New Name

We've consolidated everything we do under one umbrella called SimpleTwig. Here's the breakdown:

SimpleTwig Architecture, was NJBArchitects
SimpleTwig Rendering, was The Drawing Studio

We also have a new forum where we can discuss Set In Stone egyptian topics.

SimpleTwig also offers simple hosting for start up businesses and small artist efforts. The 'twig' is in effect a branching of things of interest to me, with a side of a helping hand to others.

Our new motto: "Every nest starts with a simple twig."

Join us on our new forum: http://www.simpletwig.com

Egypt Blog Moving...

UPDATE:
We have consolidated everything that Mr. Buccalo does on one site called SimpleTwig so that we can better manage everything that goes on. Only periodically will we post here, but instead will create a new blog centered around the SimpleTwig name.

Cheers and thanks for visiting.
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I will be moving my Egypt discussion to a new site: SETinSTONE.ning.com

The new site has so many features that make having discussions much easier. One is able to upload photos, videos and other documents, start forum a blog or simply leave comments that others can easily see and add to.

I will also easily be able to set up different discussions based on what topic it is focused on.  Come over and sign up, it's easy and free.  You'll be given a page for yourself, but more importantly, you'll be able to join in the discussion.  Thanks to everyone who has left a comment here, I will probably move your wonderful comments over as well. 

Also, this is evolving into a collaboration, that is, there are a couple of college professors making contributions on a site we set up at WikiVersity... check it out: Ancient Egyptian Monuments Project

The older posts on general architectural topics will remain here.

What's your opinion?

What do I think so far about this process... I think there are so many theories out there that it will be hard for people to even bother reading about another theory.  I think I'm going to special lengths to show things in a visual way, through videos and animations, because we don't really think visually in our modern world, yet the Egyptians did... for example our written language is based on phonics, that is when you read a word someone in California has created, there will be a good chance a person in New York will be able to pronounce it correctly.  The Egyptian's used hieroglyphs... that is, they used PICTURES for words.  Pictures of real world things.  These pictures could describe something, like a circle for the Sun, and at the same time carry meaning.  I think it is therefore extremely important to look at exactly how the early hieroglyphs were exactly, and I mean exactly carved.  Because, clues to the meaning function of their 'picture words' are revealed with the details.  The carving of the Ankh is an example, look at the 'reflection' as I like to call it.  It looks like an obelisk profile.  Considering that hieroglyphs weren't read for 1500 years, even by the Egyptians, and that our interpretation of them is based on our 'modern' ability to 'read' them, it stands that while the fundamentals of hieroglyphs are understood today for the most part, their subtleties of meaning may not be fully realized.  What is ultimately and especially important is the ability to link different hieroglyphs to fully understand what is being said.  More over, Ancient Egyptian Architecture was an extension of this visual language.

I have found this process and exploration to be totally fascinating.  I feel like I am watching the tumblers of a locking mechanism fall into place and that I am on the verge of opening a wonderful door to truth and understanding of an important aspect of Ancient Egyptian life, that is why the Pyramids were created.  After all, isn't that the most important question to answer about Ancient Egypt?  

I have no doubt that pyramids would of been built without Imhotep, and why not, they were built in one form or another elsewhere around the world.  But why did Egypt make them so smooth and unemblished?   Why did they make them so large?  Why was their form so perfect and rigid?  Why did even tiny Pyramids keep this precision of form and detail?

And, I can even answer how the Pyramids were built... a question that seems to captivate the entire world.  Here's the answer... ready??? : they stacked stones up one on top of the other.

hello? this is Lawrence calling.... anyone? anyone at all...

What will be my greatest disappointment?  This entry alludes to it quite clearly.  I know I can be impatient but I don't think I'll live forever, and considering one response to this revelation, which was in the form of writing lessons, all I can say is sorry but I communicate visually.  That is my language.

