HISTORY OF

ARCHITECTURE-1

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 WORLD HISTORY

Prehistoric period Historic period

Stone age Metal age Ancient world Medieval world

(5000B.C-500A.D) (500A.D-1500A.D)

Palaeolithic Neolithic Bronze age Iron age

Modern World
(1500A.D onwards)
Mesolithic

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Palaeolithic or stone age
•Nomadic life
• use of crude and rough weapons.
•developed ability to speak in the Palaeolithic.
•began burying the dead,
•tinkering with music, and painting and carving
objects
•food was a scarce commodity. Humans were
forced to move from place to place, exhausting
all the food before moving on.

•Mesolithic period or Middle Stone Age –

•Construction developments Palaeolithic shell beads
•Agriculture
•better tools and weapons to kill and make use
of animals

Neolithic or new stone age-

•Settlement in river basins- In Mesopotamia and
along the Nile, Indus, and Yangtze river valleys,
this happened around 8,000 B.C.E. Neolithic or new
•invention of wheel. stone age
•writing was introduced
. 3
Mesolithic Advances: The Harpoon
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CHARECTERS OF PRE-HISTORIC PERIOD

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Early Stone Age Architecture
•Nomadic people constantly on the move
•Did not require permanent shelter or settlements
•Dwellings consist of simple shelters

Examples

Rock Shelter
•Rock shelters and caves
provided natural
protection

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Cave Dwelling
•Caves were, however, more
popular as dwelling
•A good example is the cave at
Lascaux in France
•Discovered in 1940
•Used about ten to twenty thousand
years ago
•Used by several generation of
people
•Entered through one entry to a
large hall
•From the hall, cave braches out
into other spaces
•Interior has elaborate paintings of
animals and hunting scenes
•The artwork celebrates the hunting
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life of the early stone age people
Temporary Structures

Hut at Terra Amata, France

•Early stone people constructed
temporary shelters using available
materials
•discovered in 1966 at Terra Amatain
France
•Dates back to 400,000 years
•Oval in shape and constructed of
tree branches
•Space inside is organized for
BambutiHut
different uses
•The hut was used by a band of
people for limited hunting days
•It is left to collapse after use and
new huts built over by the next years
hunting season

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BambutiHut The TongusHut The Lapp Tent
–The bambutti huts –The Tongushuts –The Lapp tenth shows
show evidence of use of show evidence of use the use of animal skins
leaves to cover hut of grass to make huts

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New Stone Age Architecture
•Architecture evolved when early Stone Age man became settled
•Once settled, he learned to build permanent structures
•Early dwellings were round beehive huts
•Mud was popular material, though construction system varied by location and
availability of construction materials
Round huts evolved to rectangular form around 9000 to 7000 BC
•Early villages were simple with no palaces, rich houses or non-residential
buildings
•Once settled Neolithic man sought to satisfy his spiritual needs
•This led to the construction of monuments

Examples–

Megalithic Monuments
•Dolmen Tomb, CarnacFrance
•Stone Alignment, CarnacFrance
•Stonehenge, England

Neolithic Dwelling and Settlement

-CatalHuyuk 10
Megalithic Monuments
•Monumental construction by Neolithic man particularly in Europe took the form of megalithic
monument
•Megalithic means large stone
•Megalithic construction involves setting up large stone blocks alone or leaning against each
other
•Sometimes post and lintel construction is used

Method of Megalithic Const.

•Very similar to the Egyptian pyramids
•Stone is quarried from rocks, transported by rollers pulled by people
•Lever action is used to lift and place stone in position
•The secret of the construction lies in abundance of labor, endurance of effort and availability of
unlimited time

Categorization of Meg. Monuments

•Tombs –also called Dolmen
•Non funereal structures
–Single stones
–Menhirs
–Stones composed in groups
–HengeMonuments 11
Dolmen Tomb, CarnacFrance

•Dolmen Tomb Carnacis a burial structure

•Consist of two upright stones slabs
supporting a horizontal cap stone
•All are held together by their weight
•The remains of a dead person is place in the
chamber formed by the stone blocks
•The entire structure is covered with a mound
of earth
•Stone age people built tombs because of
the belief that dead people needed shelter
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Stonehenge, Salisbury, England

