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Precision of Ancient Architecture

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PRECISION OF ANCIENT ARCHITECTURE

Pantheon

Pyramids of Giza

Parthenon

Architecture is used as a way to demonstrate the state of a community

and

its

embodied

values.

Therefore,

humans

needed to make their structures as precise as possible through advancements in technology and knowledge in order to show others how successful and strong they were, and to fit to their social or religious needs. Many structures were aligned to the c a r d i n a l p o i n t s o r t h e s u n ’s p a t h , a n d s o m e w e n t a s f a r a s t o make minor adjustments to each aspect of the building to make Hagia Sophia

i t l o o k p e r fe c t fo r t h e e y e ’s p e r c e p � o n .


T H E G R E AT P Y R A M I D S O F G I Z A

They are co nst r ucte d o f ye llow l i m esto ne a n d th en ca s ed wit h wh ite lim e sto ne . The Egyp�a n s ’ a dva nc ed u�l i za�o n o f t he te ch no lo gy o f t he ir day h e lped them m a ke the py ra m i ds s o pre cis e . Eve n t ho ugh t hey d id no t h ave steel to o l s , they we re ab le to p e r fe ct ly cut lim e sto n e i nto b ri c ks u s i n g co pp er chis e ls , d r ills , s aws , an d t h e ar t o f stereo to my. T hey a l s o cre ate d t he cub it ro d which he lped them m ea s ure o ut the dim e ns io n s fo r e ach b lo ck. Sin c e E g y p�a n s di dn ’ t h ave wh e e ls o r pulleys , th e br icks we re l i �ed a l o n g h el i ca l ra m ps us ing we d ge s and leve rs .

PYRAMID OF KHUFU MEASUREMENTS

OLD KINGDOM A R C H I T E C T: H E M I U N U L O C AT I O N : G I Z A , E G Y P T

T he G re at Py ra m i ds a c t a s tom bs for pharaohs a nd a re si tuate d on the we st si de of t he Nile, which re p re se nts the end of thi ngs and deat h. Ea ch py ra m i d i s bui l t for a spe c i fic pharaoh. F ro m l a rgest to sm a l l e st pyra m i d they are Khufu, Khafre , a nd M e nka ure . T he l a rge size of t hem de mo n strate d t he power of e a c h pharaoh during t he ir re i g n. T he ir a dva nc e d knowl e dge of m at hema�cs is de mo n strate d through the m e a sure ment s of t he Py ra mi d o f K h uf u. T he a pothe m of the py ramid is e qua l to phi , whi c h i s the gol den ra�o, and t he ve r �ca l he i g ht of the pyra m i d i s equal to t he s quare ro o t o f phi .

Φ

Φ

The pyram id s are align e d to t he N o rth sta r a n d perp endi c u l a r to t he Sun’s pat h . The Egyp�ans us ed the Mi za r sta r i n U rs a M aj o r and Ko chab star in U rs a Mi no r, w hi c h m a rk the po s i�o n o f t r u e n o r t h , to cre ate th e a l i g nm ent. Le ad ing u p to e ach pyram id/to mb a re th e va l l ey tem pl e, caus eway, an d m o r t u ar y te m p le . T h e S phi nx i s l o cated nex t to t he valley te m ple o f K haf re , r ig ht i n f ro nt o f the N i l e R i ver.

