Ancient Egyptian Era Lecture Notes PDF

ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ERA Dr. Ola Khayat ANCIENT EGYPTIAN PERIOD 1567 - 1320 BC https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hO1tzmi1V5g ANCIENT EGYPTIAN PERIOD 1567 - 1320 BC ▪ The ancient Egyptian civilization is recognized as one of the longest-continuous civilizations in history. ▪ Geographically, it origina...

ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ERA Dr. Ola Khayat ANCIENT EGYPTIAN PERIOD 1567 - 1320 BC https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hO1tzmi1V5g ANCIENT EGYPTIAN PERIOD 1567 - 1320 BC ▪ The ancient Egyptian civilization is recognized as one of the longest-continuous civilizations in history. ▪ Geographically, it originated in the Nile Valley and Delta, where the ancient Egyptians settled. ▪ Culturally, "civilization" encompasses their language, religious practices, customs, social organization, and administrative affairs, as well as their understanding of the natural world and interactions with neighbouring peoples. ▪ The preservation of ancient Egyptian furniture can largely be attributed to their deep-seated belief in life after death. This belief prompted them to include worldly goods, reflective of their status, in their graves for use in the afterlife. ANCIENT EGYPTIAN PERIOD 1567 - 1320 BC ▪ Interestingly, the furniture of ancient times shares similarities with today’s items. ▪ Residential structures from this period reveal a clear distinction in social rank and class. ▪ Priests )‫ (الكهنة‬and wealthy nobles lived in large complexes, the merchant class occupied medium-sized houses, while the lower classes resided in smaller dwellings. ▪ Both the lower and upper classes possessed only basic furniture pieces, such as seats, chairs, and tables. ▪ The ancient Egyptians created many innovative and remarkable works that have had a lasting impact on the world, including advancements in mummification )‫(التحنيط‬, music, sculpture, literature, painting, architecture, and drama. ANCIENT EGYPTIAN PERIOD 1567 - 1320 BC ▪ Their environment significantly influenced their religious beliefs and Pharaonic worship, leading to the gods being depicted in human or animal forms, or a combination of both. ▪ Religious belief played a major role in their lives, shaping their arts and influencing their thoughts about the afterlife. ▪ The visual arts were prominent, particularly in sculpture and two- dimensional paintings found on the walls of temples, tombs, shrouds )‫(أكفان‬, coffins )‫(توابيت‬, and papyrus )‫(ورق البردي‬. ▪ The ancient Egyptians were masters of the arts of stone and metalwork and the manufacture of plain and colored glass. ANCIENT EGYPTIAN PERIOD 1567 - 1320 BC ▪ In human tombs, handicrafts, weapons and utensils )‫ (أوان‬from this era were discovered, indicating a belief in the afterlife. ▪ The belief of the ancient Egyptians was based on the sun, represented by the belief of Ra, Horus, Aton and Khepri, the moon represented by the belief of Thoth, and the earth represented by the belief of Geb. Nut was the goddess of the sky, Shu and Tefnut were the gods of wind and moisture, and Osiris and Isis were the rulers of the underworld. Most of these gods were surrounded by myths. Ra and Amun, after their merger, became the belief of Amun-Ra as the king of the gods. ▪ Egypt became a powerful nation and many Egyptians flourished throughout its long history, which lasted until 30 dynasties. ▪ 3100-1085 BC is divided into three main dynastic periods: the Old Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom, and the New Kingdom.  DIVISION OF ANCIENT EGYPTIAN HISTORY Periods Dynasties Timeline prehistoric era Bedouin era / pre-dynastic era About 3200 BC Dynasty 1: c. 3200 BC Archaic Period: Dynasties 1-2 Dynasty 3: c. 2780 BC Old Kingdom Pyramid Period: Dynasties 3-6 Dynasty 4: c. 2720 BC Dynasty 6: c. 2420 BC First period era Dynasties 7-10 About 2140 BC Middle Kingdom Dynasties 11-13 Dynasty 12: c. 2140 - 1785 BC The Second Period or Hyksos Dynasties 14-17 2140 - 1785 BC Dynasty 18: 1580 BC Empire Age: 18-20 New Kingdom Dynasty 19: 1340 BC Tanisian and Jubasian Eras: 21-23 Dynasty Dynasty 21: 1084 BC Dynasty 26: 656 BC Ethiopian and Saite periods: 24-26Persian Late Period Persian Conquest: 525 BC and Amadid periods: 27-30 Dynasty 30: 378 BC PHILOSOPHY OF ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR DESIGN IN THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN STYLE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdgKl9OQi00 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0qvdszoNbg PHILOSOPHY OF ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR DESIGN IN THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN STYLE ▪ The religious thought in ancient Egyptian civilization was fundamentally rooted in the belief in resurrection and immortality )‫(االيمان