History of Interior Design I
Ar Kush Jee Kamal Asst. Professor Manipal University Jaipur
Everyone! You have to listen to me!
Prehistoric Architecture
Stone Age
Paleolithic Mesolithic Neolithic Bronze Age Iron Age
Prehistoric: Prehistory, the vast period of time before written records or human documentation, includes the Neolithic Revolution, Neanderthals and Denisovans, Stonehenge, the Ice Age and more. Civilization: A civilization is a complex human society, usually made up of different cities, with certain characteristics of cultural and technological development. In many parts of the world, early civilizations formed when people began coming together in urban settlements. Urbanization: Urbanization can describe a specific condition at a set time, i.e. the proportion of total population or area in cities or towns, or the term can describe the increase of this proportion over time. The definition of what constitutes a city changes from time to time and place to place, but it is most usual to explain the term as a matter of demographics. It predominantly results in the physical growth of urban areas, be it horizontal or vertical. Urbanization is closely linked to modernization, industrialization, and the sociological process of rationalization.
Sources of Information • No written record from the prehistoric period • Information is gathered from scientific studies of prehistoric objects • Many academic disciplines are interested in studying human civilization- archeology, paleontology, anthropology etc • The disciplines study prehistoric objects. • They provide information about civilizations based on studies
Development of Early Culture
Living in caves – hunting Settlements developed near caves or along shores and streams – farming & hunting Understanding of seasons – Cultivation – Domestication of animals Specialized tools were developed. Religious & communal aspects – building arts developed Different societies developed differently
Early Stone Age (Before 8000 BC) • • • • • •
Nomadic, always on the move Move about in search of food, water, and good climate Got their food through food gathering, hunting and fishing Usually move about in small bands of less than 15 persons Their lifestyle made them barely able to survive Not much is known about their beliefs
Early Stone Age Architecture Nomadic people constantly on the move. Not restricted to any particular geographical region Did not require permanent shelter or settlements. Dwellings consist of simple shelters. Occurred in different localities Usually close to sources of food, near rivers Examples: Rock Shelter Cave Dwelling Temporary structures of plant and animal materials
EARLY STONE AGE Materials, Construction System & Technique • Used simple, easily available materials • Usually of plant and animal materials such as wooden poles, grasses, leaves, and animal skins • Construction system was also simple • Usually involves digging holes, putting wooden poles in holes and burying them • The poles are tied together to create the shell of the building • The shell is covered with grasses, leaves or animal skins
Tower of Jericho The Tower of Jericho is an 8.5-metre-tall (28 ft) stone structure, built in the Pre-Pottery Neolithic A period around 8000 BCE. It is among the earliest stone monuments of humanity. The tower was constructed using undressed stones, with an internal staircase of twenty-two steps. Conical in shape, the tower is almost 9 metres (30 ft) in diameter at the base, decreasing to 7 metres (23 ft) at the top with walls approximately 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) thick. The construction of the tower is estimated to have taken 11,000 working days.
New Stone Age (8000-3000 BC) • People stopped wandering and settled down in permanent settlements • Discovered art of farming and animal husbandry • Discovery result of population pressure • Neolithic people acquired confidence in ability to tame and control nature • Period saw interest in natural cycles such as of weather and heavenly bodies e.g. that of the sun and moon • Learnt to domesticate animals, farm and grow crops, make pottery and weave cloth • Skills were developed, marking start of civilization • Villages were established and grew, protected by walls • Introduction of basic social organization of society • Sought to understand the heavenly bodies and weather cycles • Sought to control nature through rituals and magic • Gradually introduced the idea of religion • Confusion about death and life after death led to introduction of tombs • Tombs are evidence of social differences in the society
NEW STONE AGE Materials, Construction System & Technique • More diversified construction materials • Adobe and stone most popular materials • Large stone was used for monuments • Construction method also improved over time • Significant improvement in Adobe construction • Evidence of ability to quarry, shape, transport and join large stones to create monuments
NEW STONE AGE Principles of Architectural Organization DWELLINGS AND SETTLEMENTS • Became settled requiring permanent dwellings • Required durable construction • Improved dwellings and settlements to meet needs • Change in form of house, introduction of furniture and differentiation of space • Improvement in village form including introduction of streets • Improvement in construction technology
Newgrange Stone Age Passage Tomb Newgrange is a Stone Age monument in the Boyne Valley, County Meath, Ireland. It was built about 3,200 BC (5,200 years ago) during the Neolithic period, which makes it older than Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids. Newgrange is a large circular mound with a stone passageway and chambers inside. The mound is ringed by large stones known as kerbstones some of which are engraved with artwork. Archaeologists classified Newgrange as a passage tomb, however Newgrange is now recognised to be much more than a passage tomb. Ancient Temple is a more fitting classification, a place of astrological, spiritual, religious and ceremonial importance.
