Ancient Civilizations

 

Ancient Civilizations

by Ruth Ramos

Old Kingdom: Age of the Pyramids

Around the time of 2690 to 2190 B.C. pyramids were the cream of the crop. Only those of high social status would be buried in these pyramids. Typically it would be for the kings and queens of the Old Age in Egypt. The Great Pyramid of Giza consisted of several elements such as the grand gallery, the king's chamber, the queen's chamber, an air shaft, etc. Many pyramids followed the same structure with a room for the King's goods. 

New Kingdom: Advancements

The time of the new kingdom was heavily influenced by Greek culture due to the Greek pharaohs that rained during the Ptolemaic era. Temples were the biggest innovations of the New Age Kingdom and held great significance. To the point that cities would be built around central temples. Egyptians often displayed their strength and power through their artwork, through armchairs, the legs of furniture, and the furniture itself. They would incorporate specific parts of animals including lions, oxen, and hawks. The main colors used were red, black, and gold symbolizing divinity, vitality, and new life.

All in all, the ancient civilizations brought prosperous architecture from pyramids to temples and The time of the ancient civilizations brought prosperity and richness to global architecture. From the pyramids to the armchairs, it set off a chain reaction of innovation.

This is some of my favorite architecture from this time!

The Edfu Temple (237 B.C.)

One of the largest and most well-preserved temples of the ancient kingdom. A place rich in history containing many texts and statues. Who wouldn't want to go?

Short video for further information:

The Temple of Edfu

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The Great Sphinx (Giza Temple)

I grew up watching The King of Egypt, this has to be one of my favorite pieces of architecture from this time. The amount of time and dedication that went into a project like this must be insane. It took somewhere between 3 years to build with about 100 workers. All carved from a singular piece of limestone.

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Kom Ombo Temple

This temple became a fertility clinic in Egypt for some time. The temple was dedicated to the god Sobek, the crocodile since female crocodiles can produce a great amount of offspring. What makes this temple unique is that it is actually a double temple containing several hidden passages and a mummified crocodile museum. However, I would go for the tunnels and the beautiful scenery.

In case you can't go see it in person, here is a video on how it looks!

Temple of Kom Ombo

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Here are a few of my favorite current applications!

Louvre Pyramid- Paris

How could you not admire such beauty in this structure? While this pyramid opened up much room for tension, many started to follow the same structure. It is now seen in many places and even the media, including movies and shows! (Miraculous Ladybug-no questions asked).

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Tour Triangle- Paris

It appears Paris is in love with these pyramids! This is another example of the legacy the pyramids left behind. Wouldn't it be lovely to see this in person?

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Modern Hieroglyphs

The detailed art and hieroglyphs of ancient civilizations translated to much of the architecture we see today, such as the image above. It adds life and depth to a space making it more interesting and visually captivating.

One Step Further

Hemiunu

Hemiunu was an Egyptian prince who is believed to have been the mastermind behind the Great Pyramid of Giza. A statue of Hemiunu was found inside his tomb that is still present to this day. Hemiunu was given the titles of King's Son of His Body, Chief Justice, and Vizier, all found in his tomb.