Egyptian Horizon (Part 17)

Akhet Hieroglyph: The hieroglyph sign akhet is composed of the Sun disk and the hieroglyph for mountain (Source: Maria C. Betro, Hieroglyphics the Writings of Ancient Egypt, p. 161, Abbeville Press Publishers, 1996.).

Topic has been moved to new Set In Stone website: http://setinstone.ning.com

Imhotep (Part 16)

Update: January 10, 2009:

(click on image for full size and zoom). This image is from the Djoser complex. Source of base image: OdysseyAdventures.  It shows, much like my top signature, 2 distinct 'reflections' (B) at the bottom, one, to me, representing the Sun from the East and the other for the West.  I find it very interesting that my diagram expressed 2 halves before I saw this image. 

'A' the horizon with balanced reflections on top and bottom as I would expect.  Older versions of this symbol I believe wouldn't of been so 'full', that is, they'd be more like line drawings with emphasis being placed only on the ends.  The Sun arc (A) is more like a line version than later jewelry versions that I've seen.  Note 'D' which appears to be like a horizontal knot... I do not know what this represents and may put into question everything except that all the other elements seem to support my hypothesis quite readily.  Update Jan. 11, 2009: This could be a representation of the hieroglyph N17 for Land, Earth, Eternity... it is a horizontal rectangle shape drawn at AncientEgyptOnline.co.uk with rounded corners.  That would make sense.

Update, Jan 11, 2009: For those who are skeptical of this interpretation of the Ankh, lets look at it from a different point of view, from that of the ancient scribe who created it.  Lets say he was given the task of creating a hieroglyph that embodied that which provided life to his desert land, namely the river and the Sun, and to combine those two elements into one simple to understand symbol.   Additionally, the Sun cycle is deemed important as nothing grows at night, 'lives' at night (meaning to be productive, i.e. everyone sleeps including the land), etc. since this will be a 'life' symbol.  Okay, go to it... what would you draw?

Okay, lets add one more element, that the sunrise and sunset are important and you'd like to emphasis these moments in time a bit.  Now go, and let me see what you come up with...

Pyramid Geometry (Part 15)

This post, regarding the Djoser Pyramid Geometry, has been moved to the website Set In Stone.  You can find it in the Group: Pyramid Geometry.

Reconstruction Progress (Part 14)

ANIMATION:

Diagram of Clerestory Design over 4 Set Colonnade.  The spacing between the wall and the column sets is equal implying that the beams spanned over all column sets and into the wall, leaving 2 slivers of space open to the sky (as shown in the first slide).  This sliver would be covered by 'beams' orientated in the opposite direction, providing an opportunity for a clerestory.  In this case, because the main colonnade is at a higher elevation, the only place for 'windows' is on the interior as shown in the last slide.

Someone (Lehner?) had put 'wood beams-carved from stone' as the structure for the roof, assuming that the Egyptians would not want to risk spanning the space between piers (not knowing whether they intended actual wood) or that it was an aesthetic choice to mimic earlier structures (hence, carved stone made to look like wood beams).  But I believe it would of been obvious that stone would do the trick, especially considering that they would of had stone mounted on the ground spanning between two blocks, to carve it, it would of been readily apparent that stone could easily span this distance.  With this in mind, I will be redoing the roof structure of this model, removing the 'wood beams' and changing the overall dimensions.  It seems obvious to me that the 'space' between columns was strictly adhered to further reinforcing the notion that stone was used.

Click on images for enlargement.  These are 'In Progress' images and do not reflect the final model/renderings.

Stairs to Perimeter Wall: Note in the lower right corner of the above rendering, stairs that reach up to the 10.5 Meter high perimeter wall, and how each individual bastion is just large enough for one person.  I can imagine a thousands soldiers marching in through the entrance in a long procession, turning left and ascending up to the top, and then marching around until all the positions were filled.  Only then would the public be allowed in... The massive wall along with Egypt's greatest soldiers must of been an overwhelming sight of pure power and strength. 