Cairn The flat-topped cairn is almost 0.5 hectares in extent. It is roughly circular and is estimated to weigh 200,000 tonnes in total. It is made up of water-rolled stones from the terraces of the River Boyne. Tomb The mound covers a single tomb, which consists of a long passage and a cross-shaped chamber. The passage points to the southeast and is just less than 19 m long. It leads in to a chamber with three recesses. A corbelled roof covers the chamber. To construct the roof, the builders overlapped layers of large rocks until the roof could be sealed with a capstone, 6 metres above the floor. After 5000 years, the roof at Newgrange is still water proof. Basin stones These basins which are on the floor of each of the recesses held the remains of the dead. The remains of at least five people were recovered during excavation, although originally much more bone may have been placed there. Art The entrance stone at Newgrange and Kerbstone 52 at the back of the mound are highly accomplished pieces of sculpture, regarded as some of the finest achievements of European Neolithic art. Many more of the kerbstones are also carved, some of them with carving on the side facing inwards.
Ruins of Hagar Qim, Malta The Hagar Qim ("HA-jar eem") temple is the best-preserved of several ancient limestone temples in Malta. It’s megalithic temple complex found on the Mediterranean island of Malta, dating from the Ġgantija phase (3600-3200 BC). The Ħaġar Qim complex consists of a main temple and three additional megalithic structures beside it. The main temple was built between 3600 and 3200 BC; however, the northern ruins are considerably older. The outside entrance serves as an interior passage and connects six large chambers. The right apse is constructed as an arch to prevent the upright slabs falling inward. The outside wall, built of huge upright blocks, projects inwards, thus creating an extremely solid building. This entrance passage and first court follow the Maltese megalithic pattern but as building progressed, this design was considerably modified. The northwesterly apse was replaced by four independent enclosures. Ħaġar Qim shares its basic architectural design with the Mnajdra, Tarxien and Ġgantija temple complexes. The basic shape includes forecourt and façade, elongated oval chambers, semi-circular recesses and a central passage connecting the chambers.
Ruins of Hagar Qim, Malta The Hagar Qim ("HA-jar eem") temple is the best-preserved of several ancient limestone temples in Malta. It’s megalithic temple complex found on the Mediterranean island of Malta, dating from the Ġgantija phase (3600-3200 BC).
Stonehenge Stonehenge is perhaps the world’s most famous prehistoric monument. It was built in several stages: the first monument was an early henge monument, built about 5,000 years ago, and the unique stone circle was erected in the late Neolithic period about 2500 BC. In the early Bronze Age many burial mounds were built nearby.
STONES THAT ALIGN WITH THE SUN The sarsen stones, put up in at the centre of the site in about 2500 BC, were carefully aligned to line up with the movements of the sun. If you were to stand in the middle of the stone circle on midsummer’s day, the sun rises just to the left of the Heel Stone, an outlying stone to the north-east of the monument.
