Ancient Civilization
The Age of the Pyramids
Gina Christopher
This age is extremely important because this is when wooden furniture, woven textiles, and more advanced art/artifacts were welcomed to the world. Most of these creations began in Ancient Egypt during the Age of the Pyramids. This is the age of elite royal tomb making and remembering of the dead. There were 4 big periods of ancient civilizations; the old kingdom, the middle kingdom, the new kingdom, and the twenty-fifth dynasty. The old kingdom was all about the pyramids, the middle kingdom focused on building the great pylon temples, and the new kingdom was based primarily on Egyptian art and architecture. Then in the twenty-fifth Dynasty Nubian pharaohs ruled Egypt. Nubians had very similar architectural styles compared to the Egyptians. Nubian pyramids were smaller but still symbolized respecting the dead. Nubians also focused a lot on forms and ascetics when ranting to their art pieces. As a whole, ancient civilization left legacies such as, monumental sculpture, rich colors (red, black, and gold), jewelry, the use of animals in decoration, large-scale cities, increased knowledge of mathematics, and wooden furniture.
Favorite Architecture/ Art/ Furniture
The Great Hypostyle Hall
The Great Hypostyle Hall draws my attention because it looks embodies many architecture principles I am learning about. The contrast between void and solid this monument embraces is amazing. I also love the play on hierarchy you experience when you walk through this amazing concept. Love, love love!
Woven Textiles
Linen and wool textiles from ancient civilization are the oldest form of fabrics in the world. This is fascinating to me. Not only do they look beautiful and have amazing details/designs, but these were hard to produce. Hand weaving takes at of skill and patience, which is why I am so attracted to these.
I attached a video below that shows more about handmade weaving in Egypt.
Art
Egyptian Art is plentiful and it did nothing but keep evolving. My favorite thing about Egyptian art is the symbolization of the Lotus. Many pieces of art include the Lotus flower from this time period. The flower symbolized creation and rebirth because at night the flower closes and emerges under water, and at dawn it rises and open up again. I love this as a flower lover!
One Step Further
Queen Hatshepsut ruled as a Pharaoh in the 15th century BCE. She is known for constructing numerous temples and monuments in Egypt. She is one of the first great female architects of the world. She built grandly, just like all the male Pharaoh’s. Her goal was to prove that a woman could be a great Pharaoh. I choose her because she inspires me to do all the things that males do. Below are some of her work. 
Current Applications
Muttart Conservatory (Edmonton, Alberta Canada)
The Muttart Conservatory is used for education and research. The structure is composed of 4 glass pyramids. 3 of the praymids are used to display tropic plants and the other one is used to show the plants during the change of the seasons. These structures are modern day glass pyramid green houses and amaze me. I would love to visit these one day!
Walter Pyramid (Long Beach, California)
Walter Pyramid is a University Sports Arena used for basketball and volleyball for over 20 years. The structures cobalt blue exterior is well noticed among the city’s skyline. The building rises 18 stories above the campus and can be seen for miles in every direction. This is literally a modern day pyramid.
Orabi Villa
Orabi Villa is an Egyptian style mansion that transports you back in time. The home is filled with hand-carved wooden doors and furniture. The interior also consists of handmade Persian rugs and Egyptian colors such as, red and gold. Although this Villa transports you to the Age of the Pyramids, it’s also equipped with modern details such as, security cameras, heating/cooling systems, and an 8 car garage.
Extra links:
(A virtual walk through of the Muttart Conservatory)
(Handmade weaving in Egypt)
This is an absolutely spectacular blog! OMG I literally agree with everything. I love lotus flowers, so reading about that in your blog made me feel at home! Girl, let's go visit the Muttart Conservatory together! It is incredible how they can make such a beautiful place and have it be functional as a greenhouse. Absolutely stunning!
ReplyDeleteHi Gina! This blog looks phenomenal!! It is so aesthetically pleasing. Also, all of the material you covered was so accurate and laid out very well. I specifically liked your mention of the Great Hypostle Hall and how you compared it to other things that you were learning in other classes. You've applied everything very well to other parts of your life. Great job!
ReplyDeleteHi Gina! I loved how you summarized your blog! It is so well organized and so interesting to read. I loved all your current application images, especially the Orabi Villa and how modern it is with touches of Egyptian style. Well done!
ReplyDeleteThis blog is just as good, if not better, than last weeks! The way you organize and summarize your information is so interesting and inviting. The images you used highlight this as well! Good job!
ReplyDeleteGina- you got me with the opening image! I love how you not only explained the kingdoms but gave the the three reasons this period was very important around the world. The creation of wooden furniture, woven textiles, advanced art and artifacts. Your favorite art and architecture choices were great and supported by images.
ReplyDeleteYour current applications were excellent too. It's so interesting to see that even today the influence of Egypt continue. 50/50 total points