Note: I need to revise the location of this stair.  Initially I kept it pulled back away from the center isle, afraid of the weight (at least thinking that the Egyptian builders might think that roof of the aisle below wouldn't be able to support the extra weight, but considering that the wall itself is over the aisle, and that moving the stair would center over this 'extra width' bastion, it seems reasonable to move it so that the top landing is centered over the aisle below, allowing the 'soldier procession' to make it's presence to the public on the outside, in a formal and symmetrical way.

I wonder if the inner Great Court wall was also lined with soldiers.  Given the location of the Hed Sed Court, this might not of been possible, but depends on the design of the wall itself.

I am also curious if any 'sail-like' structures or banners were part of these exterior wall bastions.  I would look for remnants of a pocket which could support a mast of sorts.

Note how I've rendered the Pyramid with wind and dust blowing past it's surface.  Pyramids are known to cause wind turbulence.  From the many tourists videos I've reviewed, I've noticed on several occasions that the person speaking can not be heard over the wind.

The Wave:

Noting how utterly smooth this surface is, and how most civilizations have a tendency to decorate surfaces, even the Egyptians with their bas-reliefs, it reinforces the notion that this surface was serving a purpose... that it is smooth like the water of the Nile, and that by polishing it, becomes reflective like the Nile.

Colonnade:

Even though I'm showing shafts of light, I don't think that this is possible.  I will do a sun study soon to see if only indirect light could be seen from the interior.

Colonnade Clerestory Windows:

Note that I am showing 2 levels of windows.  Understanding that the beams of the center isle would be perpendicular to those of the niches, it seems that this would be a distinct possibility.

Colonnade:

Dark and narrow passage which culminates in a very wide open, filled with sun light Great Court.

Great Court:

Overview with token palace on left showing some of the crowds that must of gathered.  In reality during the 'burial' there were probably hundreds of thousands filling up this court, from morning to night.

Speculation about 'Boundry Caims' (Part 13-spec)

This topic on Ancient Egypt has been moved to Set In Stone website.

Reconstruction Progress (Part 12)

HedSed Court, part of 'Wave' Pyramid, complete with Ancient Egyptians.  In progress.

I still can't find any CAD drawings of this site.  I'm leaving the colonnade for last, but have started parts of it.  The sketches I have found are truly inaccurate.  Using photographs, I think I'll be able to get pretty close to what was built.

Regarding the areas that have an abundance of fill, I think this was used to build the ramps, to bring material up to the Pyramid, although the actual blocks used don't seem that large.  Being that this was the first Pyramid, I think there are many clues about how Pyramids were constructed here.  I hope to take the volume of fill and show how it was put to use as a ramp.  Also, I think the Pyramids were built in a spiral from the center out, rather than having finished exterior and then 'suspending' ramps there, I think it was built by keeping the center the highest point and spiraling out from there allowing the exterior finishes to happen as they were approached by the ramp. 

I think the beginning of the ramp might of been near the existing entrance to the colonnade and worked it's way around the Great Court.  The culvert being a source for limestone as it too 'spirals'.

Progress: Putting in of textures including land, Pyramid, roofs.  Adding of HedSed Court.  To do: finish HedSed Court and Colonnade, refine texture on Pyramid.

Reconstruction by Nicholas Buccalo, copyright 2008.

I will post updates to my reconstruction of the Djozer Pyramid ('Step' Pyramid aka Wave Pyramid-:-)

Here I have completed the exterior perimeter wall at the correct scale. 

The following are rough 'off-site' dimension calculations.  The perimeter wall occupies an area of about 15 ha, is 1,645 Meters long (includes all 4 sides), is ± 10.5 M high; The 'bastions' project out from the main wall and are seperated by ± 4M from the next 'bastions'.  They are ± 7.48 Meters center to center and 'project' about 2.8M.  The 14 'fake' entrances align with the outside surface of the smaller 'bastions' but are the same width as the South West Entrance.

The SW Entrance is ± 10.38 Meters wide and projects from the main lateral wall by 5.040 Meters meaning it projects an additional ± 2.24 Meters beyond the face of the 'bastions'.

