A Comprehensive Guide to Ancient Egyptian Art and Architecture

Posted on Sep 4, 2024 in History

Ancient Egyptian Art and Architecture

Location of Egypt

Egypt is located in northeastern Africa. It extends south to north from the first cataract of the Nile to the Mediterranean Sea.

Periods of Egyptian Art

  • Memphite Period: A phase of education and the development of art centers.
  • Theban Period: A swing phase, with artistic activity centered at Thebes.
  • Saite Period: A period of decline, marking the end of Egypt’s power, with its capital at Sais.

Concept of Egyptian Art

Egyptian art is closely related to the environment in which it developed. This environment influenced various aspects of their art. The geographical environment led to a closed culture, making their art impermeable to outside influences. As a result, Egyptian art evolved slowly and in its own unique ways due to the lack of communication with the outside world.

General Characteristics of Egyptian Art

  • Monumentality: Egyptian art is characterized by large architectural works and sculptures.
  • Durability: A key principle applied to buildings and granite sculptures, which, due to their composition, are resistant to the elements.
  • Community: Most artistic works in Egypt were executed by Egyptians and subject peoples, reflecting political, social, and religious themes.
  • Hierarchy: Egyptian art was determined by traditional canons controlled by religion. Priests imposed laws, dictated themes, and limited activities within the social and hierarchical structure.
  • Symmetry: Symmetry governs architecture, sculpture, and painting. An imaginary axis divides the works into two equal and corresponding parts.

Characteristics of Egyptian Architecture

Main Features:

  • Horizontal Emphasis: Egyptian architecture is primarily horizontal, reflecting the landscape of Egypt.
  • Post and Lintel System: They primarily used the post and lintel system, even though they knew about vaults and arches.
  • Stone Construction: Stone was the primary building material, providing great stability and longevity to the structures.
  • Early Use of Other Materials: While wood, adobe, and brick were used initially, they were no longer the main materials by the Old Kingdom.
  • Monumentality: Egyptian architecture is known for its grand scale and imposing structures.
  • Limited Use of Supports: Egyptian art is defined by the limited use of supports, primarily employing the following:
  1. Walls: Walls tend to slope slightly inward and often end with a convex molding called a gola.
  2. Pillars: Pillars were used to reinforce walls, especially in the Old Kingdom and imitated in the New Kingdom. Rectangular pillars were most common, sometimes with grooves. The Osirian pillar, characteristic of the New Kingdom, featured a square section with a statue of Osiris or the Pharaoh attached to one side.
  3. Columns: Columns are the most characteristic support element in Egyptian architecture.

Construction and System Elements of Egyptian Architecture

The grand buildings of Egypt incorporated other art forms, such as sculptures, wall decorations, and reliefs. Their large dimensions, simple lines, and proportions convey a sense of solidity, harmonizing with the surrounding environment.

The Egyptians used a building system called post and lintel, which involved horizontal beams supported by columns or walls. The pyramidal shape of their buildings provided great stability, allowing them to stand for millennia.

Most Important Monuments of Egyptian Architecture

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* Pyramids: pyramids or tombs of the Pharaohs are the most important monuments of the ancient empire has a square base and structurally presented as the cone, the most stable arrangement among geometric shapes, their flat faces have allowed them to resist the action of wind and the Shoreline. from there they have endured 5000 years without significant deterioration.

* Master: Master or tombs of the nobles, is shaped like a truncated pyramid with base rectangles. those of Giza necropolis of Memphis, were built of various sizes, from four to fifty meters long and three to nine meters high, its sides are oriented points cardia.

* Temple: Another important building is the temple, whose form and arrangement remained almost unchanged over the centuries. that of Karnak, built over the new rule represents a fine example: according to a well developed PPCs and their accessibility is formed by an avenue of sphinxes, the temple the first element forms a giant portico called pylon and then succeed the peristyle, the pillared hall and sanctuary. source in the capitals and columns formed refined stylized stems and covered with colored flowers.

* Hypogea: are underground tombs carved into the mountainside. consist of a symmetrical corridor with small cameras, which extends into the manhole.