Pantheon Research Paper
The Ancient World was a place where great discoveries were made. A World where great things and extraordinary minds existed. Every group of civilizations had something different they believed in. These heroes of ancient cultures deserve to be acknowledged. These were the people who developed the basic building blocks of architecture, furniture and interiors that we use today. They worked hard and strived for perfection.
I have decided to look at the Pantheon, Parthenon and Temple of Horus as buildings of my inspiration. These buildings are examples of magnificent architecture and over the years people have altered and changed the styles, but the basics still remain the same up to today.
THE PANTHEON, …show more content…
126 AD
The Pantheon, once an ordinary building in Rome, Italy, is a roman temple built for Publius Aelius Hadrianus during the reign of Augustus. It was created as a temple for all the ancient Rome gods.
Pantheon is an ancient Greek word which means All Gods.it was speculated by a Roman senator, Cassius Dio, that the name of the Pantheon either comes from all the statues of so many gods placed around the building, or the semblance of the roof to the heavens.
It was a building of the ordinary classical type. It is rectangular with a gabled roof which is supported by a colonnade on all sides. There were eight columns in the first rank and two pairs of four behind. The building was rebuilt completely with a few alterations made in the early 3rd century. The building is circular and constructed of concrete which is faced with bricks and has a great concrete dome (or roof), rising from the walls. At the front there is a porch of Corinthian columns supporting a gabled roof with a triangular pediment.
Underneath the porch are enormous bronze doors. These doors are 7 meters high and they are the earliest large examples of this nature.
Originally, the building was approached by a flight of stairs. Later construction raised the level of the ground that lead to the portico and the stairs was eliminated.
There was a relief structure, perhaps of gold-plated bronze, that was used to decorate the pediment of the …show more content…
Pantheon.
The Pantheon took over three years for it to be completed. 732 construction workers were what it took for the building to be finished.
It is said that the Pantheon is incredible for its size, its design and its construction. The dome measures about 43 meters in diameter and rises to a height of 22 meters above its base. Until modern times, the dome was one of the largest built.
The Pantheon is renowned as one of the most celebrated structures in the world and serves a great amount of inspiration for architects and architecture. It is also one of the best preserved buildings and most impressive of all Roman buildings. The Pantheon has always been a symbol of Rome.
The concrete they used for the coffered dome was poured into moulds. Most probably, it was mounted on temporary scaffolding. The main source of natural light comes from the oculus. The height of the oculus was planned and constructed in such way, that it would be able for the whole interior to fit exactly inside a cube.
It was perhaps intended for the interior of the dome to be a symbol of the arched vault of the heavens. The oculus was designed to serve as a ventilation and cooling system as well. An incredible drainage system, designed underneath the floor, handles the rain water that falls through the oculus during storms.
It is circles and squares that form the merging theme of the interior design of the Pantheon. Each part of the interior’s floor to ceiling, is sectioned according to a different scheme. As a result then, none of the interior decorative zones lined up. The effect overall is the viewer’s immediate orientation according to a key axis of the building, even though the cylinder-shaped space is outdone by a curved dome which is essentially vague.
The Pantheon has been used as a tomb since the Renaissance and during the 15th century, it has been adorned and appreciated with paintings.
THE PARTHENON, 438 BC
The Parthenon was a Greek temple of classical architectural style. It is situated in Athens, Greece, on top of the Acropolis Hill.
Before I get started on the Parthenon, I would first like to explain a bit of the Acropolis Hill in order to make it easier to understand.
Almost all of the Greek cities had an Acropolis, or also well known as a high city. It is located on a hill that served as a defensive refuge or place, to keep the people safe when they got attacked or besieged. The utter most important religious structures were built on the Acropolis Hill.
Then there was the cultural centre of the city called the agora. It served as a public square, market place and centre of entertainment.
One of Greece’s richest treasures was fine grained marble. It was widely available both on some of the Aegan islands or in the mainland of Greece. Marble that was favoured for buildings and sculpture were found about 15 km outside of Athens, on the island of Paros, Parian marble from Mt. Parpessa, as well as Pentelic marble from Mt. Pentecilus. This was because the marble allowed for crisp edges and meticulously carved details.