The tops of the 'bastions' are cut in such a way that one would expect it to be a 'guard' post or at least a ceremonial post of sorts, perhaps with a projecting banner.  Since the tops of the original perimeter wall is no longer with us that will remain speculation, unless some other wall can be found with 'mounting blocks' remaining.

Bastions: The Architect and Builders went to a lot of trouble to build these bastions.  Why?  They didn't need them as the interior Great Court has none, therefore it wasn't a structural consideration.  To me, they are sized just large enough for a ceremonial guard and perhaps a vertical banner.  I will be curious if a banner is added at each station, if the view of the Pyramid is blocked, which might support the notion that the surrounding culvert was also used as part of the procession before entry into the Great Court.

Supportive Documentation (Part 11)

Post moved to Set In Stone website.

Vessel to ferry the Pharaoh to the Afterlife (Part 10-supportative)

Boats and boat pits...

This topic has been moved to the website: Set In Stone

"I have seen something truly great!" (Part 9)

This topic has been moved to the website: Set In Stone

The Stars (Part 8)

Moved to Set In Stone website...

'Step' Pyramid Description of Design (Part 7)

Video: 'Step' Pyramid: description of it's form and meaning. Note the shape of the hieroglyph for water... looks like water.  I would like to have this Pyramid renamed the Wave Pyramid.  As anyone knows, 'steps' do not have sloped tops or sides... one can imagine steps into the heavens, yes, but to be honest with the intentions of the Pyramids design, Wave is appropriate.

 Hieroglyph for Water... the 'wave'.

Also, if the Pyramid is a pathway of water, then the Pharaoh's spirit must travel on a vessel of sorts.

Mistake: I wrote "perhaps a place for a crown"; this should of been on it's own slide and pointing at the flat top surface only.  It is a little confusing as stated in the video.  It is obvious that the flat was intentional for a crowning piece that certainly was melted down and used elsewhere.  Because of it's weight, there would be no need to anchor it to the stone portion of the Pyramid.  It might also be noted that the crown might of had a sub-structure of wood and clad with a metal material as wood was used in earlier temples.  In fact, this Pyramid was considered first in many things including the use of stone, and many of the stone details mimic the designs of their wood counter part.

Music: N. Buccalo :-)

Proper view of a Pyramid (Part 6)

Outside the Sacred Precinct:

Upon approach, one is standing outside the sacred precinct... the view of the Pyramid does not count as you can see two sides of the Pyramid.  Even up to the moment one enters the Entrance Colonnade, one can see two sides of the Pyramid.  There may of been a procession around the entire precinct via a culvert, which would allow visitors to see all sides of the Pyramid before entering.

Entrance Colonnade:  One enters through a covered passageway (see Entrance Colonnade lower right), so you can not see the Pyramid until you are in the correct location.  The Colonnade has engaged columns, that is, columns that are physically tied to a wall that is itself attached to the main hall wall.  I believe the resulting niches could be used for guard stations.  Others speculate that statues of the Pharaoh could be placed here.  There would of been hundreds of thousands of people proceeding into this temple.  The hypostyle hall would be a deliberate constriction, physically and drastically darker than the exterior, so that mentally the public would have a feeling of being overwhelmed at the sight of the Pyramid.  There would of been inscense burning, perhaps candles of sorts, traffic flowing in both directions in single file, etc.  This colonnade was to prepare people, to get them in the right frame of mind, to quiet them down and get them focused as they were about to enter the sacred precinct to see the destination of their own God.  The 'culvert' that surrounds this entire complex was also used for the same purpose, to funnel and allow to exit the tens and hundreds of thousand of visitors to the site.  Offerings could of been placed along this culvert for the public or by priests in the sacred courtyard. 

