°
making it look
stunted
• A true pyramid has
an incline angle of
52°
 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
The Pyramids at Giza

• Three are aligned

diagonally along the
projection of the
diagonal of the great
pyramid

• The small pyramids

close by were built
for queens
 Early Kingdom Tomb
The Great Pyramid Cheops

• Great pyramid
unique internal
arrangement
• First: a chamber
built below base of
pyramid
• Another chamber
built above it known
as queen’s chamber
• Larger burial
chamber known as
the king’s chamber
built center of
pyramid
 Early Kingdom Tomb
The Great Pyramid Cheops

• Chamber where the king

was buried in his
Sarcophagus
• King’s chamber 35’ x17’
and 19’ high
• Both king & queen
chamber connected to
the entrance on the
north side
• Two air shafts connect
king’s chamber to
outside for ventilation
• Once a king is buried,
burial chamber sealed
 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
 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 --
transported by lever action
• Paid in food, clothing and drinks
 Early Kingdom Tomb
Why did Egyptians Build Pyramids
• The pyramids were in
general a response to
the vast desert
landscapes
• For structures to be
visible in the desert they
have to be of huge size
• The pyramids were also
a product of the will to
achieve immortality by
the pharaohs
• Pyramids are the
everlasting home of the
pharaoh’s ka
 Early Kingdom Tomb
End of Pyramid Construction

• After the Mykerinus period, the era of pyramid

construction ended
• More pyramids were built later but they were
smaller and less complex
• Later pharaohs could not afford the cost of huge
pyramid construction
• Grave robbers learned how to break into and
steal the goods buried with pharaohs
• End of the Old Kingdom therefore marked the end
of the great era of Egyptian pyramid construction.
 Mid & New Kingdom Burial-Cham
Mortuary Temples Introduction
• The Middle Kingdom began
when pharaoh Mentuhotep
united Egypt again after the
first intermediate period
• During the middle kingdom,
the practice of pyramid
construction disappeared
• Focus in architectural
development was however still
on tombs and burial
chambers
• Two categories of structures
came into use- mortuary
temples and underground
tombs
 Mid & New Kingdom Burial-Cham
Mortuary Temples Introduction
• Mortuary temples served as place for burial and
worship of pharaohs
• Temples dedicated to Gods were also located in
them
• Mortuary temples owe origin to pyramid funeral
complex, particular the valley and pyramid
temples
• Underground tombs became popular because of
the belief that they could not be robbed
• Many powerful and wealthy pharaohs and nobles
carved tombs directly into rock cliffs and
underground during the Middle and New
kingdoms
• Most of the tomb and burial chamber construction
was carried out at Del Al Bahari
 Mid & New Kingdom Burial-Cham
Underground Tomb- Rock Cut Tomb
• Two types of Underground
tombs were built by pharaohs
and nobles during the Middle
and New Kingdom periods-
Rock cut tombs and Shaft
tombs
• Rock cut tombs are tombs
that are carved out of rocks
• Many of theses are found
along the cliff of the Nile
• A very good example is the
Rock cut tomb at Beni
Hassan
 Mid & New Kingdom Burial-Cham
Underground Tomb- Rock Cut Tomb

Beni Hassan consists of

three elements:
– Colonnade entrance
portico for public worship
– Behind portico, a
chamber or hall with
columns supporting the
roof serving as a chapel
– A small recess towards
the back of the chapel
where the person is
buried
 Mid & New Kingdom Burial-Cham
Underground Tomb- Rock Cut Tomb

• The columns on the

exterior were
shaped like a prism
with 8 or 16 sides

• The columns in the

interior were
designed as a
bundle of reed tied
together by rope
 Mid & New Kingdom Burial-Cham
Underground Tomb- Shaft Tombs
• Shaft tombs were a
complex series of
underground
corridors and rooms
cut out of the
mountains in the
valley of the King at
Del-Al-Bahari
• Large # of rooms &
complicated
arrangement
deliberate--to create
a maze or puzzle
 Mid & New Kingdom Burial-Cham
Underground Tomb- Shaft Tombs

• This is designed to
make it difficult for
robbers to determine
where a dead person
is buried
• A dead pharaoh or
nobleman is buried in
one of the many
underground rooms
• Once the burial is
finished, the entrance
is sealed permanently
and hidden from
everybody
 Materials, Const. & Systems
Materials

• Three common materials of construction in Egypt

– Plant materials, clay and stone
• Plants consist of readily available material like
reeds, papyrus and palm ribs and shaft
• Timber was available in limited quantity; used for
roofing
• Clay was used for construction either as for frame
construction or as sun dried brick
• Stone was not much used during the early period
of ancient Egyptian civilization
• It became popular after the 3rd dynasty of the
Early Kingdom and was used for tombs and
temples
 Materials, Const. & Systems
Construction System
• Construction system in ancient Egypt
reflected the availability of materials
• Two construction systems were
predominant: Adobe construction and post
and beam construction
• Adobe construction took the form of clay on
vegetable material or sun dried brick
construction
• This construction was reserved for houses
and other buildings of daily life
• These buildings are supposed to last for
only a generation
 Materials, Const. & Systems
Construction System
• Egyptian monumental construction is mainly of a
post and beam style
• This is expressed mainly in pyramids, tombs and
temples
• Columns are designed to look like plant material
• Their shaft resemble bundles of plant stems tied
together
• Their capitals are derived from the lotus bud or
the papyrus flower or the palm leave
• Great importance was attached to relief carving
and it was an integral part of the architecture
 Materials, Const. & Systems
Construction System

