The Architectural Heritage of the Mediterranean

1. Pyramids of Egypt

2. The Acropolis of Athens

3. The Agrigento

4. The Colosseum

5. Sabratha

6. Carthage

7. Alhambra REVIEW

1. Pyramids of Egypt

Ancient Egyptian Civilisation can be

divided into three :

1.The Old Kingdom 3100 – 2040 BC

2.The Middle Kingdom 2040 – 1550 BC

3. The New Kingdom 1532 - 1070

• The Pyramids were built as tombs for the early pharaohs.

• They housed not only the Pharaoh's body but many priceless treasures- gold, jewellery and furniture to accompany them into the afterlife.

• It took thousands of men and many years to build a pyramid.

Inside view of the Khafre Pyramid at Giza – site info .

Each stone had to be quarried, brought to the site and then pulled or pushed up a long ramp as the pyramid grew higher.

The great pyramid of Giza was built with over two million blocks of stone, each weighing about two tonnes.

Short video link Recent archaeology discovery in the area near the Giza temples.

Virtual 360 degree glimpse of the inside of

the pyramid of Khafu (BBC production )

short video clip

This pyramid was one of the seven wonders of the world.

The Acropolis of Athens, Greece

2. The Acropolis of Athens

Map of the Acropolis in Athens

Video link – first 5 min

The Parthenon, The Erechtheion, Temple of Nike, The Propylaea

The Acropolis of Athens when it was still in use

The Acropolis • The term Acropolis means upper city and many of the

city states of ancient Greece are built around an

Acropolis where the inhabitants can go for a place of

refuge in times of invasion.

• It is for this reason that the most sacred buildings are

usually on the acropolis. It is the safest most secure

place in town.

Three main types of Greek Columns

Doric Ionic Corinthian

Doric Column

Ionic Column

The Parthenon A temple dedicated to

Athena, the Greek

goddess of wisdom

and war.

Also the goddess of

the city itself. The

Parthenon was built in

the 5th century B.C.

Corinthian Column

The Erechtheion • Built in 420 B.C. in the Ionic

order.

• The Caryatids are the most

interesting feature, they are

a series of six columns

shaped like maidens(korai).

• The name Erechtheion

comes from the name of a

local hero and a legendary

king of Athens.

The Propylaea the monumental entrance building.

As the Propylaea looked when it was in use.

The Propylaea as it looks today

Temple of Athena Nike,

The temple of Nike as it looks today

The temple as it is believed to have looked when it was used by the Greeks during the golden age.

The Temple of Athena Nike is the smallest

structure on the Athenian Acropolis. Built to

honor Athena Nike, the goddess of victory, the site

upon which the temple was constructed has

ceremonial roots that date back to the Bronze Age.

The name of this Greek Goddess?

Review: Name the Column

Review: Name the building

Describe this statue

The Parthenon, The Erechtheion, Temple of Nike, The Propylaea

The Greek temples in Agrigento (Sicily) Italy

The Greek temples in Agrigento

Located on a plateau overlooking

Sicily’s coast, Agrigento was founded

around 582 BC by a group of

colonists from Gela, who themselves

were immediate descendants of Greeks

from Rhodes and Crete.

In the Valley of the

Temples are the ruins

of numerous temples

but also necropolis,

houses, streets and

everything else one

would expect to find

in an ancient city.

There is a small

amphitheater as well

as several auditoria,

and a fine

archeological

museum.

•Most of the buildings are in ruins, with pieces strewn about. Some temples appear to have never been completed. The only temple that survived is the Temple of Concord.

It is the largest and best-preserved Doric temple in Sicily

4. The Colosseum • An oval amphitheater in the city of Rome. The largest built by the Roman Empire.

• Considered to be one of the

greatest works of engineering and architecture.

Video Clip – 10 min

•Public spectacles included mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re- enactments of famous battles and dramas based on Greek Mythology.

• It ceased to be used in the 6th century during the medieval era.

• Later it was reused as housing, workshops, quarters

for a religious order, a fortress, a quarry and a Christian shrine.

• The ruined condition it is in now is due to damage caused by earthquakes and stone robbers.

The Colosseum • It has long been seen as a symbol of Imperial Rome.

• Today it is one of Rome’s most popular tourist attractions

5. Sabratha

• Located in Libya

• Located near the Libyan city of Sabtrata on the Mediterranean coast, one hour drive west of Tripoli.

•Founded by the Canaanites (Phoenicians ) in the 6th century BC

Sabratha

• It fell under the control of Carthage up until 146 B.C. when the Carthaginians were defeated and it was occupied by the Nomidians and then the Romans in 46 BC.

What remains can be found at Sabratha? • The public arenas, temples of Liber Pater, Sirapis, Isis and

Hercules, the forum and theatre, the tribunal arena and the public baths are considered among the most prominent features during the Roman time.

• Remains of the earlier Phoenician city have been found beneath the Roman town in the are between the forum and the sea.

6. Carthage (in Tunisia)

An image of what Carthage was believed to have looked like when it was at its height of strength and influence.

Carthage refers both to the ancient city and the civilization that developed within the city’s sphere of influence. It was founded by Phoenician colonists and it became a large and rich city and thus had major power of the Mediterranean until its destruction in the third Punic War in 146 BC

• Although it had been destroyed, it continued into Roman times. Rome also re-founded Carthage, which became one of the three most important cities of the Empire. A position which would last until the Muslim conquest when it was destroyed a second time in 698. Today Carthage is being resettled as a suburb of Tunis.

Carthage

7. Alhambra (in Spain) • Spain was conquered in 714 A.D. by Muslim armies.

During the 800 years until Spain was reconquered by

Christians, the Muslims greatly influenced the culture

of Spain.

• The Alhambra is a walled city and a fortress in Granada, Spain.

• It was built during the last Islamic dynasty (1238-1492 A.D.) on the Iberian Peninsula.

The Palace of Alhambra • The Palace is lavishly decorated with stone and wood carvings

and tile patterns on most of the ceilings, walls, floors. (repeating) patterns.

• Islamic art does not use representations of living beings, but

heavily uses geometric patterns, especially symmetric

Name the Cultural Site

Name the site and country it is found in.

The Parthenon, The Erechtheion, Temple of Nike, The Propylaea