The Parthenon was constructed of Pentelic marble. The roof tiles were made from the same material as well.
The Pentelic marble had a range of colours for example white to grey.
The Parthenon was dedicated to Athena, the maiden goddess. People considered it their patron deity.
It was erected in an incredibly short period between 447 and 438 BC. Decoration of the building however still continued until 432 BC. This building is generally considered the culmination of the Doric order and is the most important building to survive of the Classical Greece.
After the Parthenon was completed, a grand new gateway was created to the Acropolis Hill. One could enter from the west (the Propylaia), which was the only side accessible of the natural plateau.
Two other temples, that might have been part of the original design layout, were later constructed on the Acropolis Hill with the Parthenon and Propylaia, known as the Erechtheion and the Temple of Athena Nike. These were built after the death of Pericle.
It is quite a miracle for the fact that these buildings still exist today.
The Parthenon is regarded as an enduring symbol of Ancient Greece and also one of the world’s greatest cultural monuments. It was also, in its day, regarded as the finest and has a reputation of being the most perfect Doric temple that was ever built.
This building was converted into so many areas of religion. It was for example converted to a Byzantine church and later to a Catholic church (which was during the Middle Ages), and from there it was then converted into an Islamic mosque, after the Ottoman conquest of Greece.
The Parthenon was modified structurally after each time it was remoulded for a different religion.
The harmonious design of the Parthenon and the mathematical precision of the sizes of its constituent elements, often tend to hide the fact that the construction of this temple is quite irregular in shape. The Greeks liked to make use of optical illusions when it came to the architecture and construction of buildings.
There is a slight decrease in diameter in the columns as they rise. The platform on which the columns stand is known as the stylobate. As in so many other classical Greek temples and buildings, the stylobate has a slight parabolic (or shallow dome) upward curvature (which is carried up into th entablature) intended to shed the rainwater and strengthen the building against earthquakes. Therefore, the columns might be supposed to lean outwards, but in fact they are actually leaning slightly inwards. The columns at the corners have a diagonal inclination and are about 3 cm thicker than the rest. If the columns are carried on, they would meet almost exactly 1 km to 1.5 km above the Parthenon. The east front of the building is built at a slightly lower level than that of the west front.
Virtually, each and every Parthenon block and drum had to be specifically carved according to the special set of specifications that its unique place in the structure dictated. This was all due to the deviations from the norm.
It can be observed how a dynamic balance is created in the building through the curving of horizontal lines and the tilting of vertical ones.
What exactly is meant when one talks about the Doric order of the Parthenon?
A Doric column has no base. The columns are 4 to 7 diameters in height and have 20 flutes which join in sharp arises. The fluting extends from the bottom of the column to the annulets. It has a capital that is composed of an abacus and an echinus. The capital is half a diameter in height. The frieze is decorated with triglyphs and metopes (which employed a high relief carving). There is a carved ornament onlyon the pediment and in the metopes. There was rarely a decorative frieze on the exterior cella wall. At the sides, the pteroma was narrower than at the ends. Behind the cella was the opisthodomos, which had a connecting door between them.
There are ninety-two metopes on the Parthenon carved I a high relief. It was an employed practise only in buildings that were used to keep ritual gifts to the gods. On the east side of the Parthenon, the metopes above the main entrance depict the mythical battles between Giants and the Olympian gods. The metopes on the west end of the Parthenon shows the mythical battle of the Amazons against the Athenians. On the south side, the metopes (seems to be the best preserved), shows the battle of the Lapiths against the Centaurs (half-man, half-horse). The other 13 – 21 metopes are missing. Drawings however have been found that indicated a series of humans (these have been interpreted as scenes from the Lapith wedding), or scenes from the early history of various myths and of Athens. The metopes are poorly reserved on the northern side of the Parthenon. Here, the subject appears to be the sack of Troy.
Greek buildings were usually symmetrical with the entry centred in the gable end. The layout of the buildings on site was less predictable. Each component in a Greek building had a purpose. In order to draw attention to the structural components and to emphasize their functions, an ornament was added.
