Volume I Part 10 (2/2)

Each assertion will be justified by reference to characteristic examples In this matter our only difficulty will be an _e the vast nuypt from the time of Menes to that of the Persian conquest

In order to avoid repetition and to put before the reader ideas which he will have no difficulty in assieneralization farther still Before we es we shall endeavour to define the general and unchanging characteristics of Egyptian architecture as a whole; characteristics which were fixed by the idiosyncracy of the race, by its beliefs and social customs, by the nature of the climate, and of the materials of which the architect could dispose We shall do the same for assyria and Chaldaea, for Persia and Phnicia, for each, indeed, of the nationalities which are to be considered in our history

These theoretical chapters will be illustrated in the same fashi+on as the others, except that the illustrations will partake of the generalized and abstract character of the text which they accora the definitions or descriptions to which they belong They will each refer to some essential element in the national architecture, to some element which is not peculiar to any one edifice more than another, but is to be found in all those which have similar aims and are constructed of the same materials Such elements are above and outside such accidental variations as may be found in details of plan or ornament; they form part of the substantial inner constitution of the arts of Egypt and Chaldaea, and inality indisputable

-- 2--_General Principles of Foryptian edifices are _pyramidoid_; in other words, the outward surfaces of their walls affect the for these surfaces vertically we find that they unite at last in a point, in the case of square buildings (Fig

58), and in a ridge in those which are oblong in plan (Fig 59)[92] A square building will soe, or _arete_, when the principal _facade_ and the corresponding one in its rear are vertical, the other two being inclined

[92] _Lois generales de l'Inclinaison des Colonnes dans la Construction des Terecs de l'Antiquite_, dedicated to his Majesty, Otho I, by CHARLES VILLEROI, engineer Athens, 1842, 8vo

Horizontal lines predos, therefore, tend to develop in length and depth rather than in height To this general rule, however, the pylons afford exceptions

[Illustration: FIG 58--Square building]

[Illustration: FIG 59--Rectangular and oblong building]

The terminations of their edifices were also horizontal There was no necessity for sloping roofs, as, away from the iypt Moreover, the natural conformation of the country had its influence upon the creations of its inhabitants The unforeseen and sudden variations, the contrasts of hill and plain, which we find in a ypt is a verdant plain, intersected by canals, and stretching froypt the lazy river is acco chains of hills, the Arab chain and the Libyan, whose summits form an almost unbroken line Between these aspects of nature and the works of eneral syyptian landscape is well characterised in these lines of M CH BLANC, taken froypte_ (p

116): ”Pour le e sirand par sa sines planes qui s'allongent et se prolongent sans fin, et qui s'interrompent un instant pour reprendre encore leur niveau et se continuer encore, impriment a la nature un caractere de tranquillite qui assoupit l'iularite peut-etre unique au monde, les varietes qui viennent rompre de distance en distance la vaste uniforyptienne se reproduisent toujours lesthis piece of word painting, lest its suggestive rhythm should vanish in the process--ED]

The peculiar character of Egyptian architecture is owing to its lateral extension, and to those wide-spreading bases and foundations which suggest the inclination of the superincus, we feel that it is capable of infinite extension horizontally, and that but one of its diht, is liive a look of sturdy power to Egyptian architecture which is peculiar to itself, and suggests an idea of unbounded durability[94]

[94] Similar notions are expressed by M CH BLANC in his _Grammaire des Arts du Dessin_ (Book i ch viii) ”The wide-spreading base is the distinguishi+ng characteristic of the Egyptian monuments Wall, pier, and coluyptian architecture, are short and thick set To add to this appearance of solidity the relative size of the base is increased by that tendency towards the pyra The pyra upon earth, stand upon enorest horizontal diameter The pyra one side of its base, and only 146 in height, _ie_, its base is to its height as 8 to 5 All Egyptian round they cover than for their height [except the ives them an appearance of absolutely eternal durability”

[Illustration: FIG 60--The Libyan chain, above the necropolis of Thebes]

An appearance of incoravity, of soles for the adht of which it ement Compared to our modern architecture, in which s play such an iloos and their s walls than any other style

One of the essential arrangeyptian architecture is shared by many other countries, that of the _portico_, by which we mean an alternation of voids and solids in certain well defined proportions, either for orna a covered way, or for dividing the halls of the interior and supporting their roofs

[Illustration: FIG 61--General appearance of an Egyptian Temple[95]]

[95] This illustration has been coeneral idea of the yptian temple

The relation between voids and solids in any style of architecture is one of the ypt this relation gives rise to the following remarks:

1 Supports of the sahts in one and the sa 62)

[Illustration: FIG 62--Teypte_, t iii, pl 55)]