BUILDING STONEHENGE Stonehenge is a masterpiece of engineering, built using only simple tools and technologies, before the arrival of metals and the invention of the wheel. Building the stone circle would have needed hundreds of people to transport, shape and erect the stones. These builders would have required others to provide them with food, to look after their children and to supply equipment including hammerstones, ropes, antler picks and timber. The whole project would have needed careful planning and organization.
Analysis of a recent laser survey of the stones has revealed the different stoneworking methods used, and has shown that some parts of the monument were more carefully finished than others. In particular, the north-east side and the inner faces of the central trilithons were finely dressed. To fit the upright stones with the horizontal lintels, mortice holes and protruding tenons were created. The lintels were slotted together
Large quantities of sarsen and bluestone waste material, as well as broken hammerstones, have been found in the field to the north of Stonehenge, where the stones were worked into shape. Sarsen and flint hammerstones in various sizes have been found at Stonehenge. The larger ones would have been used to roughly flake and chip the stone, and the smaller ones to finish and smooth the surfaces.
THE HEEL STONE This huge unshaped boulder of hard sarsen stone stands in isolation surrounded by a small circular ditch. It weighs more than 36 tonnes!
LINTELS There are only six remaining lintels of the outer sarsen circle in place at Stonehenge, but if it was ever completed, there would have been an unbroken ring of stone, 30m in diameter, suspended 4m above the ground. Each lintel is locked to its supporting upright sarsens with a mortice and tenon joint, and to its neighbours by tongue and groove joints – techniques more commonly found in woodworking. Further evidence of the care that went into the construction is that the inner and outer faces of
THE STATION STONES Originally four, there are now two remaining Station Stones which were probably put in place at the same time that the central sarsen stones were raised.
THE SARSENS The outermost setting of Stonehenge, if completed, was a circle of 30 upright sarsens, capped by horizontal lintel stones all carefully shaped.
THE SLAUGHTER STONE Originally standing upright at the entrance to Stonehenge and flanked by additional stones that are now missing, the surviving stone lies horizontally. Shallow depressions on its surface collect rainwater which reacts with iron in the stone and turns a rusty red. This red water may have been inspiration for the stone’s lurid but inaccurate name!.
ALTAR STONE Partially buried beneath two of the fallen stones of the largest trilithon lies the Altar Stone. This is the largest of the non-sarsen stones, a large slab of greenish Old Red Sandstone.
Temporary Structures Hut at Terra Amata, France
• Early stone people constructed temporary shelters using available materials • One of earliest known example discovered in 1966 at Terra Amata in France • Dates back to 400,000 years • Oval in shape and constructed of tree branches • Space inside is organized for 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
BaMbuti Hut
The Mbuti (Pygmies) die semi-nomadic people who live in the Ituri Forest of northeast Zaire. While their traditional way of life is often described as centering on hunting and gathering of wild food resources, the Mbuti rely for a large part of their subsistence on cultivated foods acquired in exchange from village-living horticulturalists.
Bambuti Hut
The Tongus Hut
Dolmen
A dolmenis a type of single-chamber megalithic tomb, usually consisting of two or more vertical megaliths supporting a large flat horizontal capstone or "table". Most date from the early Neolithic (4000–3000 BC) and were sometimes covered with earth or smaller stones to form a tumulus.
Dolmen
Poulnabrone dolmen, Ireland
A Megalithic dolmen in Amadalavalasa, Andhra Pradesh,
Menhir
A menhir (maen or men, "stone" and hir or hîr, "long"), standing stone, orthostat, or lith is a large manmade upright stone, typically dating from the European middle Bronze Age. They can be found individually as monoliths, or as part of a group of similar stones. Menhirs' size can vary considerably, but often taper toward the top.