بالبعث والخلود‬. ▪ This perspective influenced both the material and intellectual outputs of the civilization, which reflected and expressed these beliefs through architectural design and funerary items. ▪ We observe advanced architecture that served a clear religious purpose: the pursuit of immortality after death. This belief is manifested in the vast temples and monumental structures adorning mountains, as well as in the tombs )‫(المقابر‬ that illustrate the relationship between architecture and spiritual beliefs. ▪ The architecture of the pyramids stands as a prominent example of this profound commitment to the belief in immortality. FEATURES OF ANCIENT EGYPTIAN STYLE ▪ The ancient Egyptian designer adopted several methods to express his product functionally and aesthetically, as follows: 1. Formal dimensions 2. Intellectual dimensions  FEATURES OF ANCIENT EGYPTIAN STYLE 1. Formal dimensions ▪ The Egyptian artist's admiration and love for nature inspired him to contemplate it and live with it as a lover who appreciates it. ▪ As a result, the artist began to formally imitate nature, which served as the foundation for all his works and artistic creations. ▪ Throughout history, the production of Egyptian artists reflects a profound influence from the local environment, capturing the feelings and emotions evoked by nature. ▪ Understanding this connection is key to grasping the development of ancient Egyptian art, which reached the highest levels of creativity in all its forms.  FEATURES OF ANCIENT EGYPTIAN STYLE 2. Intellectual dimensions The ancient Egyptians' belief in resurrection was the philosophical basis for their creativity. The ancient Egyptian characterized by achieving a balance between functional goals and aesthetic values ​in architecture and interior design. The beliefs and religious ideas of the ancient Egyptians dictated the decorative forms and shapes used to embellish various pieces of furniture, resulting in creations that exemplified the highest craftsmanship of their era. The symbols representing their beliefs informed the design elements and vocabulary of architecture, interior design, and furniture, along with various geometric decorations. Their belief in resurrection and immortality led them to transfer furniture and supplies from their earthly homes to their graves, resulting in what is known as funeral furniture. The ancient Egyptian artist sought to express not only their religious beliefs through aesthetic concepts in interior design and furniture but also to record the shapes and engravings that reflected significant historical events impacting their civilization. In many cases, they also added padding to their chairs for comfort. CHARACTERISTICS OF CREATIVE THINKING IN THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN STYLE ▪ The ancient Egyptians resorted to building religious architecture represented by temples to residential architecture, whether for princes, kings or for the people, then came the role of art to refine the form of interior design and furniture. ▪ The ancient Egyptian artist drew inspiration from environmental elements, such as lotus flowers, papyrus, tree leaves, and various animals and birds. ▪ Utilizing his creative vision and personality, he incorporated these influences through a set of design concepts: 1. Attention to aesthetic values through the simulation of nature and its elements. 2. Forming a set of artistic and formative methods. 3. Dividing the human body into twenty-one parts.  CHARACTERISTICS OF CREATIVE THINKING IN THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN STYLE 1. Attention to aesthetic values 2. Forming a set of artistic 3. Dividing the human body into twenty-one through the simulation of and formative methods. parts. nature and its elements. Which were represented in: Which achieved one of the creative standards, which is shape - line - color - texture - light harmony in proportions. The basics of interior design, and shadow. furniture and architecture depended on it through a set Key elements included the strength of The ancient Egyptian artist of foundations and sequences (21 - 34 - 55 - 89 - 144) mass in space, a focus on engravings worked to confirm the close which were known as the "Fibonacci Sequences" and decorations. Designers and relationship between the whole through which it was possible to invent the proportion artists increasingly sought to enhance and the part or the relationship of the golden sector, which the Egyptian artist relied on the connection between their buildings between the part and what deducing through the proportions of the human body and aesthetic values, harmonizing completes it to make it a whole. (the male), It served as the foundation for units of with nature while simplifying and This style did not only express length, reflecting the belief in the responsibility to abstracting its forms to integrate quantity but also expressed create artwork according to established rules that seamlessly into their designs. quality, which is a philosophical define the proportions of the human body and its style that was unique to the needs.. ancient Egyptians.  