Ancient Egypt

Ancient Egypt
C. 3000 B.C.. – 30 B.C.
© Vaidas Petrulis, 2013
Periods of
Ancient Egypt:
•
Early Dynasties c.
3100 –2650 bc.
•
Old Kingdom c.
2650 -2150 bc.
•
Middle Kingdom c.
2040-1640 bc.
•
New Kingdom c.
1550-1070 bc.
•
Late period 712-332
bc.
•
Helenistic – 332-30
bc
Stylistic dimension
Many aspects of everyday life are closely
interrelated with religion
Understanding of beauty – According to cannon of art
According to C. Norberg-Shulz – ORDER and STABILITY
– architectural aims of Ancient Egypt
“Red” pyramid, Dashur. King Snefru. ~ 2575-2551 bc
Clear geometric proportions
Abstract forms of art
also reflects in
architecture
Rectangular type of house
Heaviness and
monumentality
Ramesseum, Thebes, Ramsis II c.1279–1213 bc.
Hierarchy
Amenhotep III (~ 1391–
1353) and Sobek (the
god of river and
fertility);
Abu Simbel
The principle of axis.
Temple of Amon Ra, Karnak
The principle of axis closely relates with natural environment.
(Nile as axis of life)
Rich decoration
Tomb of Senenmut. 15 c. bc.
Akhenaten, and Nefertiti
c. 1345 bc
Tutankhamen with his
Queen Ankhesenamen.
Dynasty 18, c. 13551342 B.C.
Queeen Tiy, ~ 1375 (18th dynasty)
Construction
Beam construction in Malta, c. 3200-2500 bc.
Hypostyle
(hypóstȳlos meaning "under columns".)
Setis I (c.1290–1279 pr. Kr) and Ramsis II (c. 1279–1213). 100x52 m. 134 columns
Orders of Architecture. Medinet Habu, Ramsis III (c. 1186–1155)
Ramsis II (1279–1213 bc), Ramesseum
Ramsis III, Temple of Khonsu, Karnak
If to compare ancient Greece and Egypt – the Egyptian columns are less graceful
Edfu temple in Karnak (237-57 b. c.), Ptolemaic period
Arch and vault
Ramesseum (Ramsis II), Thebes (13 c. bc.)
.
.
Corbel vault. “Red” pyramid.
Functional types
BURIAL SITES
Mastaba
Early mastabas, c. 3200-2700 bc
The room on the upper
part of mastaba for the
soulof a deceased individual
(serdab), chamber for the
Ka statue.
The ancient Egyptians
believed that the false
door was a threshold
between the world of
the living and the
dead, and through
which a deity or the
spirit of the deceased
could enter and exit.
c. 1480 bc.
Pyramid of Djoser, Saqqara (c. 2630 - c. 2611 pr. Kr.). Stepped mastaba
Burial complex at Saqqara
Imhotep ( c. 2620 bc.) – architect of Djoser
Nevertheless Sakkara know because of burials from first dynasties, in 2009 was found the
sarkophagus dated 600 bc.
“Bent” and “Red” Pyramids for Snefru, Dahshur c. 2613-2589
Giza necropolis. c 2550-2470 m. (Acropolis of Memfis). Pharaons of 4 dynasty:
Cheops (Khufu), Chephfren (Khafre) and Mykerinos (Menkaure) .
Along with major
monuments (pyramids
Great Sphinx ) there
are a number of smaller
satellite edifices, known
as "queens" pyramids,
causeways and valley
pyramids..
Pyramids of Qeens
Initially at 146.5 metres
(480.6 ft), the Great
Pyramid was the tallest
man-made structure in the
world for over 3,800 years,
the longest period of time
ever held for such a record.
The Great Pyramid
consists of an estimated
2.3 million limestone
blocks with most believed
to have been transported
from nearby quarries.
The largest granite stones
in the pyramid, found in
the "King's" chamber,
weigh 25 to 80 tonnes and
were transported from
Aswan, more than 500
miles away.