Menhir
Large menhir located between Millstreet and Ballinagree, Ireland
Tumuli The Etruscan Tumuli: Underground Cities for the Dead Many of the Etruscan tombs in Italy are housed in round burial mounds (tumuli) built in earth and stones with several rock-carved interiors reproducing the original house of the deceased’s family. The tumuli are generally formed by a circular base called “tamburo” built in blocks of sandstone. A pseudo-dome sitting over is built in slabs of limestone arranged in concentric circles with decreasing diameter in order to form a shell dome. The dome is then covered with compacted earth in order to be insulated and is surrounded by a containment ring of small blocks of stone. A paved limestone sidewalk is built around the base to drain rainwater. The interior tombs include a corridor, called dromos, a central hall and several rooms on the two sides. The interiors are sometimes painted with frescos representing everyday life scenes. The central hall, usually squared or rectangular, hosted the dead bodies lying on stone beds, while the periferal rooms hosted the dead’s belongings. The tumuli are usually family tombs where the deceased were buried near many goods of their property, mostly precious objects and everyday tools. These constructions can be found isolated or grouped, forming city-like ensambles called “Necropolis“. This type of tombs belongs to the first period of the Etruscan civilization at the end of the VIII-VI sec. b.C.
Tumuli The Etruscan Tumuli: Underground Cities for the Dead
Tumuli The Etruscan Tumuli: Underground Cities for the Dead
Lower Egypt
Upper Egypt
Egypt–Timeline •
Prehistoric Period, B.C. 23000-4777.
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The Ancient Empire (Dynasties I.-X.), B.C. 4777-2821. The capital being at Memphis, the tombs of this period are at Abydos, Nakadeh, Memphis, Sakkara, Giza and Abusir.
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The Middle Empire (Dynasties XI.-XVI.), B.C. 2821-1738. A prosperous period which includes the dynasties of the ‘Hyskos’ or shepherd kings.
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The New Empire (Dynasties XVII.-XX.), B.C. 1738-950. This period had Thebes as the capital, and many imposing buildings were erected at Karnak, Luxor, and elsewhere.
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Period of Foreign Domination and the Late Egyptian Period (Dynasties XXVL--XXX.), B.C. 663 – 332 B.C. This period includes the Persian Domination.
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The Graeco-Roman Period, B.C. 332 – 640 A.D: i. Alexander the Great and Ptolemaic Period, B.C. 332-30. ii. The Roman Period, B.C. 3O-A.D. 395. iii. The Byzantine Period, A.D. 395-640.
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Medieval Egypt (Mohammedan Period), A.D. 640-1517.
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Modern Egypt
Egyptian Social Classes
The ancient Egyptian people were grouped in a hierarchical system with the Pharaoh at the top and farmers and slaves at the bottom. Egyptian social classes had some porous borders but they were largely fixed and clearly delineated, not unlike the medieval feudal system. Clearly, the groups of people nearest the top of society were the richest and most powerful. The Pharaoh was believed to be a God on earth and had the most power. He was responsible for making laws and keeping order, ensuring that ancient Egypt was not attacked or invaded by enemies and for keeping the Gods happy so that the Nile flooded and there was a good harvest. The Vizier was the Pharaoh’s chief advisor and was sometimes also the High Priest. He was responsible for overseeing administration and all official documents had to have his seal of approval. He was also responsible for the supply of food, settling disputes between nobles and the running and protection of the Pharaoh’s household. Nobles ruled the regions of Egypt (Nomes). They were responsible for making local laws and keeping order in their region. Priests were responsible for keeping the Gods happy. They did not preach to people but spent their time performing rituals and ceremonies to the God of their temple.
Scribes were the only people who could read and write and were responsible for keeping records. The ancient Egyptians recorded things such as how much food was produced at harvest time, how many soldiers were in the army, numbers of workers and the number of gifts given to the Gods. Soldiers were responsible for the defense of the country. Many second sons, including those of the Pharaoh often chose to join the army. Soldiers were allowed to share riches captured from enemies and were also rewarded with land for their service to the country. Craftsmen were skilled workers such as – pottery makers, leatherworkers, sculptors, painters, weavers, jewelry makers, shoe makers, tailors. Groups of craftsmen often worked together in workshops. Farmers worked the land of the Pharaoh and nobles and were given housing, food and clothes in return. Some farmers rented land from nobles and had to pay a percentage of their crop as their rent. There were no slave markets or auctions in Ancient Egypt. Slaves were usually prisoners captured in war. Slaves could be found in the households of the Pharaoh and nobles, working in mines and quarries and also in temples.