It was typical of Greek structures to have paintings on the Parthenon. In order to make sure these paintings could be seen in the bright Mediterranean sun, they used bright colours. The Greeks stained the marble of the temple with a mixture of saffron and milk. As a background on the frieze and the pediment, for the triglyphs and some of the moldings, the colour blue was used. A red background was used for the metopes. The sculptures inside of them were polychromed. The face of the taenia, which was a flat surface were painted with a band pattern. In the Dorric order it was usually done without any fuss.
In 1687, when the Acropolis was in the hands of the Turkish, it was overwhelmed by the Venetians. A direct smash scored by one of their rockets, hit the ammunition depot that the Turks had installed in a part of the Parthenon. The building’s centre was blown out as a resultant explosion. The Venetians consequently tried to remove some of the Parthenon’s statues on its pediments, which made matters worse. More than a couple of times, the statues have been dropped and smashed on the ground.
In the modern world of today, something different from back then, threatens the Parthenon as well as the other buildings of the Periclean age. This is a threat that decomposes the ancient marbles. This threat would be the corrosive emissions of factories, acid rain and vehicles.
Luckily, there is a campaign that has been under way for a while now to protect the columns and walls from further weakening.
THE TEMPLE OF HORUS, 237 BC
During the reigns of six Ptolemies, the Temple of Horus was built. Horus means the falcon headed god. It is the second largest temple after Karnak. It is also the best preserved ancient temple in Egypt. It is believed that the temple was built on the site of the great battle between Horus and Seth.
The original structure housing a statue of Horus was a grass hut built in prehistoric times, or so it has been said. On the current building, there is an earlier and smaller pylon of Ramesses II which sits in a 90 degree angle.
A great Hypostyle Hall is included in the main building. There is a depiction of the Feast of the Beautiful Meeting, the annual reunion between Horus and his wife Hathor, on numerous reliefs. Most of the times, the reliefs are situated on the inside of the first pylon. It then spiritually connect this temple with Hathor’s Temple ate the Dendera complex. The priests at the Dendera complex would, during the third month of summer, place the statue of Hathor on her ceremonial barge. They would then bring the statue to the Edfu Temple. It was believed that Horus and Hathor shared a marital visit. Afterwards, each night, the god and goddess would retire to the berthing house.
However, there is still an entrance colonnade to the mamissi. The reliefs situated just outside the main temple, still have remaining colour. The ritual of the birth of Harsomtus, son of Horus and Hathor, is the images still portrayed on these reliefs.
Typical scenes of the pharaoh in battle with his enemies are portrayed on the 118 feet high pylons of the main Temple. A colonnaded courtyard with distinctive, pared columns, are found within the pylons. It then leads into the great hypostyle hall. On either side of the courtyard, there are gates which lead to an area behind the temple and inside the bounding walls. Inscriptions are found here where recording donations of land which were possibly transferred from demotic documents. The defeat of Seth by Horus, are also depicted by dramatic images. An annual ritual called the Triumph of Horus was held. This battle ended the slaying of a hippopotamus which is the symbol of Seth.
Images honouring Horus and Hathor, was found in the façade of the first hypostyle hall. There is also an perfect ten foot tall colossi of Horus as the falcon god. The use of light can be noticed once one enters the great hall. The temple is very harmonious; ebbs and flow of lighting was certainly purposeful, which portrayed a feeling of mystery, even though the temple was built over hundreds of years.
There are two small rooms just inside the hall. On the west is a robing room and on the east side is a library where the priest would obtain the religious orders of the day. There are scenes of offering within the hall, which includes the temple foundation ceremonies.
Beyond the hypostyle hall is a second, smaller hypostyle hall. This then leads to a well called the Chamber of the Nile. Here, the priests obtained pure holy water. At Dendera, a similar arrangement is found. There are doors on the west side of the room that lead to a small laboratory. It had recipes for ointments and perfumes engraved on the walls. It was used daily to anoint the statue of Horus as well as to a treasure room where offerings were stored.
