Through the Eras

Architecture and DesignAnonymous, Praise of Thebes (c. 1292–1190 B.C.E.)—Thispoem, preserved on a papyrus in the Royal Museum ofAntiquities, Leiden, The Netherlands, describes thesplendors of the New Kingdom capital.Anonymous, Pyramid Texts (reign of Unas, c. 2371–2350B.C.E.)—These ritual speeches, carved inside pyramidsbeginning in the reign of Unas, helped the deceasedking unify with the sun god, his father, according toEgyptian religious belief.Hemiunu, Great Pyramid of Khufu—Largest and best knownpyramid, built in the Fourth Dynasty.Herodotus, The Histories (c. 440 B.C.E.)—The first book ofhistory by the Greek “Father of History” describes majormonuments he saw in Egypt. Though often fanciful,it remains a valuable source for information onEgyptian monuments now in ruins.Imhotep, Step Pyramid of Djoser—First preserved stonemonument in ancient Egypt.Khnumhotep, Autobiography of Khnumhotep (c. 1857B.C.E.)—This autobiography describes Khnumhotep’sactivities restoring his father’s tomb and building atomb for himself.Pliny the Elder, Natural History (c. 77 C.E.)—This Romanwriter described the geography of Egypt, includingwonders of architecture and building techniques he observedwhile visiting in the first century.Senenmut, Temple of Hatshepsut—Part of the Estate ofAmun, on the west bank of Thebes, opposite modernLuxor. The terraced temple was a major achievement ofEgyptian architecture.Shepsi, son of Inherhenmet, Letters to the Dead (Old Kingdom,c. 2675–2170 B.C.E.)—These letters deposited intombs illustrate the Egyptian belief that the dead participatedactively in the life of the living and the tombwas the place the living and dead could meet.Temple of Amun at Karnak—Largest and most importanttemple for the chief deity of the New Kingdom, locatedin the Estate of Amun on the east bank at Thebes(modern Luxor). The temple includes over 200 acres ofbuildings built from the Middle Kingdom to the PtolemaicPeriod.62 Arts and Humanities Through the Eras: Ancient Egypt (2675 B.C.E.–332 B.C.E.)