Chapter 2 Blog: Ancient Civilizations

 In the ancient middle east, three civilizations really stand out: Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Nubia. The time period of Ancient Egypt stands out when we look at historical architecture and design.The ancient egyptians play with an assortment of colors,c characters and impressive monuments in their artwork. Now, we understand this historical era through a system that divides the period into the Old Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom, and the New Kingdom. 

The Old Kingdom is suspected to have taken place from abbott 2649-2150 B.C.. The Old Kingdom is known most for the construction of pyramids. Egyptian civilization focused a lot on death and the afterlife. Because of this, they took pride in the architecture created to interact with the ruling elite and gods. These people would practice the custom of entombing the dead and laying a ruler’s body down to eternal rest. The practice of entombing is why we have so many of the oldest surviving pieces of furniture. 

The Pyramid of Giza is one of the most well-known pyramids from this time period. Believed to be constructed around 2600 B.C., it is famous for being the largest Egyptian pyramid. The Great Hypostyle Hall is another one of the most visited monuments of Ancient Egypt, located in the Precinct of Amon-Re of the Karnak temple complex. This monument refers to the architectural pattern of a large space with a flat roof supported by rows of columns.

 

The Middle Kingdom, from 2030-1640 B.C., the construction of pyramids became less prominent. The Pharaohs in Egypt turned their attention from the principal type of royal monuments to building and outfitting the great pylon temples. This shift in architecture and construction leads us into the New Kingdom.

The New Kingdom took place from 1570-1090 B.C. The building of pyramids had decreased and the Egyptian age of art and architecture prospered. There was quite a considerable amount of architectural achievement during this time period. Egypt turned their attention, not just towards buildings, but also to furniture. We see historical examples of their armchairs and the delicate crafting of the seating for religious or state ceremonies. They started using woods for the furniture, such as cedar, cypress, and ebony, and decorated them with pieces of gold, silver, and ivory inlays. They even carved the legs of the furniture pieces to end in the hoofs of oxen, lions paws, or talons to symbolize strength and power. These carvings, ornaments, and precious stones further emphasized the importance of whoever was in power.

The Tomb of Tutankhamun was discovered in 1922. Its legacy is so great because it is one of the oldest Egyptian pharaoh tombs that appeared completely intact after so much time. They discovered this tomb and recovered so many different, incredible pieces of furniture and art. They found pieces of furniture that resembled a folding bed, chairs for adults and even children, stools, chests, thrones, and more. All of the furniture found can operate under two systems: 1. The importance of simple geometry, and 2. A sensitivity to the shape of the human figure. Though they had some curves, the pieces reflected many right angles and geometric shapes, squares, rectangles to configure an aesthetically pleasing form.

The Egyptians continued to develop their construction and furniture and began to use more and more dynamic materials. Although the artwork was highly stylized, conventional, and conservative so the changes came about slowly, over the course of centuries, we notice the obvious shift in their building style today. They used more types of metals, and woods, like acacia, willow, sycamore, tamarisk. The way they were used helped the pieces become more comfortable and not so rigid. 

Lastly, Egypt continued to advance and create not just structures, monuments, and pieces of furniture, but also jewelry. They took advantage of the metals gold ,silver, ivory, and more and we can understand that rulers and royal Egyptians decorated themselves with jewelry to highlight their power. They used colors like red, black, and gold and loom and woven textiles like linen and wool. 

As we continue to learn more about the past and the way that people years and years ago created things that jump-started our creativity today, it’s obvious why it’s impossible. God made us in his image and made humans with a purpose. Though we may seem different from those people long ago, we have a similar idea or art and design. The ability to create and design should not be taken for granted. The Lord gives us this ability and we can see how it grows and evolves throughout history. 

Some of  my favorite current day applications from this time period:

                        The Luxar Hotel Chrysler Building Egyptian fashion