You exit the Entrance Colonnade and turn to the right, to see the Pyramid from the correct side, and at generally the correct distance.  Obviously the 'exit' of this colonnade is aligned with the edge of the Pyramid meaning it would be more difficult to see the side of the Pyramid.  In the Great Court, one can leave offerings, because one would be looking up to the passageway of the eternal kingdom and thus, looking at the residing place of one of Egypt's Pharaohs. In fact, it is like looking through a window through time and space, to the Pharaoh himself.

Two things stand out about the colonnade, one that its length isn't orthogonal to the precinct which could of been done to either direct people towards the back of the Great Court, or to prevent a direct view from the 'exterior' in towards the Great Court itself.  The second smaller feature is the exit of the colonnade where a angled projection exists (see later blog post regarding this).  Yet another feature is the vestibule which appears to be splayed in plan and has a niche on either side, possibly for a lowered gate to secure the precinct and entire complex, considering there is only one entrance to this entire complex it wouldn't surprise me that this might be the case in so much as it is obvious the Architect wanted to control who comes in and out.  Why else build a 10.5 Meter high surrounding wall?  Just to hold the fill from ramps?  A wall which has projecting 'guard stations' just large enough for a single individual.

Token Palace (3): The living Pharaoh was given a special place (3) at the rear of the precinct to, in my mind, view his Pyramid, review progress and models. This viewing platform would of been refined after death as a small palace shrine in his honor, or generally left as is, removing of temporary structures to shade the Sun.  

Great Court: The precinct walls themselves, those flanking the Great Court, reinforce the perspective, representing 'that of the earth', which transition to the Pyramid itself which is 'that of the sky' (limestone) and 'that of the heavens' (gold).  They overlap the base of the Pyramid, so that you can't see too much of the side unless you really try by standing to the extreme right or left.  As you enter the Great Court, it is my contention that the perspective of the side wall closely aligns with the hypothesis corner of the Pyramid.  This would 'lead' the eye up to the very tip of the Pyramid and must of been a wonderful thing to experience.  It would be dependent on the height of this wall as it would have to be below eye level in order for it to converge upward towards the horizon.

Under Construction: Future video sequence of Step Pyramid of Djoser showing the procession of the public to the Pyramid.  Desperately looking for CAD drawings and elevation data.  If you know of a source, please contact me.  As principal of The Drawing Studio as well as my own  architectural office, I certainly have the capabilities of doing a reconstruction, as I've done in the past.  It has been said elsewhere that the 'steps' get smaller as they approach the peak.  Hopefully the Japanese survey team who has recently scanned this Pyramid as of August 2008 will have data that supports this notion and will be able to provide accurate documentation of the entire complex.

Future Procession Relationships and Distances: This sequence, as described above, and distance to the base of the Pyramids changes depending on how large future Pyramids are.  I would imagine that there is always a beginning point into the Sacred Precinct, a covered or 'view blocked' transition and an exit where you can walk towards the Pyramid single face and see it rise above you.  The perspective of the Pyramid flattens as you approach its great pathway until you can imagine it as a pathway as grand as the Nile itself.

Southern Tomb (2): I am not surprised to learn about a smaller version of the underground temple on the south side.  In fact I immediately was looking for a place where a model of the Pyramid itself would of sat and that South East corner looked especially fertile, where the Pharaoh could see the model while watching the actual Pyramid get built.  This certainly would of been done as the Architect could then easily direct the workers on what needed to be accomplished as well as show the design to the Pharaoh.  There is a little patch of rubble in the South West corner within the Great Court, but I have no idea what that little patch is... it could just be some stone workers today are using to make temporary repairs.  The fact that it is loosely in a square shape certainly peeks my interest, but I must admit that they are probably salvaged stones.

If they are not, the 'rubble' on the ground near '3' between this location and the Pyramid itself reminds me of footing blocks that, if they are actual remnants of the excavation exactly where found, could of supported perhaps a wooden mockup of the Pyramid that when viewed from the correct angle would echo exactly the final Pyramid. That is, it would be an exact scale model of the Pyramid and would allow one to imagine what the final Pyramid would actually look like at full size in it's final location.  Since I have not found a good photo of this stones, it is truly hard to say... as mentioned before, they are probably salvaged stone from a nearby wall.