Ancient Egypt: Hieroglyphs The Egyptians wrote in hieroglyphs using symbols for both numbers and words Different symbols were used for the most commonly used words. For names and words without symbols they used the symbols below. Hieroglyphic writing could be written in rows or columns. They could be written from left to right or from right to left. If written from left to right the animals would be facing left and if written from right to left the animals would be facing right. Writing in columns was generally written from top to bottom.
Ancient Egypt: Numerals The Egyptians wrote in hieroglyphs using symbols for both numbers and words There were different hieroglyphs for 1, 10, 100, 1,000, 10,000, 100,000 and 1,000,000
Ancient Egyptian houses and their architectural styles were influenced by the environment, the wealth of their inhabitants, and the size of their household. There are no forests in Egypt so wood is scarce and is not used for house building. The earliest inhabitants of Egypt lived in huts made from papyrus reeds. However, it was soon discovered that the mud left behind after the annual flooding of the Nile (inundation) could be made into bricks which could be used for building. Bricks were made by mixing mud and straw and leaving them to dry in the sun. The ancient Egyptian houses of the poorest people used one row of bricks while those that were not so poor used two or three rows. Although mud brick houses were relatively cheap to make, they were not very strong and began to crumble after a few
Ancient Egyptian Houses
The farmhouse (above) has two floors. The upper floor is used for living space while the lower floor is used to store crops. A reed canopy has been made on the roof to provide shade. Small windows can be seen at the top of the upper rooms. Windows and doors were covered with reed mats to keep out dust, flies and heat.
The ancient Egyptian houses of the rich were often built around a central courtyard where flowers, fruit and vegetables were grown. Some rich people’s houses had bathrooms and indoor toilets. Sewerage from rich and poor was disposed of by digging cess pits, throwing it in the river or in the streets. From the time of the New Kingdom onwards, the rich generally had their own private well for fresh drinking water. Poorer people could use public wells that were constructed in various areas, however, many used water from the Nile or canals.
Ancient Egyptian Furniture The Ancient Egyptians did not have much furniture. The most common item of furniture was a low stool, although many people, especially the poor sat on the floor. Rich people had beds and mattresses, while poorer people slept on a straw mattress or rug on the floor. The Ancient Egyptians did not have cupboards but stored things in reed baskets. Queen Hetepheres lived a lush life, and she died with everything she needed to continue her own personal party: a portable canopy, bed with headrest, armchair, and curtain box, all designed of wood overlaid with gold. Her bed was just 5 feet 9 inches long, and she would have slept on her side with her cheek on her torture device of a headrest. A foot-rest kept her from slipping down.
Folding wooden headrest: the base and shaft have been replaced by two legs in the form of ducks' heads and necks that are pierced by a pivot so that the piece could be folded shut for easy storage and transportation. Does this look like a comfortable place to rest your head? Yeah, well…at least it wards off evil spirits. And it’s probably good for your posture.
Hatnefer's chair is a fine example of Egyptian woodworking. The various elements were assembled with mortise-andtenon joinery, and pegs were used to hold the tenons in place. Pegs also fasten the braces to the back and seat. The joins were reinforced with resinous glue. The decoration on the back of the chair includes a row of protective symbols. In the center is the god Bes, a deity who protected the home. On either side of the god are the tit–amulet which is closely associated with the goddess Isis, and the djed– pillar, which symbolizes stability and endurance. The seat, made
Title: Hatnefer's Chair Period: New Kingdom Dynasty: Dynasty 18, early Reign: reign of Thutmose II– Early Joint reign Date: ca. 1492–1473 B.C. Medium: Boxwood, cypress, ebony, linen cord Dimensions: H. 53 cm (20 7/8 in.); W. 50 cm (19 11/16 in.); D. 42 cm (16 9/16 in.) H. of seat 24.5 cm (9 5/8 in.)