The offering hall was beyond the second hypostyle hall. It was followed by the foyer and finally the sanctuary. A granite naos is dedicated here by Nectanebo II, which makes it the oldest relic in the temple. It is possible that a golden gilded wooden statue of Horus (which is about 60 cm tall) would have resided on the naos. The priests would care and look after the statue in a humanly matter. It would be washed, dressed, anointed, fed and entertained.
FURNITURE
ROMAN FURNITURE:
It is to quite a large extent that the types and style of ancient Roman furniture followed those of their Classical and Hellenistic Greek predecessors. It is therefore, in many cases, difficult to distinguish between Roman forms from earlier and Hellenistic ones.
The stool is one of the most common types of seating when it comes to the Roman period.
This is probably because of its portability being easy. It was expensive to make the stool, even when it was in its simplest form. Stools were used by both slaves and emperors. Those who were poor got plain stools, while those who were wealthy had access to precious woods, had ornaments inlayed, metal fittings, ivory, silver and gold leaf. The bronze stools from Herculaneum were square in shape. It had straight legs with decorative stretchers and a dipped seat. An important indicator of power in the Roman period was the folding stool. Both stools and chairs folded into a scissor fashion in order to make it easier to
transport.
It is considered for the Latin word solium to be equivalent to the Greek term thronos. It is often translated as “throne.” There are three types of thrones based on Greek prototypes. There are thrones with rectangular, or turned legs, and grandiose thrones with solid sides. There are several examples which survived in stone.
There are a few Roman couches which actually survived. Beds were used for sleeping in the bedrooms of wealthy households.
GREEK FURNITURE:
Typically, their furniture was constructed of wood. It might also be made of stone or metal (such as bronze, gold, iron and silver). Varieties of wood including oak, maple, willow and beach were used. There is very little of the wooden furniture survived though.
Backless stools were the most common form of Greek seating. It was found in almost every Greek home. It was easy to transport and move around.
As early as the late 7th century, a couch was a form used in Greece. it was supported by four legs. Two of them might have been longer than the other which provided support for an armrest or headboard. There were three types of couches. There were those with animal legs, turned legs and those with rectangular legs. There would be fabric draped over the woven platform of the couch and cushions placed against the head or armrest. This made the Greek couch an item well suited for a meeting.
Greek tables were often low in general. The most common table had a rectangular top which was supported on three legs. Tables could have circular tops and four legs, or even one central leg instead of three. It is indicated by other images that tables could range in style from the highly ornate to the relatively unadorned.
EGYPTIAN FURNITURE:
Houses were mostly, during those times, very little furnished. The majority of the Egyptians did not have many belongings that needed storage. Therefore, they only needed a chest or two or maybe even a few baskets which was able to provide enough storage.
Beds existed with wooden frames on legs, onto which strips of leather or cloth were fastened. Tenons and mortises were used to put the frames together. The Egyptians used headrests instead of pillows to sleep on. They were made of pottery, stone, clay, ivory or most often wood.
Headrests were connected with the rising of the sun and therefore had great symbolic significance. Often, the heads of mummies were supported by these headrests.
Chairs were used by important people, because it was reflected by the hieroglyph and was the formative for dignitary. The hieroglyph was a man sitting on a chair.
Every era and civilization had their own unique styles and senses of architecture. Each one developed in its own way. Without any of these Ancient influences, we would not have known all the different building styles, nor would we have been able to gather ideas and find inspiration.
Each building, each structure, had their very own stories of how they were created and planned and the reasons why. Sculptures, paintings etc. were created to emphasise and better explain these stories as well as complimenting the different buildings.
So many hard work and labour went into the process in order to create successful and extraordinary structures in history. And even today still, a few great minds come together in order to design an idea and share it with the world. But even then still, it would not have been possible to construct a new building without the inspirations and influences of Ancient architecture. The only difference between back then and the modern times of today is the modifications made and how architectural styles evolved.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
WEB: http://www.megessays.com/viewpaper/5594.html www.greatbuilding.com/buildings/Pantheon.html www.islamic-architecture.info/NA-EG/NA-EG-009.htm Durant, W. (1966). The Story of Civilization: Volume II, The Life of Greece. New York: Simon & Schuster
Cichy, B. (1964). The Great Ages of Architecture from Ancient Greece to the Present Day. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons.