•Neolithic ritual monument located in

Salisbury England
•Most celebrated Monument in England
•Most important prehistoric structure in
Europe

•Well preserved monument

•Subject of a very lively controversy and
theories about its function

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Stonehenge, Salisbury, England

•The plan of Stonehenge is

arranged in the form of
concentric circles
•At the centre is an alter
•Around it five trilithons

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Stonehenge, Salisbury, England

•Beyond trilithons a circle of blue

stones from Wales, 200km away

•Beyond blue stones, an outer

monumental circle of large rectangular
blocks capped by continuous lintel

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 Stonehenge, Salisbury, England

the monumental circle are 56 movable

marker stones in the Aubrey holes

•The whole monument is isolated from

the landscape by a trench

•A long avenue cut through trench to

trilithons

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Stonehenge, Salisbury, England

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Stonehenge -Function
•The Stonehenge appears to be a sacred place
•The actual function of the structure is still not clear

There are two viable theories

:–Structure mirrors cosmic eye of lunar goddess and outer circle is an elevated
walkway for rituals
–An Astronomical computer for the prediction of the eclipse of the sun and
moon

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Stonehenge –Uniqueness
Three possible reasons:
–It was not constructed to meet any practical need of the people
–The level of accuracy in its construction
–The uniqueness of its geometry and form

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Neolithic Dwelling & Settlement-
CatalHuyuk-Neolithic monument in
present day Turkey

•Occupied between 6300 BC to 5400

BC
•Supported a population of up to
6000 people
•It was the largest and most
cosmopolitan city of its time
•It had an extensive economy based
on specialized craft and commerce 20
•The city was a trading center
•The size of the city and its wealth
are a product of its status as a
trading center
•Physically CatalHuyuk was highly
organized with elaborate
architectural features
•Houses were packed in one
continuous block punctuated by
courtyards

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•Houses were of one story mud construction
•No streets in settlement and access to houses was
through the roof
•Movement from house to house through the roof
•Houses had main rooms with in-built clay furniture, fire
places and ladder to the roof
•Many houses have cult rooms decorated with bull
heads
••Some houses appear to be shrines for worship

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HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE
5000BC-present day

•Architecture which followed a continues evolutionary course

•Style-depend on-availability of materials, religious conditions

and their traditions

•Evolution began with-Egyptian architectural style-during

3000B.C-100A.D

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ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE
3000B.C-100A.D
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FACTORS INFLUENCING ARCHITECTURAL STYLES

•Geographical condition

•Geological condition

•Climatic condition

•Historical condition

•Social condition

•Religious condition 25
ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE
FACTORS INFLUENCING ARCHITECTURAL STYLES
GEOGRAPHICAL CONDITION

•Narrow strip of fertile alluvial soil on both the banks of river Nile
•Fertile black mud which was very important for the food supply of the Egyptians.
•Created a cycle: flood, plant, harvest (repeat)
•The Egyptians worshiped the Nile like a god.
•The Nile was reliable system of transportation, because it naturally flows north, but
the wind blows south, making it possible to travel in both directions
•Rugged cliffs and arid desert plateaus
•Adjacent to Mediterranean sea and red sea
•Villages, cities and cemeteries flourished-on the bank of river Nile

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ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE
FACTORS INFLUENCING ARCHITECTURAL STYLES
GEOLOGICAL CONDITION
• Available natural products-timber, clay , brick ,stone
• Copper was the only metal, tin is improved to make bronze
• Different types of stones used- limestone, sandstone, alabaster , granite ,
quartzite, and basalt
• Egypt had limestone -north, sandstone -central region & granite -south.
• Sun-dried & kiln burnt bricks made from Nile mud & chopped straw were used
for palaces & houses, while stone was used for pyramids & temples.
• Very little buildings used timber
• Timber was used for boats for mummy cases(acasia/sycamore)
• Roofing materials- Plate palm logs
• Palm leaves , reed , rushes were used to frame of reinforce mud brick
construction

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ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE
FACTORS INFLUENCING ARCHITECTURAL STYLES

CLIMATIC CONDITION

Mainly two seasons

•Summer
•spring

• 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 massive walls, without openings, protected the interior from the fierce desert
sun & also provided the surface for “hieroglyphics” which is a script with pictorial
representations.
• The absence of rain also resulted in the use of flat roof with thick stone slabs.
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ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE
FACTORS INFLUENCING ARCHITECTURAL STYLES

HISTORICAL CONDITION
The Pharaohs who ruled Egypt have been divided into 30 dynasties & 3 divisions by
historians as follows:

1. Ancient kingdom (4400 – 2466 BC)

– Mastabas were built during the 3rd dynasty & most pyramids were built during the
4th dynasty.