The back of this wooden chair, which belonged to the scribe Reniseneb, is handsomely veneered with ivory and embellished with incised decoration showing the owner seated on a chair of identical form. It is the earliest surviving chair with such a representation, and it is the only non-royal example known. The scene and accompanying text have funerary import and may have been added following Renyseneb's death to make the chair a more suitable funerary object. The high quality of its joinery and the harmony of its proportions testify to the skill of ancient Egyptian carpenters. Title: Chair of Reniseneb Period: New Kingdom Dynasty: Dynasty 18 Date: ca. 1450 B.C.
This wooden panel is part of the left arm of a throne that belonged to the pharaoh Thutmose IV. Traces of glue on the surface suggest that the low relief, with its exquisitely carved details, was once covered with gold foil. On one side, the king is shown as a standing sphinx subduing the enemies of Egypt. The falcon at the upper right represents the god Horus who is identified as "the great god, with dappled plumage, giving life and dominion." The text above the sphinx's back reads: "Horus, the lord of might and action, trampling all foreign lands." Arm Panel From a Ceremonial Chair of Thutmose IVca. 1400–1390 B.C.
On the other side, the panel depicts the enthroned king wearing the red crown of Lower Egypt. In front of him is the lion-headed goddess Weret-hekau who is depicted in coronation scenes and is associated with the uraeus cobra at the front of the king's crown. Behind the king is the ibis-headed god Thoth who presents him with "millions of years of life and dominion united with eternity."
Arm Panel From a Ceremonial Chair of Thutmose IVca. 1400–1390 B.C.
Jewelry Chest of Sithathoryunet. This wooden jewelry chest combines Hathoric imagery on its lid and elongated djed pillars along the sides. The sides are embellished with a niche pattern that is also found in palace architecture. These decorations, while aesthetically pleasing, also had deeper religious meaning.
Inlaid box for cosmetic vessels of Sithathoryunet / ca. 1887–1813 B.C.
Nefertari spreads her wings and says WELCOME! This image comes from the entrance to her fabulous tomb.
Egyptian Pyramids The Capstone of Pharaohic Power
The Egyptian Pyramids are more than a massive tombstone for deceased pharaohs. The Ancient Egyptians believed that when a pharaoh died he became Osiris, the king of the dead. They believed that for the dead pharaoh to carry out his duties as king of the dead his ka (soul or spirit) which remained with the body, had to be looked after. In order for the ka to survive, the dead pharaoh’s body was mummified and buried with all the things it would need for the afterlife.
This picture shows a funeral procession. The mummified pharaoh’s body is being carried to the tomb along with all the things that will be placed in the tomb for the ka – statues, furniture, pottery and the pharaoh’s favorite possessions.
Mastaba- The first Egyptian burial structure. Mastaba is a structure, built in ancient Egypt, protecting and marking an underground burial chamber. During the pre-dynastic and early-dynastic period, mastabas were built, to serve as tombs for both kings and the upper class. Later, the kings were buried inside pyramids, while high officials, royalty and king’s relatives continued to built mastabas as their tombs. As a structure, mastaba was a freestanding, rectangular building with inclined sides.
The mastaba was a flat-roofed, one-story, rectangular building with slanted walls. As a structure, it was marking the burial site of an eminent Egyptian and it was about 4 times long as it was wide. Mastabas were first constructed of sun dried mud bricks (available from the Nile river), but towards the end of the third dynasty many incorporated cut stones at least as an exterior facing. Mastaba began as a low, solid rectangular structure, with a small offering chapel, an external niche with a false door, to allow priests and family, bring food and other offerings to the dead.
The burial chamber, with the corps inside the coffin and the sarcophagus, was not placed inside the mastaba but under it, deep into the ground, sometimes even 40 meters under the earth. A vertical shaft, connected the top of the mastaba with this underground chamber. Inside the burial chamber, they were placed apart from the coffin several other goods. The chamber, was lined with stone or bricks. After the burial, the chamber was sealed to remain protected from the thieves. Mastabas might have numerous underground burial chambers to accommodate whole families.