• The true arch was not extensively used in

ancient Egypt
• The principle was however known
• Construction in Egypt took place during the
period of floods
• It took 30 years to build a pyramid with a
team of 100,000 men working three to four
months during the floods
 Principles of Arch. Organization
Emphasis on Building Masses
• Ancient Egyptian architecture shows more
concern with massing and limited attention to
space or function
• The Mastaba, Pyramids, Mortuary and Cult
temples all display a focus on massing and form
• Limited consideration on functional space
• Consideration of function in design limited to
provision of spaces for ritual activities
--such as chapels dedicated to Gods in
Pyramid funeral complexes and Mortuary
and Cult temples
 Principles of Arch. Organization
Application of Linear & Geometrical Org

• The Most important compositional principle

in ancient Egypt is linearity and axial
organization
• Linearity means organization along a line,
while axial organization means that there is
a defined axis running through the whole
composition
• Almost all the predominant monuments
have a linear & axial organization
• These include the pyramid funerary
complexes, the mortuary & cult temples
 Principles of Arch. Organization
Application of Linear & Geometrical Org
• Egyptian architecture also displays an
understanding and application of geometry in
design
• This is noticeable in the pyramids at Giza
• All the three main pyramids are Geometrical
pyramids
• A geometric pyramid has a square base and 52°
inclination of its sides
• All the pyramids are also aligned in a straight line
along their axes
• This could only have been achieved with the
understanding of geometry
 Principles of Arch. Organization
Application of Harmony & Contrast

• Architecture in ancient Egypt also displays

understanding of the principle of Harmony
and contrast
• Example of this reflected in pyramids at
Giza
• The color and material of the pyramid
create a harmony between the pyramids and
the desert
• The form and shape of the pyramids
however contrast sharply with the smooth
undulating desert
 Principles of Arch. Organization
Application of Harmony & Constrast

• This understanding is also displayed in the

temples of Mentuhotep and Hatshepsut
• A double row of columns used to front the lower
and upper terraces create a harmony with the
rugged background of the mountain cliffs
• The terraces of the temples are however in
sharp contrast with the mountainous nature of
the environment
• The temples appear like an island of peace in a
rugged and violent environment
 Forces Shaping Arch. Organization
Influence of the Desert

• Ancient Egyptian architecture can only be

understood by also looking at the environment in
which it is located
• Egypt is essentially located in a desert and the
desert is empty space
• For anything to be visible and considered
monumental, it must match the scale of the desert
• This understanding may have influenced the
architects of ancient Egypt to focus on building
and creating the massive buildings that we have
studied
 Forces Shaping Arch. Organization
Influence of the Nile

• The Nile had an important influence in the

linearity and axiality of ancient Egyptian
Architecture
• The Nile was a very straight river
• The straightness of the line provided the
ancient Egyptians with both a symbolic
sense of direction and a principle for
application in the creation of monumental
buildings
The Sphinx
• 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

Dimensions of the Sphinx

Paws: 50’ long (15m)
Head: 30’ long (10m) 14’ wide (4m)
Entire Body: 150’ (45m)
The Sphinx
Originally commissioned by
Kaphre<Chefren> (a son of Cheops)
Constructed from a single piece of
stone <bedrock> weighing hundreds of
tons
bedrock found within the Valley of
Giza.
Age of the Sphinx: ~5,000 years old
The Sphinx
Archeologists and historians found many pictures of the Sphinx drawn
with wings, the body of a lion and ox, and the face of man
Theories:
•Muhammad Sa’im al-Dahr
•British
•Turks
1867
•Napoleon Bonaparte
•Mamluks

1925
restoration
The Sphinx

?
Review of Architectural Principles
Culture
- Nile - source for all life
-East bank: land of the living
-West bank: land of the dead
- Mystery of sun, moon, stars, futility & grave
- Complex hierarchy of gods
- Service to religion: made their art & architecture
Religion
- Survival after death depended on preservation of body
-At day of resurrection, "Ka" entered dead
- “Good Burial" became obsession - mummification an art
Burial
- Impregnable tomb - the basis for Egyptian architecture
- Man mummified and buried w/wives & possessions
- Tombs to be durable and "look" durable - monolith
MAJOR WORKS
Major Works
Old Kingdom 3200 - 2258 BC
1. Mastabas
2. Stepped Pyramid of Zozer @ Saqqara by Imhotep 2650 BC
3. Great Pyramids @ Giza Cheops (Khufu) 2575 BC
Chephren (Kafra) 2530 BC
Mykerinus (Menkaura) 2500 BC

Middle Kingdom 2134 - 1570 BC

4. Rock Cut Tombs @ Beni Hasan 1975 - 1800 BC

New Kingdom 1570 - 1085 BC

5. Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut 1500 BC @ Deir el-Bahari by Senmut
6. Temple of Amen-Mut-Khonsu @ Luxor 1390 - 1260 BC
7. Temple of Amun @ Karnak 1314 - 1200 BC
8. Temple of Rameses II @ Abu Simbel 1257 BC
9. Mortuary Complex of Rameses III @ Medinet Habu 1198 - 1166 BC
10.Temple of Horus @ Edfu 322 BC