Ireland, J. (2009). History of Interior Design. United states of America: Fairchild Publications
I have decided to look at the Pantheon, Parthenon and Temple of Horus as buildings of my inspiration. These buildings are examples of magnificent architecture and over the years people have altered and changed the styles, but the basics still remain the same up to today.
THE PANTHEON, …show more content…
126 AD
The Pantheon, once an ordinary building in Rome, Italy, is a roman temple built for Publius Aelius Hadrianus during the reign of Augustus. It was created as a temple for all the ancient Rome gods.
Pantheon is an ancient Greek word which means All Gods.it was speculated by a Roman senator, Cassius Dio, that the name of the Pantheon either comes from all the statues of so many gods placed around the building, or the semblance of the roof to the heavens.
It was a building of the ordinary classical type. It is rectangular with a gabled roof which is supported by a colonnade on all sides. There were eight columns in the first rank and two pairs of four behind. The building was rebuilt completely with a few alterations made in the early 3rd century. The building is circular and constructed of concrete which is faced with bricks and has a great concrete dome (or roof), rising from the walls. At the front there is a porch of Corinthian columns supporting a gabled roof with a triangular pediment.
Underneath the porch are enormous bronze doors. These doors are 7 meters high and they are the earliest large examples of this nature.
Originally, the building was approached by a flight of stairs. Later construction raised the level of the ground that lead to the portico and the stairs was eliminated.
There was a relief structure, perhaps of gold-plated bronze, that was used to decorate the pediment of the …show more content…
Pantheon.
The Pantheon took over three years for it to be completed. 732 construction workers were what it took for the building to be finished.
It is said that the Pantheon is incredible for its size, its design and its construction. The dome measures about 43 meters in diameter and rises to a height of 22 meters above its base. Until modern times, the dome was one of the largest built.
The Pantheon is renowned as one of the most celebrated structures in the world and serves a great amount of inspiration for architects and architecture. It is also one of the best preserved buildings and most impressive of all Roman buildings. The Pantheon has always been a symbol of Rome.
The concrete they used for the coffered dome was poured into moulds. Most probably, it was mounted on temporary scaffolding. The main source of natural light comes from the oculus. The height of the oculus was planned and constructed in such way, that it would be able for the whole interior to fit exactly inside a cube.
It was perhaps intended for the interior of the dome to be a symbol of the arched vault of the heavens. The oculus was designed to serve as a ventilation and cooling system as well. An incredible drainage system, designed underneath the floor, handles the rain water that falls through the oculus during storms.
It is circles and squares that form the merging theme of the interior design of the Pantheon. Each part of the interior’s floor to ceiling, is sectioned according to a different scheme. As a result then, none of the interior decorative zones lined up. The effect overall is the viewer’s immediate orientation according to a key axis of the building, even though the cylinder-shaped space is outdone by a curved dome which is essentially vague.
The Pantheon has been used as a tomb since the Renaissance and during the 15th century, it has been adorned and appreciated with paintings.
THE PARTHENON, 438 BC
The Parthenon was a Greek temple of classical architectural style. It is situated in Athens, Greece, on top of the Acropolis Hill.
Before I get started on the Parthenon, I would first like to explain a bit of the Acropolis Hill in order to make it easier to understand.
Almost all of the Greek cities had an Acropolis, or also well known as a high city. It is located on a hill that served as a defensive refuge or place, to keep the people safe when they got attacked or besieged. The utter most important religious structures were built on the Acropolis Hill.
Then there was the cultural centre of the city called the agora. It served as a public square, market place and centre of entertainment.
One of Greece’s richest treasures was fine grained marble. It was widely available both on some of the Aegan islands or in the mainland of Greece. Marble that was favoured for buildings and sculpture were found about 15 km outside of Athens, on the island of Paros, Parian marble from Mt. Parpessa, as well as Pentelic marble from Mt. Pentecilus. This was because the marble allowed for crisp edges and meticulously carved details.
The Parthenon was constructed of Pentelic marble. The roof tiles were made from the same material as well.
