ARCHITECTURE

FRONT VIEW OF HYPOSTYLE HALL, TEMPLE OF AMON-RE

Ancient Egypt Cornice decorated with cavetto molding

THE CIVILIZATION OF THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS (which lasted Campaniform

from about 3100 bc until it was finally absorbed into the (open papyrus)
capital
Roman Empire in 30 bc) is famous for its temples and
tombs. Egyptian temples were often huge and
geometric, like the Temple of Amon-Re (below and
Architrave
right). They were usually decorated with hieroglyphs
(sacred characters used for picture-writing) and painted Papyrus-
reliefs depicting gods, Pharaohs (kings), and queens. bud
capital
Tombs were particularly important to the Egyptians,
who believed that the dead were resurrected in the Socle
afterlife. The tombs were often decorated—as, for
example, the surround of the false door opposite—in Side aisle Central nave Side aisle
order to give comfort to the dead. The best-known Stone slab forming
ancient Egyptian tombs are the pyramids, which Horus, the Sun-god Architrave flat roof of side aisle
were designed to symbolize the rays of the Sun.
Many of the architectural forms used by the
ancient Egyptians were later adopted by other
civilizations; for example, columns and capitals
were later used by the ancient Greeks (see pp.
460-461) and ancient Romans (see pp. 462-465).
SIDE VIEW OF HYPOSTYLE HALL, TEMPLE
OF AMON-RE, KARNAK, EGYPT, c. 1290 BC

Kepresh
crown
with
disk

Chons, the Amon-Re, king Hathor, the Papyrus Cartouche (oval border) containing Socle Aisle running
Moon-god of the gods sky-goddess motif the titles of the Pharaoh (king) north-south

458
 ANCIENT EGYPT

LIMESTONE FALSE DOOR WITH HIEROGLYPHS, PLANT CAPITAL OF THE

TOMB OF KING TJETJI, GIZA, EGYPT, c.2400 BC PTOLEMAIC-ROMAN PERIOD,
Hieroglyph representing a house EGYPT, 332-30 BC
Palm
Lintel Disk leaf
representing
sun or light

Papyrus
flower
Eroded Limestone
image of stela Papyrus
Tjetji (slab) leaf

Hoe-shaped Head Image of Image of Papyrus

hieroglyph of false Tjetji’s wife Tjetji’s stem
representing door daughter
“mr” sound Lotus bud Lotus stem

Cornice decorated with Bead Trellis Rectangular pier decorated ANCIENT EGYPTIAN
cavetto molding molding window with hieroglyphs BUILDING DECORATION

Elevated roof
of central nave
Clerestory

Disk representing
Sun or light DECORATED WINDOW,
MEDINET HABU, EGYPT,
c. 1198 BC

Architrave
Square
abacus
ROPE AND PATERAE
Papyrus- DECORATION
bud
capital

Papyriform
column

Shaft
CAPITAL WITH THE HEAD OF THE
SKY-GODDESS HATHOR, TEMPLE
OF ISIS, PHILAE, EGYPT, 283-47 BC

LOTUS AND PAPYRUS

Scene depicting a Pharaoh (king) Central nave FRIEZE DECORATION
paying homage to the god Amon-Re

459