The building materials inherent to Egypt, stone and brick, influence the scale of the architecture as well as the surrounding natural environment, societal hierarchy and religion. (Blakemore, p.2) Ancient Egypt had a polytheistic religion, meaning many gods. The pharaohs felt that using their wealth and power to create temples and tombs using vertical elements created both a physical and spiritual connection to the gods in the afterlife. In addition, by dramatizing the scale of a building, Ancient Egyptians were able to emphasize its importance while making the observer feel obsolete in comparison. Columns, obelisks and statues were often used in temples to exaggerate the scale of the building.
Hatshepsut’s temple incorporates these elements, while also sharing a decidedly feminist view. It is known that Hatshepsut surrounded herself with advisors – possibly a more democratic rule in Egypt. Hatshepsut’s temple’s horizontal form contrasts greatly to the typically male commissioned pyramids. This temple was built to be a part of the land instead of simply placed on it. The architect, “Senmut integrated the terraces into the horizontal layers of the cliff, with the vertical lines of the colonnades echoing the vertical weathered grooves of the cliff faces, making temple and cliff seem to be extensions of each other.” (Roth, p. 202) Mother Earth? The many entrances and large, visible ramp suggest an open and social building representing unity within society. The repetitive vertical openings on both levels reiterate this ideal by welcoming all of society to interact with the building. Hatshepsut does incorporate “male” forms as well. The large, elongated dividers and statues between each opening institute a more “male” ideal but seem to be placed to confirm her importance in society. Although she does believe in community and unity, she also must illustrate her power so that she is not undermined.
The pyramid form was perfected during the Fourth Dynasty in Giza. In section, the Pyramid of Khufu shows the precision in which these massive buildings were built – with all sides having equal slopes as well as showing a progression in the planning of the pyramid through multiple burial chamber locations. (Roth, p.199) It seems that the primary responsibility of the pyramid was to store wealth and elevate the pharaoh closer to the gods in the afterlife. Pharaohs created these “beacons on the landscape” to emphasize their importance and superiority to previous leaders. In addition to the symbolism of verticality, is the singular – the individual. The pyramid showcases rigid boundaries and is more secluded than Hatshepsut’s temple. These structures stood apart from the surrounding environment by the reflecting sunlight off the highly polished surface. The slick structure also made climbing impossible. Entrance ways and interior passages were hidden from the public and create additional boundaries to reiterate the importance of the Pharaoh in respect to the common man, his individuality and to protect the wealth within. (Roth, pp.196-201)
We have been able to extract this vignette of Ancient Egyptian society due to their unchanging ideals and spiritual belief in the afterlife. “The goal of Egyptian culture, and the architecture that housed its institutions, was continuity and order; this unending effort to thwart time, death, and decay” (Roth, p. 210) The architects of this time not only utilized commodity and delight in the planning of the pyramids of Egypt, but perhaps more importantly, they built their architecture to the specifications needed to fit within their religious beliefs. They needed these structures to last for eternity and, so far, many of them have. The remains within, hieroglyphs on the walls, and structures themselves all commit to their firmness in society and have allowed future societies to begin to understand their way of life thousands of years ago. In this way too, they have lived to eternity.
Reflecting on Egyptian culture, I have come to look at buildings of the 20th century in relation to power and community. Large skyscrapers most certainly take on a male form and typically represent buildings of important financial power. The Statue of Liberty stands out from the waters of New York Harbor. Community buildings tend to have fewer stories, even in cities. State houses consist of horizontal buildings with a central dome. Court houses continue to house relatively few stories and could relate back to society as a whole. These are the homes where democracy interacts directly with the common man as a jury. The fewer stories, the less intimidating. As cities grow and buildings become skyscrapers, these forms are meant to herald the region’s power. More and more skyscrapers will in turn result in increasingly large populations living in close quarters. This exponential growth affects all aspects of society; agriculture, commerce, wealth, and will continue to degrade the environment respectively. As we place continue to place buildings on the land, we use the land without knowing the land. I believe we must start to incorporate qualities seen in Queen Hatshepsut’s temple of Ancient Egypt. As the Fourth Dynasty ended, people were no longer utilizing their wealth as they had during their “Golden Age”. People were less wasteful and more conscious of the environment and society. We need to create buildings that promote community and equality and those that are built with similar firmness as Egypt’s architecture so that nature’s resources are not required to rebuild year after year. We need to be conscious of our buildings and their intentions; we need to create buildings that are of the earth.
Reflecting on Egyptian culture, I have come to look at buildings of the 20th century in relation to power and community. Large skyscrapers most certainly take on a male form and typically represent buildings of important financial power. The Statue of Liberty stands out from the waters of New York Harbor. Community buildings tend to have fewer stories, even in cities. State houses consist of horizontal buildings with a central dome. Court houses continue to house relatively few stories and could relate back to society as a whole. These are the homes where democracy interacts directly with the common man as a jury. The fewer stories, the less intimidating. As cities grow and buildings become skyscrapers, these forms are meant to herald the region’s power. More and more skyscrapers will in turn result in increasingly large populations living in close quarters. This exponential growth affects all aspects of society; agriculture, commerce, wealth, and will continue to degrade the environment respectively. As we place continue to place buildings on the land, we use the land without knowing the land. I believe we must start to incorporate qualities seen in Queen Hatshepsut’s temple of Ancient Egypt. As the Fourth Dynasty ended, people were no longer utilizing their wealth as they had during their “Golden Age”. People were less wasteful and more conscious of the environment and society. We need to create buildings that promote community and equality and those that are built with similar firmness as Egypt’s architecture so that nature’s resources are not required to rebuild year after year. We need to be conscious of our buildings and their intentions; we need to create buildings that are of the earth.
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