EXISTING LIMESTONE CASING

PYRAMID OF KHAFRE

MISSING OUTER FACING

PYRAMID OF MENAUKRE PYRAMID OF KHUFU

UPPER ENTRANCE UPPER PASSAGE

MISSING LIMESTONE CASING

LOWER ENTRANCE

PYRAMID OF MENAUKRE

FIRST BURIAL CHAMBER

EXISTING WHITE LIMESTONE CASING

LOWER PASSAGE

CAUSEWAY

ENTRANCE

ANTECHAMBER SECOND BURIAL CHAMBER

MORTUARY TEMPLE

DESCENDING PASSAGE BURIAL CHAMBER

MORTUARY TEMPLE PYRAMID OF KHAFRE

YELLOW LIMESTONE

NILE RIVER

PYRAMID OF KHAFRE

PYRAMID OF KHUFU

TEMPLE OF THE SPHINX

CAUSEWAY MISSING LIMESTONE CASING

GREAT SPHINX

PYRAMID OF KHUFU RELIEVING BLOCKS

AIRSHAFT VALLEY TEMPLE

AIRSHAFT PYRAMIDS OF QUEENS

KING’S CHAMBER

GRAND GALLERY THIEVES’ TUNNELS

PYRAMID OF MEKAURE ENTRANCE

MORTUARY TEMPLE

VALLEY TEMPLE CAUSEWAY

QUEEN’S CHAMBER FALSE TOMB CHAMBER

EX T E R I O R I M AGE

PLAN OF THE GREAT PYRAMIDS OF GIZA


T H E PA R T H E N O N PEDIMENT

GREEK EMPIRE (447 - 432 BC) A R C H I T E C T: I C T I N U S & C A L L I C R AT E S L O C AT I O N : AT H E N S , G R E E C E

METOPE

ARCHITRAVE

TRIGLYPH CAPITAL

T he Pa r the no n sta nds i n Athens, on t he highest poi nt o f i ts A c ropol i s. It wa s bui l t during t he re ig n o f Pe r i c l e s, who he l ped tra nsfo rm At hens i nto a c u l t ura l - pol i �ca l power hous e and was re s po n si b l e fo r rebui l di ng Athe ns a�er t he de st r uc �ve �m e of the Persi a ns. I t was built as a pa nhe l l e n i c te mpl e , m ea nt to a ppeal to all t he G re e ks. The te mpl e wa s de di cate d to At hena, t he godde ss o f wi sdom a nd wa r. It wa s const ructed e n�re l y o ut o f m a r bl e , a nd wa s m uch grander t han a ny o t h e r tem pl e, dem onstra�ng t he polis’s powe r.

Eve n t ho u gh eve r y t hing ap pe ars to be st ra i g ht a nd at a ri g ht a ng l e, t h e re are m o stly no st raight line s o r 9 0 - d eg ree a n g l es i n the Par t h e n o n. Th e G re e ks pu r po s e ly adj usted ever y l i n e a nd a n g l e to m ake it s e e m p e r fe ct to t he nake d eye . A s l i g ht co nvergenc e o f e ach ve r �cal as p e ct an d cur vat u re to t he h o ri zo nta l s were a pp l i ed. Each co lu m n �lte d s o m ewh at inward an d ha d enta s i s , w hi c h m ea ns t h e re was a s light bu lging in t h e ce nte r o f the co l um ns .

SHAFT

STYLOBATE DRUM

PLAN

ELEVATION OF THE PARTHENON

STEREOBATE

8 COLUMNS (OCTASTYLE)

ADJUSTMENTS OF THE PARTHENON

T he a rc hi te c t, I c� nus, used the Gre ek ’s advanced k now l e d ge i n geom etr y to m a ke the temple perfe ct . The ra�o betwe en the l ong side and t he s hor t si de o f t h e te m pl e i s the square root of 5 to 1 . I n a d di �on, the f ront of the Part henon may d e m o nstrate the gol de n ra�o Phi.

METOPE

The Par t he no n is a pe r ipte ral te m p le t h at ha s Do ri c co l um ns . T he capitals o f t he te m ple are s h ar p an d ang l e up to the a ba c u s . T he s h o r te r s id e s o f t h e buildin g , which face ea st a n d west, co nta i n e ight co lu m n s , m akin g it an o ctast yle te mpl e. O n the i ns i de wa s a bicam e ral plan, wit h t wo cham be rs s e p arated by a wa l l w i th p o r�co s f ro m e it h e r s ide . The stat u e o f At hena wa s po s i �o ned i n the back o f t h e large r cham be r.