To learn more about the precinct of Djoser and the Step Pyramid and for image credits, go HERE. (www.odysseyadventures.ca/articles/saqqara/saqqara_text.htm)

Good tour of site:

Was ImHotep smart enough? (Part 5)

Topic moved to Set In Stone website

The Nile, Sun and a pathway to Eternity (Part 4)

moved to SET IN STONE website

The Pharaoh and the Architect (Introduction)

by Nicholas Buccalo, copyright 2008

The following story is what might of happened some 4700 years ago between a Pharaoh Djoser and an Architect Imhotep. Imhotep is considered by many throughout time to be the great Egyptian Architect, and created the 'Step Pyramid, the first of it's kind,  for Djoser's tomb. It is well known that Imhotep was part of the inner court and probably just walked over to meet with the Pharaoh Djoser... but hey, my story of meeting on the Nile works in this context.

I think their meeting might of gone something like this: the Pharaoh Djoser, summons the great Architect Imhotep to come up with a concept worthy of his greatness and kingdom. The Architect rises early and hops on board a vessel traveling North on the river Nile, to the Pharaoh's residence, so they both can travel to the site of the King's future tomb. The Architect ponders about what he is going to present to his worship as he stands at the front of the vessel looking out over the Nile. The Sun has just begun to rise to his right.

Architect: Dear Pharaoh Djoser, my King, walk with me to the front of this great boat. I've been thinking hard in search of truth and I believe I have discovered something worthy of a King. 

Pharaoh: I value your guidance, please continue.

Architect: As we look out across our beautiful and life-giving river Nile, the water fades away towards the horizon and we can see far off into the distance. I've noticed that the Nile seems like it is rising up to touch the sky.  To me, it is like a pathway that goes on forever. This IS our great pathway on earth.  Don't you agree?

Pharaoh: Yes, the Nile does provide us with all we need and keeps the desert at bay and, as I stand here looking at it stretched out to the horizon, I see what you mean, it does seem to go on forever.

Architect: Do you notice how the shores on either side seem to get smaller the further away they are from us? I think it looks something like two triangles on either side with the path of the Nile between them.  And the Nile itself looks like one huge triangle with it's tip touching the sky, it's water reflecting the blue of the sky above.  The smaller 'land' triangles seem like solids while the grand Nile triangle seems, transparent.

Pharaoh: Yes, I see what you mean.

Architect: I think our journey today must be something like the journey a Deity such as yourself must have to take when going to the after-life.  Along a great pathway like our life giving Nile. 

Architect: And notice our beautiful and life giving Sun. Every day it rises above from the direction of the East.  And as it rises, to which we celebrate, it sheds it's light onto our land and reflects itself onto our pathway Nile.  The reflection looks something like this.... (see illustration).

Architect: As the sun rises above our precious fertile land, it becomes brighter.  The movement of this growth in the sky looks something like an upside down tear drop, in that while the sun is at the horizon, it is small and sheds little light, but as the day progresses, it becomes larger and stronger.  Coupled with this is how the Sun arcs across the sky, from the shore of the East to the shore of the West.

Pharaoh: Interesting, please continue.

Architect: If we combine these four things: 1) the triangular path of the transparent river Nile rising up to touch the sky, as flanked by, 2) the triangular slivers of our land on either side, 3) the sheding of the light onto our life giving river and 4) the rising and arcing of the Sun itself which allows all life to grow, it comes together into a symbol which embodies the spirit of life here in Egypt.  I call this symbol the Golden Ankh.  It is my belief that all who carry it will show they have the powers of Life. I believe the Ankh will be Egypt's symbol and key to life, for it possesses our great pathway, here on earth.

Pharaoh: Yes, you are right, this symbol does hold the truth of our place on earth.