2. Middle kingdom (2466 – 1600 BC)

– 12th dynasty founded the great temple of Ammon at karnak.

3. New kingdom ( 1600 – 332 BC)

– Thebes became the capital & queen Hatshepsut constructed the terraced temple at
Der-el –Bahari. Amenophis III built the temple at Luxor & Rameses II completed the
hypostyle hall of Ammon temple, built the rock temple at Abu simbel & the
Ramesseum at Thebes, mainly by using the slave labor of the hebrews.
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ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE
FACTORS INFLUENCING ARCHITECTURAL STYLES

SOCIAL CONDITION

• The Pharaoh, who was considered to

be the descendent of the sun god,
headed a despotic government, which
employed vast armies of laborers in
the erection of monumental buildings,
when the annual inundations made
agriculture impossible.

• 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

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ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE
FACTORS INFLUENCING ARCHITECTURAL STYLES

RELIGIOUS CONDITION

• The key note of the Egyptian religion is

1. the submission to the power of the sun god, Ammon
2. the worship of Osiris, the man-god who died & rose again
to eternal life.

• Egyptian religion had many gods representing the sun, moon, stars &
animals.

• The belief in life after death made the Egyptians to build numerous tomb-
houses & pyramids for the preservation of the dead.

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ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE
ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTERISTICS

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ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE
ARCHITECTURAL CHARECTERISTICS

•The walls of Egyptian buildings are sloped on the outside, which is

referred to as the “batter” of the walls, while remaining vertical on the
inside.

•These windowless walls were suitable for their relief sculptures

known as hieroglyphics carvings in brilliant colors

SLOPED WINDOWLESS WALLS WITH HIEROGLYPHICS

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ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE
ARCHITECTURAL CHARECTERISTICS
•Egyptian columns have an inverted bell capital derived from the papyrus flower or
the bud capital derived from the lotus bud

PARTS OF EGYPTIAN 34
COLUMNS ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE
ARCHITECTURAL CHARECTERISTICS

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ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE
ARCHITECTURAL CHARECTERISTICS

LOTUS BUD PALM LEAF PAPYRUS BLOSSOM

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LOTUS FLOWER
ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE
ARCHITECTURAL CHARECTERISTICS

DIFFERENT TYPES OF INVERTED BELL 37

CAPITAL ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE
ARCHITECTURAL CHARECTERISTICS

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ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE
ARCHITECTURAL CHARECTERISTICS

BUILDING MATERIALS
Primitive architecture-reeds, papyrus and palm
branch ribs-plastered over clay
•The two predominant building materials used in
ancient Egypt were
1. sun-baked mud brick
2. stone, mainly limestone

•Timber was once plentiful-used for better

buildings in square, heavy, vertical plates
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lapping over in front of other
ARCHITECTURAL CHARECTERISTICS

•Mud brick was the principal building material for

domestic buildings-royal palaces, fortresses, walls of
temple precincts, and for subsidiary buildings.
• Nile mud mixed with
chopped straw/sand-
thoroughly matured by
exposure to sun
• They were long lasting
and large- 35.6x7.8x10.2
(cm).
• Houses were also made out of mud
from Nile River.

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ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE
ARCHITECTURAL CHARECTERISTICS

•Stones was not much employed in the

beginning except rubble as stiffener/in
foundation to solid mud walls
•Stones were reserved for- tombs and temples
•Walls were diminished course by course towards the
top for stability-alternate shrinkage and expansion of soil
•Surface decoration of masonry walls continues from the
practice pf scratching pictures on mud plaster walls to
sculpture facades and stained glass wondows of
cathedrals
•Egyptian temples were approached by avenue of
sphinxes, body of lion and head of man, women, hawk
or ram.
•Pyramid architecture- matched the ANCIENT
scaleEGYPTIAN
grandeur of41
ARCHITECTURE
 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOGIES

