MASTABAS, PYRAMID, TEMPLE OF AMUN-RE, TEMPLE OF MENTUHOTEP

1. 1. Ancient kingdom (4400 – 2466 BC) – Mastabas were built
during the 3rd dynasty & most
pyramids were built during the 4th dynasty.
2. Middle kingdom (2466 – 1600 BC) – 12th dynasty founded the
great temple of Ammon at karnak.
3. New kingdom ( 1600 – 332 BC) – Thebes became the capital
& queen Hatsheput
constructed the terraced temple at Der-el –bahari.
The Pharaohs were referred to as the rulers.
The tomb was seen as a permanent dwelling for the afterlife
HIEROGLYPH, A CHARACTER USED IN A SYSTEM OF
PICTORIAL WRITING, PARTICULARLY THAT FORM USED
ON ANCIENT EGYPTIAN MONUMENTS.

2. The Matabas of Ancient Egypt
Mastaba “House of eternity” Traced back to Pharaoh Aha (2686 BCE)
Designed as protection for the mummyTombs carved into the bedrock and
covered with mud bricks with enclosures on the sides
Above ground the Mastaba is a large bench of sun-baked bricks rising 9
meters high It had a flat top and slanting walls The earliest royal tombs
were decorated with painted patterns in brilliant colors
Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum
Mastaba tomb, Saqqara

3. On the west bank of the Nile on the
edge of the desert at Saqqara STEP
PYRAMID COMPLEX of King Zoser (or
Djoser) the second pharaoh of the 3rd Dynasty.
The step pyramid of pharaoh Zoser was an intermediate
stage in the evolution of the pyramid. Its architect Imhotep
built it in stages. It was started as a square, solid
mastaba, but a series of extensions made it into a six
stepped pyramid with a rectangular ground-plan.
The Zoser complex is rectangular in plan & the enclosure
wall measuring 549m x 274m &rises to a height of 9m.
The old structure was an under ground burial chamber,
which was extended to a 25’ht rectangular base.
In the 2nd stage it grew into a step pyramid with 4stages.
Later 2 more stages were added to make it a 6 tiered
pyramid. The entire complex is built of tura limestone
including the offering chapel.

4. ENTRANCE GATE TO FUNERARY

5. DASHUR: BENT PYRAMID OF SNEFERU
actual height: 101.15 m
base length: 188 m
western descending corridor
2600 BC

7. Sphinx of Chephren, is a limestone statue of a
reclining sphinx, a mythical creature with the body
of a lion and the head of a human The face of the
Sphinx is generally believed to represent
the pharaoh Khafre
It measures 73 m
(240 ft) long from paw
to tail, 20 m (66 ft)
high from the base to
the top of the head
and 19 m (62 ft) wide
at its rear

8. The sides are oriented to the four cardinal points of
the compass and the length of each side at the base
is 755 feet (230.4 m). The faces rise at an angle of
51º 52’ and their original height was 481 feet (147
m). (They currently rise 451 feet [138 m].

9. It was constructed using around 2,300,000
limestone blocks, each weighing an average
of 2.5 tons. Some blocks weigh as much as 16
tons. For centuries, the Great Pyramid was
encased in smooth limestone,

10. This chamber which is carved in the plateau
bedrock is 34' x 10'. It contains no sarcophagus
and also includes a pointed ceiling.

11. View of sphinxes, the first pylon, and
the central east-west aisle of
The massive temple complex of
Karnak was the principal
religious center of the god Amun-
Re in Thebes- SUN TEMPLE
The great temple of Ammon at
Karnak is the grandest of all
Egyptian temples & was built by
many kings starting from the
12th dynasty down to Ptolemy’s
period. It has six entrance
pylons, which can be seen in
this picture & was built from BC
1550 – 323.
TEMPLE OF AMUN-RE, KARNAK

12. The Temple of Amun in Egypt, unusually, is built along
two axis running both east-west and north south.
processional avenue of ram-headed sphinxes
The pylons lead to a Great court measuring 338’ by
278’, which accommodates the shrine of Seti II &
the temple of Ramesses III. The central axis of the
temple is oriented in the east- west direction & the
same is emphasized by 6 pairs of columns in the
court.

14. The great hypostyle hall is about 320’ x 160’ internally & is
roofed by enormous slabs of stone, supported by 138 columns.
The roof of the central avenue is raised to a height of 80’ with
the columns itself rising to 69’ ht & having a diameter of 11’ 9”
with lotus bloom capitals.
The side avenues are lower in order to admit light through
clear storey windows with the columns rising to 42’ ht and 9’
diameter, having lotus bud capitals.

15. the Festival Temple of Thutmose
III, which had columns that
represented tent poles
HYPOSTYLE HALL
One of the greatest architectural marvels of Karnak is the hypostyle
hall built during the Ramesside period (a hypostyle hall is a space
with a roof supported by columns). The hall has 134 massive
sandstone columns with the center twelve columns

16. two statues of Ramses II had flanked the
entrance to the hypostyle hall.almost 50 ft tall
Temple of Khons

17. Egyptian Capitals

18. The obelisks of Ancient Egypt
-The Obelisks symbolized the sun god Ra and it was
believed that the structure possessed magical power
and protected the temples and tombs.
-It is a monumental tapering column carved from a
single block of stone.It was capped with a pointed top.
-The term is derived from the Greek word obelisks
meaning “needle”.
-On each side of obelisk contains a line of hieroglyphic
inscriptions containing the title of Pharaoh and praising
the God was seen.
-Placed in pairs at the entrance of the temples
associated with sun, also on some tombs. categorized
as: “minor obelisks” “giant or major obelisks”- height
of 9-32 m and tip covered with gold so that it would
catch the first ray of sun and reflect.
The tallest obelisk in Egypt stood at
Karnak and was dedicated by the female
pharaoh Hatshepsut who ruled Egypt
during the New Kingdom.

19. The djed, an ancient Egyptian symbol meaning 'stability', is the
symbolic backbone of the god Osiris
Osiris is the Egyptian Lord of the Underworld and Judge of the Dead.

21. DEIR EL-BAHARI WITH HATSHEPSUT'S TEMPLE
TEMPLE OF THUTMOSIS III
MENTUHOTEP II
complex of mortuary temples
and tombs located on the west
bank of the Nile, opposite the
city of Luxor, Egypt
MENTUHOTEP II

22. Funerary Temple of Mentuhotep built
in 2052 BCE
Mentuhotep’s temple consisted of a
large forecourt leading to a ramp at
the western end

23. Mentuhotep’s actual tomb, deep inside the
mountain, was accessible through a long tunnel
that ran beneath a large hypostyle hall.

24. Complex in Abu Simbel
Temple of Ramses II
mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut
at Der – el Bahari
Osiris Statues at Deir el-Bahari or
Temple of Queen Hatshepsut