INWARD TILT OF COLUMNS

COLONNADE

STYLOBATE

PEDIMENT ENTASIS FLUTING

TRIGLYPH

TREASURY

CURVATURE OF HORIZONTALS

TREASURY

NAOS

COLUMN CAPITAL

MARBLE

EXTERIOR IMAGE

SECTION OF THE PARTHENON

STATUE OF ATHENA

NAOS

SHAFT


T H E PA N T H E O N

SECTION A (SPHERE IN PANTHEON)

ROMAN EMPIRE (126 - 128 AD)

STEPPED DOME

A R C H I T E C T: E M P E R O R H A D R I A N L O C AT I O N : R O M E , I TA LY

142 FT DRUM

I n t he f ro nt o f t he Pant he o n i s a po r� co that i s three co lum n s de e p. The C o r inthi a n co l u m ns i n the f ro nt are m ade o f b lack granite a nd th e co l um n s behi n d t h e m are o f pin k granite . T h es e m ateri a l s a re i m p o rte d f ro m Egypt to s how Ro m e’s d i vers i ty o f eco n o m i c powe r and m ate r ial dive rs i ty.

142 FT

T he Pa nthe o n is a tem pl e de di cated to all t he roma n go ds a nd si tuate d i n C a m pus Mar�us of Rom e . I t wa s b ui l t duri ng the rei gn of Emperor H a dr i a n, wh o mostl y contr i buted to the design of t he b ui l di ng .

PERFECT SPHERE

M ost o f th e Pa nthe o n i s m a de of Rom an concrete a nd fa c e d wi th m a rbl e.

DOME

ELEVATION

T he o nl y l i g ht that e nte rs the dom e is t hrough t he o c u l u s o n top, whi c h i s 30 feet i n diameter. It func�o ns a s a spotl i ght that m oves during the day a s th e sun ri se s a nd fa l l s. SECOND PEDIMENT FIRST PEDIMENT

OCULUS

FRIEZE

The Pant h e o n has a do m ed c y l i nd er i n the ba c k . Bo th t h e he ight and d iam ete r o f th i s s p a c e a re equa l to 1 4 2 fe et , m e aning it can ho l d a perfec t s p here i ns i de o f it . H adr ian u s e d t h e G reek ’s k n ow l edge o f s pa�a l ge o m et r y, wh o fi gure d o ut how to m ea s ure the vo lu m e o f a s ph e re and c y l i nder w hen i ntera c �ng with e ach o t he r. Ro m ans co ntri b uted to b ui l di ng thi s m as s ive u ns up po r te d do m e thro ug h thei r s u peri o r kn owle d ge o f co nst r uc�o n. T hey u s ed Ro m a n co ncrete , which was m ade o f l i m e m o rta r a nd pozzo l a na( vo lcanic as h) to cre ate a ha rd m o no l i thi c m a s s . The co ncrete was laid in co u rs es a nd a co nstruc �o n pro ce s s calle d grading wa s us ed. G ra d i ng i s the l ayerin g o f co ncrete , wit h t he a g g regate ge� n g l i g hter e ach �m e . Th is m ade t h e do m e sta bl e s i nc e i t ca rri ed le s s we ight as it m ove d u p. T here i s a l ayer o f co ffers o n t h e inte r io r o f t he do me w hi c h l i g hten s th e wei g ht o f t he do m e as we ll.

CORINTHIAN CAPITAL

COFFER

SHAFT

PLAN

DOME

CIRCULAR DRUM AND DOME ENTABLATURE

OCULUS

STEPPED DOME

INTERIOR IMAGE ROMAN CONCRETE

COFFERED CEILING ROTUNDA

SECTION B

PEDIMENT FRIEZE

COLUMN

EXTERIOR IMAGE

PORTICO


HAGIA SOPHIA

I s id o r us o f M ilet us , a p hys icist , an d A nthem i us o f Tra l l es , a m athem a�cian , we re bo t h et hnically G re e k a n d bro u g ht to Co nsta n�no ple to build t he H agia So phia. W it h them , th ey b ro ug ht th ei r kn owle d ge o f ge o m et r y an d accurate m ea s u rem ents , m a k i ng thi s church t he clim ax o f do m e s . Eve n t h o u g h th e i n nova�o n o f Ro m a n co ncrete was lo st by n ow, t h e archite c ts us ed di fferent s u pp o r�ng syste m s to cre ate s uch a large do me. T h ey sta rted o ff w i th a s q uare , which was 1 0 0 x 1 0 0 byzan�ne feet, f ro m w hi c h fo ur a rc hes s p r u ng o ut o f, cre ate d by fo ur half do m es . A p i er sta n ds o n ea c h co r ne r an d a pe nde n�ve s it s o n to p o f e a c h o n e. T hes e pen den� ves co m bin e wit h t he to ps o f t h e arche s a nd c reate a c i rc l e i ns c ri bed in t h e s q uare . The large d o m e t he n s its o n to p a nd i s s u ppo rted by t h e s e pe n de n�ve s .