• Tombs
• Mastabas
• Pyramids
• Rock –hewn tombs
• Temples
• Obelisks
• Sphinx

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ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTUR
 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
TOMB ARCHITECTURE
•Huge structures constructed to protected their
body after death and commodities needed in
their next life.
•Preservation of bodies through mummification
and providing goods PYRAMID
for the afterlife ROCK-HEWN
were
MASTABAS
considered essential.S TOMBS

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ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE
 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
MASTABAS
•Tombs in 1st to 2nd dynasty
•Tombs gave house like
appearance
•Rectangular plan 140’-160’x30’-
50’
•A central opening to receive
offerings
•Batter walls-constructed 75
degree inclination
•Facade treated with bright colour
painting/decorations 30ft high

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ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE
•The whole tomb was
constructed in abroad pit
below the ground
•Entire area was covered by
a rectangular flat topped
mount of the soil rom
excavation
•The mastaba also housed
a chapel and a statue of the
dead.

•The first pyramid is

attributed to Architect
Imhotep. He was credited
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with being the first to
 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
PYRAMIDS
•Pyramids of ancient
Egypt are the world's
largest funerary edifices.

•Developed from the

Mastaba tomb

•purpose of the pyramids -

safeguard the pharaoh's
body and all the
belongings he would need
after death, in order to
facilitate his passage into
the after-life. 46
 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
PYRAMIDS
•So far, about 140 pyramids -discovered in Egypt.
•Most of which were built as burial tombs for the
country's pharaohs and their consorts, during the old
and middle kingdom periods (2650-1650).
• The oldest known Egyptian pyramids -located at
Saqqara, near Memphis, just south of the Nile delta.
•The earliest -pyramid of djoser which was designed
during the third dynasty by the famous architect
Imhotep (active c.2600-2610 bce).
•The tallest -the great pyramid of Giza (c.2565), which
was designated one of the seven wonders of the
world by Antipater of Sidon, and is now the sole
surviving member. 47
 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
PYRAMIDS
EVOLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT
•The architectural design of the pyramids was a
reflection of both politics and religious custom.

•Until about 3,000 BCE, Ancient Egypt was effectively

two countries with two traditions of burial.

•In Lower Egypt (to the north) the country was wet and
flat, and the dead were buried under their family house
which was usually built on higher ground.
•In Upper Egypt (to the south) the dead were buried
away from settlements, in dry sand at the edge of the
desert . A mound was usually erected over the grave.
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 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
PYRAMIDS
EVOLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT

•After a while, the flat roof of the surface building was

replaced by a pyramid design.
• Finally, came the idea - conceived by Imhotep - of
stacking mastabas one on top of another, forming a
series of "steps" that decreased in size towards the
top, thus creating the familiar design of the step
pyramid.
•Not all pyramid designs were successful.

Architects employed by King Snefru constructed

three pyramids:
1. the first - Pyramid at Meidum, collapsed in
antiquity; 49
 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
PYRAMIDS
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A PYRAMID
•Old Kingdom pyramids were built out of stone blocks
•Middle Kingdom were smaller and were typically made
out of mud brick cased in limestone.
• The early structures usually had a core of local
limestone, cased in an outer layer of better quality
limestone, or occasionally granite.
•Granite was also traditionally used for the royal
chambers inside the pyramid.
•Up to 2.5 million limestone blocks and 50,000
granite blocks might be used to construct a single
pyramid.
•The capstone at the top of the structure usually
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consisted of basalt or granite, and if plated with gold,
 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
PYRAMIDS
MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF A PYRAMID

• Air Shafts
• King’s Chamber
• Other Chambers
• Grand Gallery
• Queen’s Chamber
• Underground Chamber

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 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
PYRAMIDS
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A PYRAMID
•Deep inside each pyramid was the King's Chamber, which
contained the mummified body of the dead Pharaoh, placed
inside a precious sarcophagus.

•In addition, as noted, a huge number of artefacts were buried

with the King to sustain him in the afterlife, as well as
monuments to the dead man himself: inside the Pyramid of
Khafre, for instance, there were over 52 life size statues of the
dead Pharaoh.

• Also, dummy passages were dug to prevent the later

desecration of the tomb, and the theft of valuables.
•All Egyptian pyramids were constructed on the west bank of the
Nile, where the sun sets, in accordance with official religious
doctrine concerning the realm of the dead. 52
 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
PYRAMIDS
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A PYRAMID
•A pyramid was never an isolated
structure but always an integral part
of a funerary complex.