CHARACTERISTICS OF CREATIVE THINKING IN THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN STYLE Dividing the human body into 21 parts by the proportions of the golden sector - the twenty-sixth lineage ELEMENTS OF ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR DESIGN IN THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN STYLE The ancient Egyptian heritage has left us with remarkable works of applied art, evident in interior design, furniture, utensils, textiles, jewelry, porcelain, musical instruments, and ship models. These creations evoke a sense of artistry grounded in design principles that reflect creativity, a deep connection to the natural world, an appreciation for proportional beauty, and an innovative spirit. The precision with which they were crafted often makes these works appear as miraculous examples of applied art. The physical production of ancient Egyptian interior design can be divided into two main categories: 1. Furniture. 2. Architectural elements. ELEMENTS OF ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR DESIGN IN THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN STYLE Physical production of interior design Architectural elements Furniture Columns Chairs and benches Architectural openings Beds Murals Chests FIRST: FURNITURE IN THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN STYLE The ancient Egyptian civilization left us a great human legacy that has survived to this day. The ancient Egyptian craftsman was able to perform all carpentry work despite the scarcity and simplicity of his tools. Some of the furniture was inlaid with ivory, wood and faience )‫(الخزف أو القيشاني‬, while others had smooth surfaces and rounded parts decorated with engraved geometric motifs. Others were plated with gold sheets and decorated with raised drawings - which indicates the skill of the carpenter. He reached a level in his craft that the furniture industry had not reached in any other country in the ancient East or West. THE CRAFT OF FURNITURE MANUFACTURING IN THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN STYLE ▪ The craft of furniture making - carpentry - was evident in Egypt, and it first appeared in the coffins of the Early Dynastic period; they were made of overlapping panels held together at the corners by fastening through holes. Also found in the tombs were chests made of inlaid panels connected by mortise and tenon or by joints. ▪ In carpentry, joints, and dovetails were maintained by means of binding them with rawhide)‫(الجلد الخام‬, strips of tanned leather, strips of copper)‫(شرائط من النحاس‬, linen threads, or ropes wrapped around wooden screws inserted into cavities in the thickness of the wood. CONNECTIONS AND INTERLOCKS ‫الوصالت والتعاشيق‬ ▪ The mortise and tenon joint was used in the furniture of Queen Hetepheres, mother of King Khufu, of the Fourth Dynasty, and to secure the arms of the statue of the Sheikh el-Balad of the Fifth Dynasty, and in the furniture of Yuya, Tuya, and Tutankhamun of the Eighteenth Dynasty. ▪ The veneer, which is found in the furniture of the tomb of Yuya and Tuya, is thick and sturdy and is held in place with small wooden screws, while it is found in the furniture of Tutankhamun, is thin and held in place with glue. ▪ The manufacture of chests became more refined, with sliding lids, connected corners secured on both sides, and leather straps through angled holes. ▪ Carpenters mastered the art of carpentry at that time without using screws or glue. The use of glue began after the Fifth Dynasty. CONNECTIONS AND INTERLOCKS ‫الوصالت والتعاشيق‬ ▪ The use of wooden beams began in the coffins of the Third Dynasty, which were made of six pieces of cedar wood )‫ (خشب األرز‬joined together so that the grains were in different directions. ▪ The cheaper wood was coated with a layer of varnish, about seven-tenths of a millimeter thick, to give it a more luxurious appearance. ▪ The Egyptians mastered the art of decorating furniture; Inlaid ornaments: of wood, ivory, semi-precious stones, glass and colour paste. ▪ Wood was also decorated with gold or silver covering. WOODEN COFFIN First Dynasty: 3100 - 2890 BC 1985–1940 B.C. Eleventh Dynasty: 2134 - 1991 BC IVORY AND BONE CARVING WORKS ▪ The craftsman used bone and ivory in decorating furniture, weapons, ornaments, etc. ▪ Apart from the inlay work on wooden furniture, ivory was often the main material for small pieces such as tables and small chairs, (legs were all made of ivory), as well as arrowheads of either ivory or bone. They were found in large quantities in Abydos and Saqqara, and there is a model