Egyptian Architecture and Sculptures

Historical Background
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
Architectural Ideas
Ancient Egyptians viewed earthly dwellings as temporary They paid little attention to house construction The tomb was seen as a permanent dwelling for the afterlife Tremendous effort was exerted in tomb construction The mummified dead body was buried in a stone box called sarcophagus in the tomb
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Historical Background
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
Architectural Ideas

Believed a dead person needs all her/his worldly goods Tomb usually packed with all the treasures of dead person If anything cannot be provided, it is painted on the walls of the tomb

Historical Background
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
Architectural Ideas Tombs also have charms to protect dead person & her/his property Dead buried in cities of the dead, called Necropolis located in desert

Early Kingdom Tombs Mastaba

Internally, a mastaba consist of three parts- a burial chamber, a serdab and a chapel The burial chamber was located 30 below ground
Connected to burial chamber above ground through a shaft place for the burial of the dead person

Early Kingdom Tombs Mastaba

The earliest method of burial in ancient Egypt was in shallow pits in the desert The desert dried the bodies and preserved them When animals preyed on bodies, the people dug deeper In the end they built a bench-like structure over graves to create first burial structure called Mastaba

Early Kingdom Tombs Steppe Pyramid King Zoser (Djoser) was the powerful pharaoh of the third dynasty of the old kingdom The steppe pyramid was built for king Zoser by Imhotep It was built as a funeral complex in the necropolis at Saqqara Imhotep initially conceived of the tomb as a large Mastaba of stone

More on Egyptian Architecture

Ancient Egyptian Sculpture

Like painting and low-relief carving, sculptures were generally carved in particular styles that changed little over most of Ancient Egyptian History

Purpose
As with all cultures, Ancient Egyptian sculpture met both symbolic and decorative needs. Sculptural forms served religious & funerary purposes. It could also be meant to decorate or entertain

Materials Used
Items could be made of wood or stone. Items meant to be permanent like the statue that was to house the ka or spirit of a pharaoh, would made of the hardest available stone (such as granite, basalt or porphyry) and be exceptionally durable probably accounting for the survival of so man ancient objects.

The System
Frontal views dominate in sculpture, possibly because sculptors were also involved in architectural carving where the image was engaged to, or closely bound to, the building.

The System

Heads are always placed on the axis of the bust.

The System
High figures the gods and goddesses and kings and queens (who are deified) are shown only in dignified poses though females may display tender gestures.

The System.
Figures were often scaled according to importance as was done with painting and low relief carving. The larger the figure, the more important.

The System
Statues were originally painted. Males are darker and reddish. Females are lighter and yellowish.

Figures are most often seated on chairs or standing with one leg slightly in front of the other

Busts
Busts were not uncommon. These are generally thought to be cheaper substitutes for full figures.

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