• Typically, this complex consisted

of the pyramid itself and an
adjacent mortuary temple, both of
which were connected by causeway
to another temple or pavilion,
•Pharaohs - in conjunction with their architects, engineers and
located close by the Nile, to which it
construction chief typically began building their own pyramid the
was linked by a narrow waterway.
moment they ascended to the throne.

• The two principal factors which determined the location of a

pyramid during the Old Kingdom, included
1. its orientation to the western horizon (where the sun set) 53
MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG

PYRAMIDS

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 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
PYRAMIDS

GREAT PYRAMID
AT GIZA

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 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
PYRAMIDS
GREAT PYRAMID AT GIZA

(also called the Pyramid of Khufu and the

Pyramid of Cheops)

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 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
PYRAMIDS
GREAT PYRAMID AT GIZA
• The Great Pyramid of Giza
stands on the northern edge
of the Giza Plateau
• located about 10 miles west
of Cairo
• It is composed of over 2 ½
million blocks of limestone,
which weigh from 2 to 70
tons each
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 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
PYRAMIDS
GREAT PYRAMID AT GIZA

• 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

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 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
PYRAMIDS
GREAT PYRAMID AT GIZA
• 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
 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
PYRAMIDS
GREAT PYRAMID AT GIZA
• Base covers over 13 acres

• Volume is around 90,000,000 cubic feet.

Fragments of Casing Stone from the Great
Pyramid fitted into a frame to show the angle
of the face 51 degrees 51

• 454 feet high -equivalent to a modern 48-story building.

• There are currently 203 courses or steps to its summit.

• Each of the four triangular sides slope upward from the

base at an angle of 51 degrees 51 minutes.
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 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
PYRAMIDS
GREAT PYRAMID AT GIZA

• The joints between adjacent

blocks fit together with optical
precision and less than a fiftieth
of an inch separates the blocks.

• The cement that was used is

extremely fine and strong and
defies chemical analysis. Casing Stones of the Great Pyramid
with a tolerance of .010 inch and place them
together with a gap of no more than .020 inch

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 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
PYRAMIDS
GREAT PYRAMID AT GIZA
• Next to the Great Pyramid stands 2 additional large
pyramids.
• The slightly smaller one is attributed to Cheop's son and
successor , Kephren.
• The other, still smaller, is attributed to Kephren’s successor,
the grandson of Cheops, Mykerionos.
• To the south-east of the Great Pyramid lies the Sphinx.
• The total number of identified pyramids in Egypt is about
80. 62
 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
PYRAMIDS
GREAT PYRAMID 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

63
 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
PYRAMIDS
GREAT PYRAMID AT GIZA
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.
 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG

TEMPLE
S
 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
TEMPLES
• 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-
1. mortuary temples and
2. underground tombs
 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
TEMPLES

Two categories of structures came into use-

1. mortuary temples and
2. underground tombs
 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
TEMPLES

MORTUARY TEMPLES

• Followed the decline of the pyramids and the

concealment of burial chambers
• Mortuary temples served as place for burial and worship
of pharaohs
• Developed into Egypt’s most important monumental form
• Funerary complexes set before the Old Kingdom pyramids
are some of the most striking mortuary temples
 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
TEMPLES

Usually comprised of three

interconnected parts:
1. A temple near the Nile
where the king’s body was
embalmed

2. A mortuary temple where

rituals were performed

3. A long, narrow causeway

between thick walls
connecting the two
temples
 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
TEMPLES

long, narrow causeway

 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
TEMPLES
 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
TEMPLES
UNDERGROUND TOMBS

• 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
 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
TEMPLES

Two types of Underground tombs were built by pharaohs

and nobles during the Middle and New Kingdom periods-
1. Rock cut tombs
2. Shaft tombs
 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
TEMPLES

• 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
 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
TEMPLES

• 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
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 creature was an Egyptian invention and had a male head - human or
animal; however, in ancient Greek culture the creature had the head of a
woman.