of a large spearhead made of ivory that appears to have been made from a hyena's tusk )‫ (ناب الضباع‬with very little shaping. CHAIRS AND BENCHES ▪ In the pre-dynastic period, the seats were simple and had no backrest. ▪ The seating area was usually made of a braided net, with a leather cushion placed over it for added comfort. ▪ The long sides of the seating frame were usually elongated to the back with a slight projection decorated with a lotus flower sculpture, and the legs were carved in the shape of the legs of a lion or bull, matching its nature so that the front part of the seat resembled the front legs and the back part resembled the rear legs. CHAIRS AND BENCHES ▪ The legs were decorated with silver and metal heels to give the legs strength and a beautiful shape. ▪ Under the legs of the seats, as in the beds, were placed bases made in the shape of an incomplete pyramid to prevent the pointed legs from sinking into the floor made of Nile silt. ▪ In some seats, the seating area could accommodate two or three people and remained in use even during the New Kingdom and since the Fourth Dynasty, the seat was sometimes provided with side supports and a high vertical back without a slope. ▪ In the Middle Kingdom, the back began to lean backward to allow the seated person to rest and the side supports were lowered. ▪ The use of seats in general until the Middle Kingdom was limited to the wealthy people. ▪ As for the common people, we have received pictures of them eating or doing their work while lying on the ground and sitting cross-legged, often on mats. CHAIRS AND BENCHES ▪ The situation changed starting from the Eighteenth Dynasty, and the people began to use chairs as a normal thing. ▪ In the era of the New Kingdom, a large number of chairs for the rich appeared in a magnificent and luxurious form, such as the chairs with armrests that were found in the tomb of the mother of Queen Tiye, the wife of Amenhotep III, which is considered a masterpiece of industrial art. ▪ The legs and frame of furniture were usually carved from wood, but legs could also be carved from ivory. ▪ Because Egyptian tree species were not suitable for construction, the wood was imported from Phoenicia. ▪ From the First Dynasty to the Last, the aesthetic expression of these sculptures was literal and stylized. When one looks at the depiction of the leg, the angle of the hoof, the set of the claw, and the precision in the way the carving was done, the realistic nature is clear. However, Egyptian furniture is dual, expressing both realism and style. WHAT DISTINGUISHES ANCIENT EGYPTIAN PIECES? 1. Detail of carved animal legs. 2. Realistic depiction of the leg, claw )‫ (المخلب‬, hoof, etc. 3. Using medium wood and implementing construction joints by mortise and tenon. 4. Mass/shape, the back will be straight with emphasis on the vertical or horizontal. 5. It contains engravings and decorative shapes such as lotus bud, flower, scarab )‫(الجعران‬, sun and eagle. Carved symbols include various deities. 6. Royal furniture includes metals - gold and silver - and precious stones, such as lapis lazuli, turquoise and malachite )‫(مثل الالزورد والفيروز والملكيت‬. 7. The color palette is compatible with blue and green, but can also include multiple colors including lapis lazuli, turquoise and malachite. CHAIRS AND BENCHES ▪ Left leg of the bull 2960 - 2770 BC, right leg of the animal 3100-2650 BC Furniture legs believed to be carved for a bed or chair. ▪ Both were designed to mimic the leg of an animal. ▪ The bull's leg is carved from hippopotamus ivory ‫(عاج فرس‬ )‫النهر‬. The pieces were discovered in northern Upper Egypt. Currently, these artifacts are in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City. CHAIRS AND BENCHES Hatnefer Chair ▪ New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty. ▪ This chair was found in front of the entrance to the tomb and is a royal piece that belonged to the mother of Senenmut, one of Hatshepsut's most famous officials. ▪ The main decoration is on the upper back of the chair. The decoration includes a row of symbols. In the center of the symbols stands the god Bes, the protector of homes, mothers and children. ▪ When examining the ancient Egyptian chair, it is clear that the seats are not made of wood, but are often made of woven fabric. ▪ Hatnefer's chair is a good example of Egyptian carpentry. The various elements were assembled using mortise and tenon joinery. CHAIRS AND BENCHES Engraved royal chair For King Tutankhamun Chair of religious ceremonies of King Dimensions: Tutankhamun The "ecclesiastical throne" Height : 960 mm Dimensions: Length: 510 mm Height: 1020 mm Width : 475 mm Length: 448 mm Width: 580 mm CHAIRS AND BENCHES Throne of King Tutankhamun (The gold-plated throne) Dimensions: Height: 1040 mm Length: 645 mm Width: 530 mm CHAIRS AND BENCHES King Baby Chair Cat Legs Folding