The Pentelic marble had a range of colours for example white to grey.
The Parthenon was dedicated to Athena, the maiden goddess. People considered it their patron deity.
It was erected in an incredibly short period between 447 and 438 BC. Decoration of the building however still continued until 432 BC. This building is generally considered the culmination of the Doric order and is the most important building to survive of the Classical Greece.
After the Parthenon was completed, a grand new gateway was created to the Acropolis Hill. One could enter from the west (the Propylaia), which was the only side accessible of the natural plateau.
Two other temples, that might have been part of the original design layout, were later constructed on the Acropolis Hill with the Parthenon and Propylaia, known as the Erechtheion and the Temple of Athena Nike. These were built after the death of Pericle.
It is quite a miracle for the fact that these buildings still exist today.
The Parthenon is regarded as an enduring symbol of Ancient Greece and also one of the world’s greatest cultural monuments. It was also, in its day, regarded as the finest and has a reputation of being the most perfect Doric temple that was ever built.
This building was converted into so many areas of religion. It was for example converted to a Byzantine church and later to a Catholic church (which was during the Middle Ages), and from there it was then converted into an Islamic mosque, after the Ottoman conquest of Greece.
The Parthenon was modified structurally after each time it was remoulded for a different religion.
The harmonious design of the Parthenon and the mathematical precision of the sizes of its constituent elements, often tend to hide the fact that the construction of this temple is quite irregular in shape. The Greeks liked to make use of optical illusions when it came to the architecture and construction of buildings.
There is a slight decrease in diameter in the columns as they rise. The platform on which the columns stand is known as the stylobate. As in so many other classical Greek temples and buildings, the stylobate has a slight parabolic (or shallow dome) upward curvature (which is carried up into th entablature) intended to shed the rainwater and strengthen the building against earthquakes. Therefore, the columns might be supposed to lean outwards, but in fact they are actually leaning slightly inwards. The columns at the corners have a diagonal inclination and are about 3 cm thicker than the rest. If the columns are carried on, they would meet almost exactly 1 km to 1.5 km above the Parthenon. The east front of the building is built at a slightly lower level than that of the west front.
Virtually, each and every Parthenon block and drum had to be specifically carved according to the special set of specifications that its unique place in the structure dictated. This was all due to the deviations from the norm.
It can be observed how a dynamic balance is created in the building through the curving of horizontal lines and the tilting of vertical ones.
What exactly is meant when one talks about the Doric order of the Parthenon?
A Doric column has no base. The columns are 4 to 7 diameters in height and have 20 flutes which join in sharp arises. The fluting extends from the bottom of the column to the annulets. It has a capital that is composed of an abacus and an echinus. The capital is half a diameter in height. The frieze is decorated with triglyphs and metopes (which employed a high relief carving). There is a carved ornament onlyon the pediment and in the metopes. There was rarely a decorative frieze on the exterior cella wall. At the sides, the pteroma was narrower than at the ends. Behind the cella was the opisthodomos, which had a connecting door between them.
There are ninety-two metopes on the Parthenon carved I a high relief. It was an employed practise only in buildings that were used to keep ritual gifts to the gods. On the east side of the Parthenon, the metopes above the main entrance depict the mythical battles between Giants and the Olympian gods. The metopes on the west end of the Parthenon shows the mythical battle of the Amazons against the Athenians. On the south side, the metopes (seems to be the best preserved), shows the battle of the Lapiths against the Centaurs (half-man, half-horse). The other 13 – 21 metopes are missing. Drawings however have been found that indicated a series of humans (these have been interpreted as scenes from the Lapith wedding), or scenes from the early history of various myths and of Athens. The metopes are poorly reserved on the northern side of the Parthenon. Here, the subject appears to be the sack of Troy.
Greek buildings were usually symmetrical with the entry centred in the gable end. The layout of the buildings on site was less predictable. Each component in a Greek building had a purpose. In order to draw attention to the structural components and to emphasize their functions, an ornament was added.