Step Pyramid The first Egyptian pyramid to be built was the Step Pyramid at Sakkara (Saqqara). It was built by Imhotep for the king Djoser. The step pyramid was originally intended to be a large square mastaba (tomb) built over an underground burial chamber, but further extensions were added making a six-layered step pyramid 62 meters in height.
Beneath the step pyramid is a bewildering array of tunnels and chambers, the center of which is a 90-foot-deep (28 meters) shaft that, at its bottom, contains the burial chamber of king Djoser. Recent conservation work in the burial chamber reveals fragments of the king’s granite sarcophagus, the names of queens still legible. The vault would have initially been decorated with limestone blocks containing five pointed stars, creating a star-filled ceiling.
When completed, the Step Pyramid rose 204 feet (62 meters) high and was the tallest structure of its time. The surrounding complex included a temple, courtyards, shrines, and living quarters for the priests covering an area of 40 acres (16 hectares) and surrounded by a wall 30 feet (10.5 meters) high. The wall had 13 false doors cut into it with only one true entrance cut in the south-east corner; the entire wall was then ringed by a trench 2,460 feet (750 meters) long and 131 feet (40 meters) wide. The false doors and the trench were incorporated into the complex to discourage unwanted guests.
The Great Pyramids of Giza
The Giza Pyramids, built to endure an eternity, have done just that. The monumental tombs are relics of Egypt's Old Kingdom era and were constructed some 4,500 years ago. Egypt's pharaohs expected to become gods in the afterlife. To prepare for the next world they erected temples to the gods and massive pyramid tombs for themselves—filled with all the things each ruler would need to guide and sustain himself in the next world. Pharaoh Khufu began the first Giza pyramid project, circa 2550 B.C. His Great Pyramid is the largest in Giza and towers some 481 feet (147 meters) above the plateau. Its estimated 2.3 million stone blocks each weigh an average of 2.5 to 15 tons. Khufu's son, Pharaoh Khafre, built the second pyramid at Giza, circa 2520 B.C. His necropolis also included the Sphinx, a mysterious limestone monument with the body of a lion and a pharaoh's head. The third of the Giza Pyramids is considerably smaller than the first two. Built by Pharaoh Menkaure circa 2490 B.C., it featured a much more complex mortuary temple.
Cross-section of the Great Pyramid, near Giza, Egypt.
Nefertiabet's stela from her tomb in Giza.
The Great Sphinx Of Giza
This limestone statue of a reclining sphinx (a mythical creature with a lion’s body and a human head) is located on the Giza Plateau to the west of the Nile. It is believed the face is meant to represent the Pharaoh Khafra. It is the largest and oldest monolith statue in the world, at 241 feet long, 63 feet wide, and 66.34 feet tall. It is believed to have been built during the reign of Pharaoh Khafra (2558-2532 BCE). It was probably a focus of solar worship, as the lion is a symbol associated with the sun.
ANCIENT EGYPTIAN TEMPLES Built over the course of thousands of years in dedication to a diverse and complex pantheon, the ancient Egyptian temple is a hard thing to pin down. But one thing remained constant: more than just elaborate stone constructions, the Egyptians always perceived their temples as something organic, or even alive.
TYPES OF ANCIENT EGYPTIAN TEMPLES Ancient Egyptian temples can be divided into several different categories. But it’s not clear if the Egyptians themselves ever saw any clear distinctions between them. Broadly speaking, there were temples for gods and temples for deceased pharaohs. Yet both temple types share numerous architectural elements in common. And given how the Egyptians essentially viewed the pharaoh as a deity, the lines were often rather blurred.