chair made of wood and ivory This chair dates back to the 18th Dynasty. The imitation used to have a leather cushion, but it has disintegrated. Its ivory supports are shaped like duck heads and necks. Ivory is used to accurately depict the duck's facial features. There are two wooden supports between the duck's beaks for the chair to rest on. Height 36 cm BEDS ▪ In the first beds, the legs of the furniture were found in the form of bull's legs and heels decorated with a number of circles carved in relief - and the legs of the bed were found fixed to its frame. ▪ Also preserved are two mats of braided palm fibres that were tied to that frame. ▪ It is said that the people of (Tarkhan) preferred to be buried lying on the bed rather than inside a coffin and sometimes this bed was placed on top of the coffin. ▪ The height of the beds was rarely more than 12 inches (30.5 cm). BEDS Tutankhamun's Bed ▪ This bed is considered the most artistic and sophisticated of the beds found in Tutankhamun's tomb, as it was provided with an ebony frame )‫ (خشب األبنوس‬and covered with gold foil. ▪ Its border was shaped like a grid. ▪ The gold foil retained scratches from which the discoverer concluded that the king used this bed during his life. ▪ Length 175 cm. BEDS Funerary bed with lionesses on either side ▪ A wooden bed covered with gold plaster, depicting two lionesses lying down. ▪ The two lionesses represent the goddess Meht. According to ancient Egyptian beliefs, Meht is associated with the goddesses Hathor, Sekhmet and Isis. This goddess helps the Nile to overflow when she is appeased. ▪ The eyes of the two lionesses are inlaid with blue glass paste, while their eyelids are painted black. The middle panel is decorated with the signs of "steadfastness" and "life". ▪ Length 228 cm Height 161 cm BEDS Funerary bed in the form of two cows on either side ▪ One of the three funerary beds of King Tutankhamun, it is in the form of the goddess Meht-Weret, the cow of heaven, whose name means "the great flood". ▪ The cow's heads on both sides are topped with two horns with a sun in the middle. ▪ The eyes of the cows are inlaid with glass paste, and the body is covered with dark brown spots. The legs of the cows, which form the legs of the bed, are fixed in a wooden frame. ▪ The surface of the bed is made of fibers covered with plaster. ▪ The central panel is decorated with the signs "Stability and Life"; and covered with gold sheets. ▪ Length 223 cm Height 187 cm. BEDS New Kingdom: King Tutankhamun's Travel Bed ▪ It is a rectangular structure divided into three fillings made of vertical planks )‫ (ألواح رأسية‬that are interlocked by mortise and tenon and reinforced with corner supports. The shape of the bed that is applicable ▪ The bed rests on four wooden legs in the shape of a lion's foot which when it is open rest on copper )‫ (نحاس‬and were intended to support the weight of the person, in addition to four additional auxiliary legs at the movement hinges which bear the pressure from the hinges when in use. ▪ The sleeping surface is a filling of a mat made of three thin linen strings fixed with holes in the thigh of the bed. Bed shape and applicable (closed) CHESTS ▪ There were no wardrobes in the Pharaonic houses, so there was an urgent need to use many chests for storage, and their shapes differed to provide the necessary storage spaces for all types of household supplies and furnishings. ▪ They also differ in shape and design from the simple chests used in storage rooms to those elegant carved and decorated pieces that could form part of the furnishings of royal palaces - and the manufacture of chests advanced to beautiful shapes after that, including what was found in the tomb of (Yuya and Tuya) and the tomb of (Tutankhamun). ▪ The method of tying with threads/string was used to close these chests, one on the lid and the other on the chests. The method of fixing the lid in the chests was followed by inserting a protruding part ‫(الجزء‬ )‫البارز‬of the lid into a hollow part )‫ (الجزء الغائر‬inside the wall of the chests from the inside, which ensured the stability of the lid and prevented it from moving. CHESTS ▪ Some chests were closed with a sliding lid, as in the lid of the (Anubis) chests, and the legs of the chests found in the royal tombs of the Old Kingdom, which were made of ivory, and wooden pieces carved with ribbed )‫ (مضلعه‬decorations. ▪ On one of the pieces, they found decorations resembling a fisherman's net. The Egyptian artist used the method of inlaying with ivory. General features of the chests: ▪ Each chest has handles covered with gold on the lid and on the front part, so it can be closed using ropes. ▪ The internal parts are divided into small units. ▪ The presence of a strip of hieroglyphic writings, and its general effect on the eye is now considered an attractive aesthetic model. CHESTS Box decorated