DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.25500#0034
EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE.
9
known world, into the hands of the conquering Romans,
and became a Roman province. On the spread of Maho-
metanism, in a.d. 638, Egypt was conquered by the Arabs,
who left important monuments. In a.d. 1517 it became a
part of the Turkish dominions.
2. ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER.
The principal remains of ancient Egyptian architecture
are the Pyramids (or royal tombs of the kings) and the
temples. Contrast in this respect Egypt with Assyria,
where the palaces of the kings are the chief remains. The
Egyptian wall-paintings and sculptures, jewellery, bronze
implements and utensils, which have been unearthed from
their temples or tombs, show that the race had attained to a
high degree in art. As regards their architecture, the im-
pression which forms itself in the mind of the spectator is
that here was building for eternity; for all the remains have
a character of immense solidity, and, as a general rule, of
grand uniformity.
The Pyramids are the most extravagant of all ancient
buildings in many ways. The relative return in impressive-
ness and the higher beauties of the art is comparatively
small when compared with the amount of labour, expense,
and material used in their erection. It must be borne in
mind that the Pyramids were built for a special purpose.
If the pyramid had been left at half its height, it would
have remained a national observatory, but as it was closed
over, its object was astrological. It was in the lifetime of
the founder intended to furnish an accurate horoscope, and
on his death to form a secure tomb.
The Architectural Character of the temples is striking
and characteristic. The buildings decrease in height from
front to back, and form a disconnected collection of various
sized buildings, often built at different times, and thus form
a direct contrast to the harmonious whole of a Greek
temple, which is all comprised within one “order” of
columns, and which is distinctly both in appearance and
reality one building.
9
known world, into the hands of the conquering Romans,
and became a Roman province. On the spread of Maho-
metanism, in a.d. 638, Egypt was conquered by the Arabs,
who left important monuments. In a.d. 1517 it became a
part of the Turkish dominions.
2. ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER.
The principal remains of ancient Egyptian architecture
are the Pyramids (or royal tombs of the kings) and the
temples. Contrast in this respect Egypt with Assyria,
where the palaces of the kings are the chief remains. The
Egyptian wall-paintings and sculptures, jewellery, bronze
implements and utensils, which have been unearthed from
their temples or tombs, show that the race had attained to a
high degree in art. As regards their architecture, the im-
pression which forms itself in the mind of the spectator is
that here was building for eternity; for all the remains have
a character of immense solidity, and, as a general rule, of
grand uniformity.
The Pyramids are the most extravagant of all ancient
buildings in many ways. The relative return in impressive-
ness and the higher beauties of the art is comparatively
small when compared with the amount of labour, expense,
and material used in their erection. It must be borne in
mind that the Pyramids were built for a special purpose.
If the pyramid had been left at half its height, it would
have remained a national observatory, but as it was closed
over, its object was astrological. It was in the lifetime of
the founder intended to furnish an accurate horoscope, and
on his death to form a secure tomb.
The Architectural Character of the temples is striking
and characteristic. The buildings decrease in height from
front to back, and form a disconnected collection of various
sized buildings, often built at different times, and thus form
a direct contrast to the harmonious whole of a Greek
temple, which is all comprised within one “order” of
columns, and which is distinctly both in appearance and
reality one building.