TYPES OF ANCIENT EGYPTIAN TEMPLES Solar Temples : Beginning in the Old Kingdom (or likely even from Predynastic times), the Egyptians built several important temples to the main solar deity, Re (or Ra). Ex- The temple complex of Heliopolis, Great Aten Temple
Valley Temples: The early pyramid builders of the Old Kingdom typically built two temples to go along with their pyramids. Just nearby the pyramid they built a Mortuary Temple, while an additional temple was built some distance away. It was connected to the pyramid via a long causeway which was often roofed. While today scholars call these Valley Temples, their exact purpose remains unclear. Ex- Sneferu’s Bent Pyramid Valley Temple, Giza’s Valley Temple of Khafre Mortuary Temples: The early Mortuary Temples were built just outside of pyramids. They functioned as a place for the living to place offerings to help sustain the ka (animating life force) of the deceased king Mortuary Temples, therefore, were closely associated with Egyptian tombs and funerary rites. Ex- Near The Bent Pyramid, The Pyramid of Khafre and The Pyramid of Menkaure Houses of the Neters (Gods): In the Egyptian pantheon, each deity, or neter, represented an eternal principle of nature and creation. Ex: temple complex at Memphis
COMMON TEMPLE ELEMENTS
Outer Enclosure Wall: Every ancient Egyptian temple complex was surrounded by an outer enclosure wall. Their purpose was to symbolically separate the profane from the sacred and order from chaos.
COMMON TEMPLE ELEMENTS
Sphinx-lined Causeways: The paths leading to the temple entrances were commonly lined with statues of sphinxes. Typically, the sphinx statues were human headed and often took on the likeness of the pharaoh who commissioned them. They were believed to spiritually protect the sacred precinct.
COMMON TEMPLE ELEMENTS
Obelisks: original obelisks were thick structures comprised of granite and limestone blocks, they took the form of tall granite monoliths from the Middle Kingdom onward. Obelisks were always placed outside of temples in pairs. Interestingly, they were always made to be different heights.
COMMON TEMPLE ELEMENTS
Pylons: Pylons feature four vertical niches which were designed to hold flagpoles. The ancient Egyptians loved their wordplay, and there were plenty of ways to implement hieroglyphs into architectural design. Some temples only have a single pylon, while others have multiple.
COMMON TEMPLE ELEMENTS
Open Courts: At many of the larger New Kingdom and Greco-Roman temples, you’ll find a spacious open-air court after passing through the first pylon. These courts are almost always surrounded by rows of columns.
COMMON TEMPLE ELEMENTS
Hypostyle Halls: Halls consist of multiple rows of large columns within a dimly lit room. And these impressive halls are often the architectural highlight of entire temples, such as at Karnak and Dendera. The ceilings in the Hypostyle Halls of Dendera and temples like Edfu are entirely covered in astronomical imagery. .
COMMON TEMPLE ELEMENTS
Inner Sanctuaries: A series of dimly-lit inner sanctuaries that were considered to be the holiest part of the temple. And the most sacred of all was the sanctuary at the very center. The central sanctuary was home to the idol and small barque shrine of the main deity to whom the temple was consecrated. .
COMMON TEMPLE ELEMENTS
Carvings: In ancient Egypt, art was never just mere decoration. Every relief carving in a temple had a practical purpose. The Egyptians believed that to draw or carve something’s likeness was to replicate that entity or scene in another realm. Within the darkened sanctuaries, the reliefs on the walls typically represented the ceremonies that took place within. Many scenes at temples show the king presenting offerings to various deities.
COMMON TEMPLE ELEMENTS
Statues: The Egyptians believed that a deity could descend to earth and inhabit a statue bearing its likeness. That way, it could receive the essence of daily prayers and offerings. The statue, therefore, was not seen as a literal god, but as an intermediary object between man and the divine.
COMMON TEMPLE ELEMENTS
Sacred Lakes: Larger temple complexes featured Sacred Lakes. The lakes symbolized the primordial waters of Nun at the very beginning of creation. But the holy water of the lake could also be used to ritually cleanse the idols and portable barques. .
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