with ivory and painted wood symbols. ▪ This richly decorated box rests on four silver-covered legs. ▪ The sides are divided by horizontal lines of ivory into upper and lower rectangular panels. These ivory panels are decorated with hieroglyphic text between two pairs of lines filled with black paint. ▪ Each side panel is decorated with hieroglyphic signs; the ankh, symbol of eternal life. ▪ The box is divided inside into sixteen compartments for storing cosmetics made of gold or silver. ▪ Width 45 cm - Length 48.3 cm - Height 42 cm CHESTS Blue faience box for storing jewelry. ▪ This wooden box rests on legs. It is decorated with blue faience strips and gilded plaster decorations. ▪ On the long sides of the box are hieroglyphic inscriptions surrounded by the names of King Tutankhamun. ▪ The handles of the box are made of purple faience while the names of the king are engraved on them in light blue. ▪ Dimensions: Length 49.5 cm - Height 39 cm CHESTS Double-lidded box on tall legs. ▪ This is a wooden box with tall legs, inlaid with ebony and ivory, intended to be used as a treasure chest for jewelry. ▪ It is provided with a second inner lid with ivory handles. ▪ The box is divided inside into six sections. ▪ Height 47.5 cm ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR DESIGN IN THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN STYLE ▪ Throughout its ancient history, Egyptian architecture has been characterized by qualities and characteristics that stemmed from the natural conditions, available building materials, the beliefs, perceptions, political and economic conditions of the Egyptians, and their efficiency, which had the greatest impact on the buildings they built. ▪ The manifestations of nature in Egypt are characterized by their strength, magnificence, clarity, and straight lines - this stable nature has filled the hearts of its people with meanings of majesty and dignity, strength and greatness, clarity, stability, moderation, and rectitude, so their thoughts were affected by it, their souls were imprinted on it, and it found its way into their artistic works and all of their buildings and architectures. ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR DESIGN IN THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN STYLE ▪ This is evident in the architectural production of temples and pyramids in the era of the dynasties - in which the walls extend solidly, interspersed with narrow openings, courtyards and halls, which are clear and simple, without complexity. ▪ Their surfaces are mostly flat, and they are characterized by the harmony of their horizontal and vertical lines. ▪ With all this, Egyptian architecture reached perfection in its surroundings, which is the secret of its greatness and what arouses satisfaction and admiration in it. ▪ The climate of Egypt is characterized by little rain, and for this reason courtyards were an important element in Egyptian architecture. For the same reason, the roofs of buildings, especially in stone architecture, throughout the Pharaonic era became flat, and played an important role in the lives of Egyptians in their homes, and there were openings in the ceilings to receive cold air. ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR DESIGN IN THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN STYLE ▪ They also found windows in temples as small openings at the top of the walls or in the ceilings, which leaves large architectural spaces for pictures and engravings. ▪ While the entrances to the doors in temples and tombs were large and luxurious, and sufficient light entered from them to illuminate large areas, and the engravings appeared with holes in the external surfaces and surfaces exposed to sunlight to allow the lights and shadows to vary on them, which reduces the intensity of the light and adds beauty to the walls. ▪ While those decorations and engravings were fine and prominent in the surfaces of the internal walls, which ensured their clarity in weak, dim light. BUILDING MATERIALS ▪ The first building materials in Egypt were from the Nile Valley environment, represented by plant sticks from papyrus, and tree branches. ▪ The Egyptians found in them easy materials from which to build their primitive huts, in accordance with their cultural and economic status and the tools they possessed. ▪ The prominent features of the houses at that time were their small area, the roundness of their plan and the arching of their upper entrances, and the slope of their roofs by tying the plant sticks above them. ▪ The ancient Egyptians resorted to raising the roofs of the houses using tree branches or on bundles of plant sticks - and they also used mud from the Nile waste. BUILDING MATERIALS ▪ Since clay was available in all parts of Egypt and its manufacture did not require great skill, building with it was cheap and suited the Egyptian