Pyramid of Cheops, c. 2560 bc.
Viduje yra trys kameros
(pakeista tradiciją ir
laidojimo kamerą ne
požeminėje dalyje, o
piramidės centre.)
Karaliaus kambarys
išklotas raudonu Asuano
granitu. Kambaryje stovi
tos pačios medžiagos
sarkofagas.
Virš jo yra penki mūro
slėgimą mažinantys
kambariai, perdengti
didžiulėmis granito
plokštėmis, skirti
nukreipti piramidės
svoriui nuo laidojimo
kambario lubų.
Relieving Chambers.
To remove the stress from
the ceiling of the pharaoh’s
burial chamber in the
Great Pyramid, architects
built a series of small
chambers above its roof.
The inverted “v”-shaped
rafters at the very top
distribute the weight of the
pyramid away from the
burial chamber and onto
the body of the pyramid.
The grand gallery
The great Sphinx
It is the largest monolith
statue in the world,
standing 73.5 metres
long, 6 metres wide, and
20.22 m) high.
It is the oldest known
monumental sculpture
Building process
Later pyramids
Deir el-Medina burials (12-13 c.bc)
Valley of the Kings –
for a period of nearly 500 years
from the 16th to 11th century BC,
tombs were constructed for the
Pharaohs and powerful nobles of
the New Kingdom
The valley is known to contain 63 tombs and chambers (ranging in size from a simple pit to a complex
tomb with over 120 chambers)
Tomb of Twosret and Sethnakht (KV14), c. 1190 bc
Tomb of Tutanchamun (KV62 )
Tomb of Seti I (1294-1279) - This is a complex of corridors and rooms with columns
Tomb of Seti I
Many of the tombs have been discovered and looted during antiquity already..
TEMPLES
Temples. Pharaoh's goal was to maintain Maat, which is translated as order, justice and
truth. One of the tasks and to ensure regular and annual Nile flood (from July to September).
Rituals are necessary. Since the duty does not end with the earthly life of the Pharaoh needed
posthumous temple with priests as well
Early temples
Abu Gorab. c. 2420 bc.
Deir el-Bahri.
Funeral temples of Pharaons:
Mentuchotep II (~2061–2010 bc);
Hatshepsut (~1479-1458 bc.)
Tuthmosis III (~ 1479–1425 bc.).
Reconstruction
From tomb of Hatshepsut
Hatshepsut temple, architect Senemut
Hatshepsut (Hat-shep-soot)
Metropolitan Museum of Art,
NYC.
Egyptian temple of canon in New Kingdom
Karnak Temple of Amun Ra
Tėbų apylinkės
teritorija.
Karnak Temple of Amun Ra
Alley of Sphinxs, Karnak
Pylon, Karnak
Open yard, Karnak
Hypostilis, Karnak
.
At the end of the temple – sanctuarius, Karnak
~ 1308-1280 bc.
Abu Simbel ~ 1244-1224
Big temple for: Amon, Ptah, Ra and pharaon Ramsis
Amon, Ptah, Ra and pharaon Ramsis
Little temple for Goddes Hathor and wife of Ramsis Nefertari
Little temple: Ramsis and Ptah, Nefertari and Hathor
SPACES FOR LIVING
Kahun, Senusret II, ~ 1897-1878
Deir el-Madinah. ~ 1570 –1070
Near Valley of Kings, Luxor
Amarna/Akhetaten
(1360-1330 pr. Kr).
.
(C. N. Schulz, p. 7)
Amarna
Amarna
Reconstructions of
Palace
The oldest plan of
Garden.
~ 1400 bc
Types of Egypt houses
http://www.philae.nu/akhet/Housing2.html
Reconstruction of Egypt Villa
//National Geographic magazine,
October, 1941.
Mass Housing
Reconstruction of Thebes, ~ 1500 bc.