It was typical of Greek structures to have paintings on the Parthenon. In order to make sure these paintings could be seen in the bright Mediterranean sun, they used bright colours. The Greeks stained the marble of the temple with a mixture of saffron and milk. As a background on the frieze and the pediment, for the triglyphs and some of the moldings, the colour blue was used. A red background was used for the metopes. The sculptures inside of them were polychromed. The face of the taenia, which was a flat surface were painted with a band pattern. In the Dorric order it was usually done without any fuss.
In 1687, when the Acropolis was in the hands of the Turkish, it was overwhelmed by the Venetians. A direct smash scored by one of their rockets, hit the ammunition depot that the Turks had installed in a part of the Parthenon. The building’s centre was blown out as a resultant explosion. The Venetians consequently tried to remove some of the Parthenon’s statues on its pediments, which made matters worse. More than a couple of times, the statues have been dropped and smashed on the ground.
In the modern world of today, something different from back then, threatens the Parthenon as well as the other buildings of the Periclean age. This is a threat that decomposes the ancient marbles. This threat would be the corrosive emissions of factories, acid rain and vehicles.
Luckily, there is a campaign that has been under way for a while now to protect the columns and walls from further weakening.
THE TEMPLE OF HORUS, 237 BC
During the reigns of six Ptolemies, the Temple of Horus was built. Horus means the falcon headed god. It is the second largest temple after Karnak. It is also the best preserved ancient temple in Egypt. It is believed that the temple was built on the site of the great battle between Horus and Seth.
The original structure housing a statue of Horus was a grass hut built in prehistoric times, or so it has been said. On the current building, there is an earlier and smaller pylon of Ramesses II which sits in a 90 degree angle.
A great Hypostyle Hall is included in the main building. There is a depiction of the Feast of the Beautiful Meeting, the annual reunion between Horus and his wife Hathor, on numerous reliefs. Most of the times, the reliefs are situated on the inside of the first pylon. It then spiritually connect this temple with Hathor’s Temple ate the Dendera complex. The priests at the Dendera complex would, during the third month of summer, place the statue of Hathor on her ceremonial barge. They would then bring the statue to the Edfu Temple. It was believed that Horus and Hathor shared a marital visit. Afterwards, each night, the god and goddess would retire to the berthing house.
However, there is still an entrance colonnade to the mamissi. The reliefs situated just outside the main temple, still have remaining colour. The ritual of the birth of Harsomtus, son of Horus and Hathor, is the images still portrayed on these reliefs.
Typical scenes of the pharaoh in battle with his enemies are portrayed on the 118 feet high pylons of the main Temple. A colonnaded courtyard with distinctive, pared columns, are found within the pylons. It then leads into the great hypostyle hall. On either side of the courtyard, there are gates which lead to an area behind the temple and inside the bounding walls. Inscriptions are found here where recording donations of land which were possibly transferred from demotic documents. The defeat of Seth by Horus, are also depicted by dramatic images. An annual ritual called the Triumph of Horus was held. This battle ended the slaying of a hippopotamus which is the symbol of Seth.
Images honouring Horus and Hathor, was found in the façade of the first hypostyle hall. There is also an perfect ten foot tall colossi of Horus as the falcon god. The use of light can be noticed once one enters the great hall. The temple is very harmonious; ebbs and flow of lighting was certainly purposeful, which portrayed a feeling of mystery, even though the temple was built over hundreds of years.
There are two small rooms just inside the hall. On the west is a robing room and on the east side is a library where the priest would obtain the religious orders of the day. There are scenes of offering within the hall, which includes the temple foundation ceremonies.
Beyond the hypostyle hall is a second, smaller hypostyle hall. This then leads to a well called the Chamber of the Nile. Here, the priests obtained pure holy water. At Dendera, a similar arrangement is found. There are doors on the west side of the room that lead to a small laboratory. It had recipes for ointments and perfumes engraved on the walls. It was used daily to anoint the statue of Horus as well as to a treasure room where offerings were stored.
The offering hall was beyond the second hypostyle hall. It was followed by the foyer and finally the sanctuary. A granite naos is dedicated here by Nectanebo II, which makes it the oldest relic in the temple. It is possible that a golden gilded wooden statue of Horus (which is about 60 cm tall) would have resided on the naos. The priests would care and look after the statue in a humanly matter. It would be washed, dressed, anointed, fed and entertained.