climate due to the lack of rain, in addition to the warmth of the houses built from it in winter and moderate temperatures in summer, and the ability to last for a long time. ▪ The damaged parts by winds, were easily treated with clay mortar that was renewed from time to time. ▪ Houses, palaces, city walls and some temples were built from mud bricks, but most of them disappeared - because building with mud bricks does not naturally last as long as building with stone. ▪ Although the Egyptians made mud bricks since the late pre-dynastic period, they did not use it burnt until the late period, unlike other peoples, especially the Babylonians, due to the abundance of various stones in Egypt and the shortage of fire materials there.  ARCHITECTURE IN THE OLD KINGDOM Spirit dwellings ▪ By the end of the Old Kingdom, so-called spirit dwellings were placed at the northern end of the tomb at ground level. ▪ These spirit dwellings were clay models of dwellings and offerings that were believed to have played a role in providing the spirit with offerings)‫ (تزويد الروح بالقرابين‬and stone offering tables made in early times. ▪ It is likely that all the forms of these models were copied exactly from real dwellings. ▪ The simplest of these models are the one-level dwellings, which probably date back to the 6th-10th Dynasties and can be distinguished by the shape of the balcony and the presence of a columned portico in front of the ground floor rooms. The shape of the facade of the rock-cut tombs (rock-cut tombs) at Beni Hassan, Qaw, Barsha and Aswan, which were themselves exact copies of the residential architecture.  ARCHITECTURE IN THE OLD KINGDOM The style with the balcony and two ventilation openings. ▪ This dwelling was built at the end of the back courtyard and was surrounded on three sides by a low wall open in the middle of the axis. ▪ A rectangular water tank was dug in the courtyard along this axis and was sometimes protected from the sun and dust by a cover placed on four wooden columns. It was found in the 12th Dynasty at Lahun.  DECORATION/ ORNAMENT ▪ Egyptian art emerged, adhering to a style and approach that did not change much for over thirty centuries and was built based on extensive technical and craftsmanship knowledge, accurate observation, and a deep aesthetic sense. Ancient Egyptian Art: ▪ We find that the Egyptian artist knew the arts of decoration thousands of years ago, and before the known chronological history of the ancient Egyptian civilization (Pharaonic), where he recorded on the walls of temples and tombs, on papyrus papers, and many diverse decorative formations, inspired by his environment and the plants of his land, which remained miracles in the field of decorative creativity, for his superiority and ability to modify and simplify many of the elements that nature abounds with into abstract units. ▪ The Egyptians had the first precedence in using decorations to fill great fillings and also to use plants as a great decorative element and used hieroglyphic writing as an important element in decoration and symbols.  DECORATION/ ORNAMENT ▪ The theory of immortality, non-annihilation and the return of the soul was dominant in their belief, so they filled their tombs with goods and engraved their walls with drawings that express the life of the deceased and the life he wished to live in the afterlife, and they were depicted accurately. ▪ We see examples of this represented in the new kingdom in the eighteenth dynasty, especially in the furniture found in the tomb of (Tutankhamun) and (Yuya and Tuya). ▪ The ancient Egyptian artist used geometric shapes to give him repeating units of great magnificence, and simplicity. These models are very similar to the type of colored tiles that are commonly used now in various countries of the world. Squares and diamonds are familiar units in ancient Egyptian decoration, whether small or large, where colors deal with each other, and these squares were decorated with a square-leafed flower as well as a diamond shape.  DECORATION/ ORNAMENT ▪ In Egyptian decoration, there is the idea of ​arranging grooves next to each other and forming them into beautiful shapes. ▪ It was found in some tombs as a ceiling decoration that is almost of the same decorative idea that covered the chests of the dead. ▪ Circles and geometric shapes: The thread was used in drawing circles and they did not use the compass and it appeared clearly in the Eighteenth Dynasty. Curved or straight lines, double, wavy and spiral were used to give a certain decoration to furniture, shrines )‫(األضرحة‬, column crowns and wall decoration.  