Ancient Egyptian Architecture

Ancient Egyptian Architecture

Ancient Egyptian architecture can only be described as impressive, especially considering it is still around today. However, one of the features we lose sight of when analizing this architecture is it’s origins. For instance; where did the idea of erecting a gigantic stone pyramid pointing towards the heavens come from? This is just one question of many whose answer is simple: the environment.
Egyptians, living in dune ridden deserts, had few elements of their environment to praise, but the ones they had they treasured deeply. The Egyptian pyramids reflect these elements, and other ideals associated with them. The first two things anyone notices when observing a pyramid are the sheer size of the structure and the color of the structure. This is a manifestation of the permanence and perpetuity of the desert in which they live, as they both seem to go on forever. The color also matches that of the sand surrounding it, even after thousands of years. Another thing to consider in respect to the size is that for a structure to even be visible in the desert, let alone monumental, it must be gigantic.
The next thing one might notice when observing these structures is that they point towards the sky. This is for two reasons. First, the structures are paying homage to the next life which their inhabitants would be passing onto insofar as they are moving on to live forever. After all, the primary - and arguably only - function of these pyramids was to act as a burial chamber. Secondly, the point gave structural rigidity and provided a design that would stand up to the test of time. The egyptians knew that the design would be able to withstand the high winds and other weather of the desert, and they incorporated this into their design.
Thirdly, the pyramids pay homage to the Nile, the Egyptian’s source of water, trade, and transport within their country. The Pyramids reflect the scale of the river, and certainly how, like with the nile, the importance of...

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