• The sphinx is also present in the art and sculpture of the Mycenaean,
Assyrian, Persian and Phoenician civilizations.
76
The Sphinx
Dimensions of the Sphinx
Paws: 50’ long (15m)
Head: 30’ long (10m) 14’ wide (4m)
Entire Body: 150’ (45m)

• 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
• Dates from 4th Dynasty.
77
 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOGIES
TEMPLES continues
TEMPLE OF AMMON-KARNAK

• Grandest of all Egyptian temples

• Built by many kings starting from the 12th
dynasty down to Ptolemy's period.

• Divided into 4 Sections

1. South Karnak-Temple of Goddess Mutt
2. East Karnak-Temple to the Aten
3. North Karnak-Temple of God Montu
4. Central Karnak-Temple to the God Amen
 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
TEMPLES
TEMPLE OF AMMON-KARNAK
• Like all Egyptian temples it is approached through an avenue of sphinxes, with a pair of
massive pylons serving as the entrance.
• The temple area is a vast open air museum & is the largest ancient religious site in the
world.
• The 1st entrance pylon is 15 m thick & is constructed of mud bricks. The batter of the
pylon is characteristic of Egyptian architecture.
 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
TEMPLES
TEMPLE OF AMMON-KARNAK
•The pylons lead to a Great
court measuring 338’ by 278’,
which accommodates the
shrine of Seti II & the temple of
Ramesses III.
•The central axis of the temple
is oriented in the east-west
direction & the same is
emphasized by 6 pairs of
columns in the court.
•The 2nd pylon leads to the
Hypostyle hall, which was
begun by Seti I & completed by
Ramesses II.
•The 3rd & 4th pylons lead to
the sanctuary, which also
contains the festival hall.
 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
TEMPLES

•The detail plan of the Ammon temple shows the 4 pylons leading to the sanctuary, which
has been mostly destroyed. However, the plan shows the 6 pairs of central columns in the
hypostyle hall with 126 (9 rows x 7 lines x 2 sides) shorter columns on either side.
 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
TEMPLES
TEMPLE OF AMMON-KARNAK

• The top view shows the view of the great

court with the temple of Seti I.
• The bottom view shows another part of the
court with the north gate in the middle.
• The row of columns near the enclosure wall
have bud capitals & the 2nd pylon can be
partially seen on the right.
 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
TEMPLES
TEMPLE OF AMMON-KARNAK
• The great
hypostyle hall is
about 320’ x
160’ internally
& is roofed by
enormous slabs
of stone,
supported by
138 columns.

• The side avenues are lower in order to admit light through clear storey windows
with the columns rising to 42’ ht and 9’ diameter, having lotus bud capitals.

• The effect produced by this forest of columns is most awe-inspiring.

 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
TEMPLES
TEMPLE OF AMMON-KARNAK

The 2 views show

the columns of the
central avenue
with lotus bloom
capitals & the
columns of the
side avenues with
lotus bud capitals

• . The clear storey windows through which light was brought to the interior of the temple
can also be seen.
 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
TEMPLES
TEMPLE OF AMMON-KARNAK

• This picture clearly shows the clear storey windows made of stone located above the
roofing of the side avenues & the columns of the central avenue with hieroglyphics.
 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
TEMPLES
TEMPLE OF AMMON-KARNAK
• Not much of the actual sanctuary
remains today as can be observed from
the picture on the top.

• However all the walls & columns were

covered with incised inscriptions in color
giving the history of the temple, the
names of the gods to whom it was
dedicated & the royal people who
contributed to its grandeur.

• The picture below shows the festival hall

of Thutmose III, which was constructed
during the last period. The column
capitals & shafts resemble bundled
reeds of papyrus and look more elegant.

• They are also considered to be the fore

runners of the fluted columns of the
Greek.
 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
TEMPLES
TEMPLE OF AMMON-KARNAK

• The awesome
effect of
perspective &
monumental
scale
produced by
the forest of
columns in
the hypostyle
hall can be
observed
from the
picture on the
left.

• The obelisk of Queen Hatshepsut, located between the 4th & 5th pylon rises to
height of 30m.
 MAJOR BUILDING TYPOLOG
TEMPLES
TEMPLE OF AMMON-KARNAK

• This is the view of the Ammon temple from across the sacred lake that shows the
ruined condition of the sanctuary. The obelisks erected by Thutmose I & queen
Hatshepsut can also be seen.
 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