Architecture is mostly based on the country which it is situated in, the context surrounding the architectural form to be built and the activities that it will encompass. Ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman architecture were the first approaches to influence and guide the rest of the architectural styles worldwide. To start with, the concept behind most Egyptian architecture was the strong belief in life after death. This faith justifies why the Valley of the Kings (where the tombs of the Pharaohs were constructed) is located on the Western Side of the Nile, where the sun sets, whereas the cult temples are on the Eastern side, the horizon on which the sun rises. Egyptian architecture had a great influence on Greek architecture since, like the Egyptians, they used posts and lintels, not arches. The …show more content…
In addition, exterior and interior walls, as well as the columns, were covered with hieroglyphics and pictorial paintings and carving. Hieroglyphs were carved for ornamental purposes as well as to note historic events. The sculptors developed motifs using natural objects which include palm leaves, the papyrus plant, and the buds and flowers of the lotus. Many motifs of Egyptian ornamentation are also symbolic, such as the scarab (sacred beetle) and the vulture. Another important architectural form in Egypt was the mastaba which is a tomb consisting of an underground burial chamber with rooms above it (at ground level) to store offerings. The mastaba, like most of the architectural structures in Egypt, was made of mud bricks and was also characterized, as previously mentioned, with sloping sides and a flat roof. The mastaba had tunnels leading to the deceased who was hidden below the ground. In my opinion, although Egyptian architectural designs were not architecturally complex, they were monumental and of great addition to the Egyptian