Architect: And since you embody the Sun itself, might I suggest a new head-dress designed to echo the rays of the sun from your face, and, below the line of your shoulder, rows of horizontal lines to echo the waves of the river Nile, and a beard to echo the reflection of the Sun onto our water, for it is you that holds the key to life for the people of Egypt and considering you are the son of the Sun, it seems truly fitting.  

Architect: Also, your kilt front should be a triangle, like that of the Nile flowing into the distance, with a rippled reflection down it's center and rays emanating from the belt line.  The back of which will be golden like the desert.  And if we consider the belt line to be the horizon here on earth, your torso and head shall lie in the space of heavens, therefore their colors shall be predominately blue of the sky and gold of the sun. I'd also like to add a tail to this outfit, but I don't know why at this time... perhaps it shall represent the sliver of our fertile land ending at the Mediterranean Sea.

The Pharaoh accepts these new changes:

A young Pharaoh, holding the Ankh and wearing the new headdress and clothing, is one who embodies Egypt herself and is prepared to travel the eternal journey.  Above the belt line are the colors of the sky and Sun.  Below, that of the earthly realm.

"After Djoser of the third dynasty, pharaohs usually were depicted wearing the Nemes headdress, a false beard, and an ornate kilt." Source: wiki/Pharaoh.

Architect: And I feel that you are in need of a new burial chamber design to which our purpose lies today.  One that is beyond that of the plain one story Mastaba design whose construction has been completed.  Something that reflects on this new found truth and something that will help with your spirit's journey to the after-life.  It is obvious to me that we need to recreate the path of the Nile itself, but, unlike the Nile which lies flat and reaches up only to the sky, to have it reach up to the heavens.   The base of this pathway temple will touch the earth, and will stretch itself upwards to the heaven and stars.

Architect: And to harness the power of all of Egypt, there should be four earth bound paths pointing in each direction, East/West, North/South.  As this path rises upward, it will be triangular in shape, like the flowing 'sky touching' river Nile.  Using our latest 'sloped wall' building technology, it will work perfectly and seems to be harmoniously in tune with this new concept. 

Architect: The tip and upper most part of this great sloped triangle and pathway, will be clad in gold, for this part will be your golden carpet pathway to the heavens and afterlife.  It's shape, representing infinity, and a journey through infinity is eternal.  Visually, it will extend itself from the earth all the way to the stars, which is where all Gods, like yourself, reside.

Pharoah: Wow.

Architect: We earth bound peoples will forever be able to look up this path from the base of this new structure and know that we are looking at your presence. And below the golden pathway of the heavens, the surface should be smooth yet undulating, perhaps reminiscent of waves of the Nile.  And this lower earth bound surface should be made of limestone, our earthly material, and it should be polished to be reflective like the Nile.

Pharaoh: How will you build such a tall structure?

Architect: I will simply stack a variation of the Mastaba design, one on top of the other, setting each one back from the edge of the other to create the perfect wave like 'perspective' to infinity and eternity. For it is this shape, a pointed triangle, that looks like it can go on forever, and thus, reach the stars.  It will look something like this.... (Architect creates a sketch-see photo below).

Pharaoh: Do the edges not look funny?

Architect: They will be like the waves on the shore of the sky and heavens. In fact, the whole structure will be like the raising of the Nile itself into the sky. This is why the undulation of the surface is important, to echo the waves of water like our hieroglyph for water, which is why the surface needs to be polished and reflective, perhaps it too will sparkle like water. 

Architect: I can foresee that these future stacked Mastaba's being called 'Pyramids' and that they will be clad with limestone, and perhaps other materials like 'water' sparkling quartz and granite.  And the waves will be much closer together like the real waves of the Nile. Whose top surfaces at each horizontal joint and course will have a different flatter slope while the face itself will echo the overall angle of the Pyramid.  And there will be a time when we position these Pyramids in such a way to echo the placement of the stars themselves, for it is an obvious thing to do, because we all know that it is there that will be your destination for eternity.  But I am getting ahead of myself...