PLANT DECORATION/ ORNAMENT Plant decorations in ancient Egyptian art: ▪ The ancient Egyptians were inspired by all their plant decorations from the surrounding environment, as they used many plants and flowers that grow in the Egyptian environment, and their decorations were characterized by simplicity, color harmony, and precision of composition )‫(دقة التكوين‬. ▪ The ancient Egyptians used flowers in decoration in various forms, as they were drawn alone, in bouquets, or in wreaths )‫(أكاليل‬. ▪ The favorite flower of the ancient Egyptians was the lotus flower in its various colors. ▪ After the lotus comes the flower of the (papyrus) plant, (chrysanthemum ‫)األقحوان‬, and the pearl flower, then grapes, palms, and vegetables. These flowers were used in decorating vessels, war wheels )‫ (العجالت الحربية‬, furniture, shrines )‫(األضرحة‬, column crowns, and wall decoration.  PLANT DECORATION/ ORNAMENT 1- Lotus Flower: ▪ The lotus flower is one of the most important and famous units used in ancient Egyptian art, as it appears in many engravings of men and women holding the lotus flower in their hands, and sometimes they held it close to their noses to inhale the sacred nectar. ▪ The lotus flower, in its two types, blue and white, appeared in scenes of offering sacrifices)‫(القرابين‬, such as the engraving found in the pyramid of Senusret I and now preserved in the Metropolitan Museum, which shows lotus flowers placed in a basket as part of an offering procession. ▪ The lotus and papyrus continued to be at the forefront of decorative units until the era of the New Kingdom.  PLANT DECORATION/ ORNAMENT 2- Palm Tree: ▪ Although the palm tree was the most important type of tree in Egypt, it did not have a great influence on the art of architecture. There is not a single model of a column in the shape of a palm tree trunk, but there are examples of the crowns of some columns that take the form of bundles of palm fronds arranged in a row, like the crown of some temple columns, on which palm fronds were engraved in a precise and harmonious manner.  PLANT DECORATION/ ORNAMENT 3- Climbing plants and grape clusters: ▪ Climbing plants are among the oldest plants grown in Egypt, and all the designs taken from them were based on the idea of ​climbing and hanging around houses. ▪ These plants appeared on some ceilings, with vine leaves and hanging grape clusters. ▪ Grape clusters were also used in succession to decorate one of the tombs, especially since the repetition of the shape of the clusters and leaves made them completely suitable for decorating ceilings such as the ceiling of the tomb of Senfer, which contains a wonderful and precise repetition of the clusters and leaves that were colored in bright colors.  COLUMN ▪ The ancient Egyptians used columns for functional reasons, to support ceilings, and for reasons related to what the column adds with its plant decorations, relief and sunken sculptures, and its towering, slender proportions of aesthetic values. ▪ The columns were originally taken from tree trunks to perform the function of supporting the ceiling, the ancient Egyptians quickly changed the material by using stone and decorating them with colorful aesthetic elements such as plants and different geometric shapes to become an architectural element that carries aesthetic and functional value. ▪ The ancient Egyptians were influenced by what was in the environment around them, so we find them working to inspire columns from the shapes of plants, and this appears in the palm column, the papyrus column, the lotus column, and the composite floral columns, all of which go back to a plant origin.  COLUMN The most important characteristics of columns in ancient Egypt: ▪ The ancient Egyptians are considered the first to use them as geometric columns (quadrant prism - smooth cylinder/polygon with capitals and bases - plant columns such as lotus - papyrus - palm - chariot). ▪ Simplicity, massiveness and luxurious: These are characteristics of ancient Egyptian architecture such as the Pyramids of Giza - the Step Pyramid of Saqqara - temple entrances, 75 meters high and temples carved into mountains. ▪ Temple plans were not created for functional reasons, but rather as a reflection of philosophical - religious concepts  COLUMN IN THE OLD KINGDOM ▪ Palm columns appeared, which are the columns that we see in the temple of "Sahure" and "Userre" in Abu Sir, as well as papyrus columns with bundles and closed flowers. What draws attention in the columns of the Old Kingdom are the stone blocks above them, which appeared devoid of decorations until the Fifth Dynasty. ▪ Columns appeared in the form of hyacinth flowers, which resemble primitive plant bundles, and the body of each column appeared to be composed of round stems that gradually decrease in thickness towards the top, where they are tied with five ties above which the flower appears almost open. ▪ The columns were made of granite, simple squares, and later turned into polygonal columns (8 or 16 sides) with a decorative capital. FORM OF COLUMNS IN THE OLD KINGDOM FORM OF COLUMNS IN THE OLD KINGDOM THANKS! Do you have any question?