FURNITURE
ROMAN FURNITURE:
It is to quite a large extent that the types and style of ancient Roman furniture followed those of their Classical and Hellenistic Greek predecessors. It is therefore, in many cases, difficult to distinguish between Roman forms from earlier and Hellenistic ones.
The stool is one of the most common types of seating when it comes to the Roman period.
This is probably because of its portability being easy. It was expensive to make the stool, even when it was in its simplest form. Stools were used by both slaves and emperors. Those who were poor got plain stools, while those who were wealthy had access to precious woods, had ornaments inlayed, metal fittings, ivory, silver and gold leaf. The bronze stools from Herculaneum were square in shape. It had straight legs with decorative stretchers and a dipped seat. An important indicator of power in the Roman period was the folding stool. Both stools and chairs folded into a scissor fashion in order to make it easier to
transport.
It is considered for the Latin word solium to be equivalent to the Greek term thronos. It is often translated as “throne.” There are three types of thrones based on Greek prototypes. There are thrones with rectangular, or turned legs, and grandiose thrones with solid sides. There are several examples which survived in stone.
There are a few Roman couches which actually survived. Beds were used for sleeping in the bedrooms of wealthy households.
GREEK FURNITURE:
Typically, their furniture was constructed of wood. It might also be made of stone or metal (such as bronze, gold, iron and silver). Varieties of wood including oak, maple, willow and beach were used. There is very little of the wooden furniture survived though.
Backless stools were the most common form of Greek seating. It was found in almost every Greek home. It was easy to transport and move around.
As early as the late 7th century, a couch was a form used in Greece. it was supported by four legs. Two of them might have been longer than the other which provided support for an armrest or headboard. There were three types of couches. There were those with animal legs, turned legs and those with rectangular legs. There would be fabric draped over the woven platform of the couch and cushions placed against the head or armrest. This made the Greek couch an item well suited for a meeting.
Greek tables were often low in general. The most common table had a rectangular top which was supported on three legs. Tables could have circular tops and four legs, or even one central leg instead of three. It is indicated by other images that tables could range in style from the highly ornate to the relatively unadorned.
EGYPTIAN FURNITURE:
Houses were mostly, during those times, very little furnished. The majority of the Egyptians did not have many belongings that needed storage. Therefore, they only needed a chest or two or maybe even a few baskets which was able to provide enough storage.
Beds existed with wooden frames on legs, onto which strips of leather or cloth were fastened. Tenons and mortises were used to put the frames together. The Egyptians used headrests instead of pillows to sleep on. They were made of pottery, stone, clay, ivory or most often wood.
Headrests were connected with the rising of the sun and therefore had great symbolic significance. Often, the heads of mummies were supported by these headrests.
Chairs were used by important people, because it was reflected by the hieroglyph and was the formative for dignitary. The hieroglyph was a man sitting on a chair.
Every era and civilization had their own unique styles and senses of architecture. Each one developed in its own way. Without any of these Ancient influences, we would not have known all the different building styles, nor would we have been able to gather ideas and find inspiration.
Each building, each structure, had their very own stories of how they were created and planned and the reasons why. Sculptures, paintings etc. were created to emphasise and better explain these stories as well as complimenting the different buildings.
So many hard work and labour went into the process in order to create successful and extraordinary structures in history. And even today still, a few great minds come together in order to design an idea and share it with the world. But even then still, it would not have been possible to construct a new building without the inspirations and influences of Ancient architecture. The only difference between back then and the modern times of today is the modifications made and how architectural styles evolved.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
WEB: http://www.megessays.com/viewpaper/5594.html www.greatbuilding.com/buildings/Pantheon.html www.islamic-architecture.info/NA-EG/NA-EG-009.htm Durant, W. (1966). The Story of Civilization: Volume II, The Life of Greece. New York: Simon & Schuster
Cichy, B. (1964). The Great Ages of Architecture from Ancient Greece to the Present Day. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons.
Ireland, J. (2009). History of Interior Design. United states of America: Fairchild Publications