Ancient Egyptian architecture in fifteen monuments / Felix Arnold.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Subduing the forces of nature and the founding of a state. The per-wer : harnessing animal-power; The Shunet al-Zebib: power by separation; The Djoser-complex : modern architecture; The Bent Pyramid : bodies in light; The Temple of Sahure : imitating nature -- Moral responsibility and the construction of society. The hut-ka-Chapel at Bubastis : simple construction; The Temple of Mentuhotep II : opening space; The White Chapel : striving for perfection; The Labyrinth : cultivating choice; Hatshepsut's Thebes : creating landscapes -- Erected demarcations and the emergence of religious communities. The Great Aten-Temple : the sky is the limit; The Great Hypostyle Hall : projected power; The Temple at Tanis : segregation by purity; The Naos of Mendes : space compacted; The Edfu Temple : space assembled -- Ancient Egyptian architecture : a summary.

"The monuments of ancient Egypt have held scholars and tourists in their thrall for centuries. The sheer mass of the pyramids of Giza, the interaction of the temples at Deir al-Bahari with the natural environment, and the use of light in the hypostyle hall of Karnak all make these buildings world-class masterpieces of architecture, rivaling those of Greece and Rome. Ancient Egyptian Architecture in Fifteen Monuments presents an authoritative overview of Egyptian architecture from the point of view of an archaeologist and architectural historian with decades of fieldwork experience in Egypt and elsewhere. It focuses on fifteen selected masterpieces, from well-known structures such as the Bent Pyramid in Dahshur and the temple of Horus at Edfu to lesser-known monuments in Hierakonpolis, Abydos, Hawara, and Bubastis, each building representing an important stage in the development of Egyptian architecture and a different vision of what architecture should aspire to achieve. Using sixty reconstruction drawings and black-and-white photographs, Felix Arnold presents new insights into form, meaning, and the organization of space, providing a fresh perspective on ancient Egyptian culture and society."-- Provided by publisher.