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LECTURE 3
A B H I S H E K K . V E N K I TA R A M A N I Y E R
A S S I S TA N T P RO F E S S O R
EGYPTIAN
CIVILIZATION
EGYPTIAN
CIVILIZATION
NORTH CITY
CENTRAL CITY
SOUTH SUBURB
All the main settlements developed in a linear pattern along the River Nile, which was the
primary resource.
NEW LANDMARKS IN
ARCHITECTURE AND CITY
PLANNING
Social
structure
Influenced the city
planning
Didnt continue to occupy the same site -> paucity of urban remains
No economic necessity, to take advantage of the enormous economic capital
investment of walls
Each successive Pharaoh had the freedom to spend his reigning life
on earth preparing his tomb for after-life.
Less time to settle down in each place
Most permanent building materials were used in temple or tomb construction
The urban area proper was a ribbon development along the east
bank of the Nile.
THE BEGINNINGS
Amarna is located as seen on the map above-on the Eastern side of the Nile
NORTH CITY
Royal Residences
CENTRAL CITY
Administration
and religious
area
MAIN CITY
SOUTH SUBURB
Residential
Suburbs
North City
Located within the North City area is the Northern
Palace, the main residence of the Royal Family.
Northern Suburb was initially a prosperous area
with large houses, but the house size decreased and
became poorer the further from the road they
were.
Central City
Most of the important ceremonial and
administrative buildings were located in the central
city. Here the Great Temple of the Aten and
the Small Aten Temple were used for religious
functions and between these the Great Royal
Palace and Royal Residence were the ceremonial
residence of the King and Royal Family, and were
linked by a bridge or ramp.
Located behind the Royal Residence was the Bureau
of Correspondence of Pharaoh, where the Amarna
Letters were found.
This area was probably the first area to be
completed, and had at least two phases of
construction.
Southern suburbs
the Southern Suburbs contained the estates of many of
the city's powerful nobles, This area also held the studio
of the sculptor Thutmose, where the famous bust of
Nefertiti was found in 1912.
Further to the south of the city was Kom el-Nana, an
enclosure, usually referred to as a sun-shade, and was
probably built as a sun-temple.,and then the Maru-Aten,
which was palace or sun-temple originally thought to
have been constructed for Akhenaten's queen Kiya.
City outskirts
Surrounding the city and marking its extent,
the Boundary Stelae (each a rectangle of carved rock
on the cliffs on both sides of the Nile) describing the
founding of the city are a primary source of information
about it.
Away from the city Akhenaten's Royal necropolis was
started in a narrow valley to the east of the city, hidden
in the cliffs. Only one tomb was completed, and was
used by an unnamed Royal Wife, and Akhenaten's tomb
was hastily used to hold him and likely Meketaten, his
second daughter.
In the cliffs to the north and south of the Royal Wadi, the
nobles of the city constructed their Tombs.
SOUTH SUBURB
Residential Suburbs
CITY QUARTERS
Egyptian city dwellers had little choice about adding further storeys.
Land suitable for building
Had to be above the floodlevel of the nile
Reasonably close to the river
Many egyptians were forced to live in these crowded conditions.
At akhetaten where there was no lack of suitable land, some private homes were still built
in the same warren-like fashion.
Temple districts
Temple districts were better planned.
The outlay of individual temples was basically
symmetrical.
Walls surrounded them.
Temple districts
Over time houses were built right up to the outer temple walls.
Houses decayed and were rebuilt many times , result that the ground level of the
residential area rose
The temples which, being built of stone, were not periodically rebuilt, seemingly sank into the
ground.
Palaces
The whole compound was enclosed and separate from the rest of the capital,
Albeit close to suppliers of services, temples and the seat of the administration
Workers' dwellings
The houses of the workmen had two to four
rooms on the ground floor (44 and 60 m)
access to the flat roof, which was used as
living and storing space.
The houses abutting the inner wall on the
eastern side were bigger, having up to seven
rooms.
Some of the dwellings had conical granaries on
the ground floor. The doorways were arched
Memphis
A
B
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F
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G H
I
J
K
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R T U
W
V
Q
P
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Thebes
Thank you
A b h i s h e k K . V.