Tombs And Temples

The people of Egypt willingly labored to build these monuments for their rulers, believing that, as gods, the pharaohs had to be properly provided for in their afterlife. The Step Pyramid was built around 2630 B.C. It exhibited a radical new shape never before used, and it was so new the Egyptians used its silhouettes as the hieroglyphic for “primeval mound”, the first piece of earth to emerge from the soup of creation (Malek 90). King Djoser's chief architect for his pyramid was Imhotep. It is thought that King Djoser's stone tomb started out having the standard shape of a mastaba.

The Egyptian Pyramids When most people think of Ancient Egypt they think of Pyramids. To construct such great monuments required a mastery of architecture, social organization, and art that few cultures of that period could achieve. The oldest pyramid, the Step-Pyramids, grow out of the abilities of two men, King Djoser and Imhotep. Djoser, the second king of 3rd dynasty, was the first king to have hired an architect, Imhotep, to design a tomb (Time-Life Books, 74). Imhotep was known as the father of mathematics, medicine, architecture, and as the inventor of the calendar (White, 40).

Saul Franco-Jimenez ART 103 Professor: Alan Byrne April 27, 2015 Ancient Egyptian architectural believes The Ancient Egyptian architectural culture is very unique to all because it's mysterious in many ways. The way the pyramids were built, the way their religion motivated their architecture, and what they believed in is very interesting and astonishing to a lot of people. One of the greatest cultural achievements of Ancient Egypt was undoubtedly in their architecture associated with religion. The Egyptians were the greatest builders "Temples, tombs and pyramids - all have witnessed this earth for thousands of years. The pyramids of Egypt are the last remaining Wonder of the World.

The finest example such mechanics is shown in the construction of the revered pyramid. These three factors, all belonging to the religious architecture of ancient Egypt, do nothing else but prove its greatness. Egypt's grand architectural design was a result of the religious values and beliefs that were in place at the time. Thousands of years ago, 'Ancient Egypt accepted the challenge of reeds and swamps, hot sands and floods, and build the 'first' nation' (Romer:75, 1982). There were few things to impress themselves upon the Egyptian mind; their psychological impact however was immense.

King Khafre Seated Egyptian art is infamous across the world - classified by the monumental pyramids, and the Sphinx. Although these are both valid forms of Egyptian art, they do not make up the entire artistic history of the country. On the contrary, perhaps the most replicated example of classic Egyptian art, from the Old Kingdom, can be found in their rendering of the human form. An interest in portraiture developed early in Egypt. (Gardner, 75) Whether painted on pottery, or cut into rock, the figures all had notably Egyptian characteristics.

These platform-raised buildings were known as Ziggurats. The ziggurat was the major architectural structure for the founders of the Mesopotamian civilization (3500 and 3000 B.C.E); “the Sumerians.” Ziggurats were constructed using sun-dried baked stones that prevented it from lasting longer like the pyramids in Egypt. The most famous of them all was the ziggurat of King Urnammu at Ur in Iraq, although not as old as the pyramid’s of Giza. The lower levels of the ziggurats are covered with planted trees and dirt just to give it a mountainous effect. There is a belief that the gods lived on mountains thereby bringing the worshippers closer to heaven.

Their belief was that the top point of the pyramid was the gate for the soul to travel to the afterlife and return to earth if chosen. These tombs were built which line up with planets and certain stars. One of the greatest cultural successes of Ancient Egypt was certainly in their architecture related with religion. Fumeaux mention, "Temples, tombs and pyramids - all have witnessed this earth for thousands of years. What better than to say that these architectural achievements show us that Egypt's greatest virtue lay in its architecture"[1] "The Egyptian sun god Ra, considered the father of all pharaohs, was said to have created himself from a pyramid-shaped mound of earth before creating all other gods.

Another reason why the Sphinx might have been built in Las Vegas, could be because both cities are deserts and that makes it a perfect place to build the Luxor and the Sphinx. On the whole, both monuments are very fascinating and have special characteristics. For example, the size and design of it, the body of a Lion and Face of a Pharaoh represents the strength and power of the ruler. Both of the monuments were built for different reasons but they still represent the same culture. The sphinx in Las Vegas was built for attraction and to represent the Sphinx in Giza and to signify the Egyptian culture.

The great importance of these aspects is backed up by the grandeur of the pyramids and the amount of time it must have taken to build them. It challenges my mind to think of how these great buildings were constructed by the Egyptians so long ago. The use of precise measurements and careful architecture is outstanding for a civilization to practice in that period of time. I felt that I needed to look into these ancient landmarks more deeply and research as much is I could about them. Writing this paper is a good way for me to better appreciate and understan... ... middle of paper ... ...lear to see that there isn’t a definite answer to how the Egyptians leveled, designed, and constructed the pyramids.

They believe that this final chamber is to be the actual burial chamber. This chamber is higher than the rest of the chambers. These significant architectural structures became the most influential figures in history with its mysterious work and effort that is been put in. These pyramids originated as a mastaba to serve a purpose of tomb than the society witnessed it transforming into a pyramid over time, creating a significant piece of architecture.