DOME

ELEVATION

BYZANTINE EMPIRE (532 - 537 CE)

ARCADE

A R C H I T E C T: T R A L L E S & I S I D O R U S L O C AT I O N : C O N S TA N T I N O P L E ( I S TA N B U L )

HALF DOME

H a g i a So ph i a was bui l t dur i ng Jus�ni an’s reign in Consta n�n o pl e a s a C hr i s�a n C hurc h. Jus�nian ha d ra i se d taxe s on ever ybody to get rid of corr upt o ffic i a l s, but i t m a de m a ny people unhappy a bout th e h i g h taxes. T hi s l ed to the Nika Revolt of 53 2 C E , w he re Jus�ni a n rel e a se d his t roops a nd sl a ug hte red 30,000 pe opl e. B uilding t his churc h a�e r the revol t wa s Jus�ni an’s way of s how i ng th at o nl y som e one wi th good standing wit h G o d wo ul d be a bl e to desi gn a nd complete s uc h a c hu rc h. T hi s bui l di ng com bi ne d t he lateral t ypol o g y o f a n Ea ster n C hri s�a n ba si lica and t he ce nt ra l i ze d ty p o l ogy of a m a rtyr i um .

STRUCTURE OF DOME

ARCH MADE BY A HALF DOME

The chu rch b e gin s wit h an at r ium in f ro nt o f i t, a n d then a n el a bo rate do u ble n ar t hex . Th e re is a lo ngit udi na l em p ha s i s towa rds the aps e , wit h t he n ave and s ide ais le s le a d i ng up to i t. T here i s , h ow eve r, a ce nt ralize d effe ct o n t he nave a nd s i de a i s l es s i nc e they a re ce nte re d aro un d t he large d o m e .

DOME

PLAN

PENDENTIVE

DOME CIRCLE INSCRIBED IN A SQUARE

ATRIUM

PENDENTIVE HALF DOME

OUTER NARTHEX

DOME

INNER NARTHEX

SECTION HALF DOME

INTERIOR IMAGE

PENDENTIVE

DOME ARCADE

SIDE AISLE

NAVE

SIDE AISLE

HALF DOME

MINARET

EXTERIOR IMAGE

APSE


C ITATIONS COV E R PAGE PY R A M I DS O F G I ZA IM AGE : Pl a netWare PA RT H E NO N I M AGE :Arca di a News PA N T H EO N I M AGE : Swe di sh Nom a d H AG I A SO PH I A I M AGE : T he Ar m e ni a n Week ly G R EAT PYR AM IDS O F GIZA EXT E R I O R I M AG E : Pl a netWa re PY R A M I D O F K H UFU M EASUR E ME NTS : HA ND S KETCH S EC T I O NS: I LLU ST R ATOR D R AWING P L A N : I LLUSTR ATOR D R AWI NG T HE PART H E N ON EXT E R I O R I M AG E : Faye�e C ountr y News EL EVAT I O N: H A ND SKE TC H A DJU STM E NTS OF T H E PART HE NON: HAND S KETCH S EC T I O N: F l i c k r P L A N : I LLUSTR ATOR D R AWI NG T HE PAN T H EON I N T E R I O R I M AG E : Wa nted I n Rom e EXT E R I O R I M AG E : Pl a netWa re S EC T I O N A : H A N D SKE TC H EL EVAT I O N: H A ND SKE TC H S EC T I O N B : Pi nterest P L A N : W i k i p e dia HAG I A S OP H I A I N T E R I O R I M AG E : R a di sson B l u B l og EXT E R I O R I M AG E : Hye Te r t EL EVAT I O N: H A ND SKE TC H ST RUC T U R E O F D OME : HAND SKE TC H S EC T I O N: F l i c k r P L A N : I LLUSTR ATOR D R AWI NG


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