Ancient Egyptian architecture
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For at least ten thousand years, the Nile valley has been the site of one of the most
influential civilizations in the world. Even today, its architectural monuments, which
include Great Pyramid and the Great Sphinx, are among the largest and most famous
buildings in the world.
Characteristics
Due to the scarcity of wood, the two predominant building materials used in ancient
Egypt were unbaked mud brick and stone. From the Old Kingdom onward, stone was
generally reserved for tombs and temples, while bricks were used even for royal palaces,
fortresses, the walls of temple precincts and towns, and for subsidiary buildings in temple
complexes.
Most ancient Egyptian towns have been lost because they were situated in the cultivated
and flooded area of the Nile Valley, although the dry, hot climate of Egypt preserved
some mud brick structures. …many temples and tombs have survived because they were
built on ground unaffected by the Nile flood and were constructed of stone.
Thus, our impression of ancient Egyptian architecture is based mainly on its religious
monuments, massive structures characterized by thick, sloping walls with few openings,
possibly echoing a method of construction used to obtain stability in mud walls.
Architecture
Ancient Egyptian architects used both sun-dried and kiln-baked bricks, fine sandstone,
limestone and granite. Absence of trees prevented extensive use of woods as building
materials. Architects carefully planned all their work, as the stones had to fit precisely
together and the construction was without the use of mortar. Ramps were used to allow
workmen to move up as the height of the construction grew. When the top of the
structure was completed, the artists decorated from the top down, removing ramp sand as
they moved down.
Over a period of time, primitive structures of clay and reeds matured, and there emerged
magnificent monumental structures of granites, with very thick walls. The massive
sloping exterior walls contained only few small openings. Hieroglyphic and pictorial
carvings in brilliant covers were abundantly used to decorate the structures, including
many motifs, like the scarab, sacred beetle, the solar disk and the vulture.
The belief in existence of life beyond death resulted into mammoth and impressive
architectural style to house the mummified bodies. Construction of a burial monument
commenced as soon a pharaoh was named, and continued till he was deceased.
Houses varied considerably in size, but they were all made of mud brick with a flat,
thatched roof. Summer days were very hot and winter nights very cold, so the houses
were designed with the climate in mind. Since the rooms in the center of the house
provided the best protection from the heat that was where the living room was located.
Depending on the size of this room, wooden pillars might be put in the center to help
support the roof which was high enough to allow an open window along the length of the
north wall to let in light and a cooling north breeze. A stone hearth on the floor would
allow for a fire to produce heat on cold evenings. The combination of window and fire
place would have made this the most comfortable room in the house. Niches were cut
into the walls for religious items and for lamps. Behind the living room would be the
master bedroom and kitchen. Beneath the kitchen most houses had a basement that could
be used for storage.