Ancient Egypt: Difference between revisions

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===Obelisks===
===Obelisks===


=== Pyramids ===
=== Pyramids ===


==== Inspiration ====
+=== early tombs & monumental structures ===+
[[File:Benben-stone Pyramidion of the Pyramid of Amenemhet III at Dahshur wiki 350.jpg|frame|right|Benben stone from Wikipedia]]
* in the Egyptian creation myth (see below) a pyramid-shaped land rises from otherwise empty waters, a "primeval mound" called "Benben"
** thus the Benben represents creation and the origin of the sun
** early Egyptians built large earth mounds to represent the the rising land of creation, which was subsequently represented in a pyramid shape of a single block of stone, thus the Benben
 
=== early tombs & monumental structures ===
[[File:Mastaba-faraoun-3.jpg|thumb|Example of a mastaba, a built-up structure over underground tomb]]
[[File:Mastaba-faraoun-3.jpg|thumb|Example of a mastaba, a built-up structure over underground tomb]]
* early Egyptians built elaborate underground burial tombs for kings & elites
* early Egyptians built elaborate underground burial tombs for kings & elites
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** increasingly complex over time
** increasingly complex over time
** some structures began to take shape of pyramids, which were adopted for kings
** some structures began to take shape of pyramids, which were adopted for kings
==== Benben stone ====
[[File:Benben-stone Pyramidion of the Pyramid of Amenemhet III at Dahshur wiki 350.jpg|frame|right|Benben stone from Wikipedia]]
* in the Egyptian creation myth (see below) a pyramid-shaped land rises from otherwise empty waters, a "primeval mound" called "Benben"
** thus the Benben represents creation and the origin of the sun
** early Egyptians built large earth mounds to represent the the rising land of creation, which was subsequently represented in a pyramid shape of a single block of stone, thus the Benben


==== Old Kingdom early pyramid building ====
==== Old Kingdom early pyramid building ====