Pharaoh: I don't get the Pyramid thing but I like everything else, so, let's get crackin, I'm no spring chicken... I'm 16 already!

Architect: Very good.  While we are on the subject of Architecture, let me tell you about a thing I've called an Obelisk, and how it will, when positioned correctly, allow you to view the sun rising above it's tip, which will remind you of the reflection of the Sun upon the Nile, thus connecting the Nile and Sun to our land.  It's so cool, it gives me goose bumps... it is tall and slender, and shaped like the reflection of the Sun in the water.  I will have to travel to the Nile early in the morning, to take actual measurements of the reflection, so that I get it's size just right.  I know that I will have to be at the height of the Sun as it rises above the horizon.  I will then positoin a vertical measuring plane on the shore of the Nile to which I will look through to trace the reflection, but, what I'm not exactly sure of, is how far back I should stand, but this is a detail I will work out later.  When built, an Obelisk will be like we are holding a water reflection of the Sun, on the land.  How cool is that?

Pharaoh:  I like the idea, but, since when has Egypt ever been cool except at night?

copyright 2008: N Buccalo.

Pyramids: Architectural Forms (Part 3)

by Nicholas Buccalo, copyright 2008

Please read Part I & Part II before reading this part, so that you will follow the train of thought.

As this animation implies, I believe that the shape and overall dimensions of an Obelisk are based on the reflection of the Sun on the Nile.

The Obelisk, a column of water holding the reflection of the sun, here on land, becomes alive as the sun passes over it's tip.  It's shape, that of a reflection in the water as the sun rises.  It is not some 'solar column' or other odd and rarely seen event.  If it was, the Architect would of had to seen it, and then been able to convince the Pharaoh that it existed.  No, it was a plain and simple echo of the Sun's reflection in the Nile itself.  A connection between the two most important life giving elements of Egypt. 

Animation: Please refresh browser if image does not load.

View across the river looks like this.  As mentioned before, I believe Imhotep placed a vertical plane on the banks of the Nile.  Then he stood on a platform to be at an appropriate height to catch the rising of the sun as it reflected itself on the Nile, in order to trace the reflection onto the plane.  It was probably at flood stage, as this was when the Nile would provide life to the land, allowing for the tallest Obelisk and best reflection.  I would imagine it would be done at the location where ever the Obelisk would eventually be erected, perhaps causing the varying heights based on the width of the Nile and what ever mountains lied to the East that might block the Sun.  I'm not totally sure of the distance he would have to stand back from the shore, but one could actually set this up in real life to find out if it corresponded to some special place.  

Once the Obelisk was erected, the goal would be to view the sun over the top of the Obelisk at a certain distance at a particular time.  The fact that the colonnade at Djoser was slightly tilted to the South West reinforces this theory if there was an Obelisk there.  It seems obvious to me why Obelisk's were on the outside of Precincts as this was a gesture to the Sun.  I would imagine most early ones lay towards the East of a Precinct or that the special viewing place lay to it's West.

I do not know why some sites would have 2 obelisks, at this time, unless there were 2 donors.  I also think the Obelisk/Sun meaning was probably lost in later versions of the Obelisk, certainly in later periods outside Egyptian culture.

View down the river looks like this... not used because it would create the wrong porportions.  I believe that the location was based on where the monument would be erected plus the location of the rising Sun, taking into account the lateral direction of the river, not longitudinal, as it is the lateral flooding that provides the life to the land.

The Culture of Building:  If an Architect, such as the famous Imhotep, convinced an important Pharaoh such as 'Djoser' (actual name is different, but was called Djoser some 1000 years later by visitors to the site) that he should build the Pyramid, Obelisk, Anhk and other components, future builders and Architects would more or less follow suit with the goal of suggesting 'improvements' to the design.  As the decades and centuries pass, many meanings are lost to time, what does continue is the fundamentals of a particular design.  So while Imhotep might of been extremely deliberate with the placement of every component, others following him might not of understood the complexity of what he achieved and misplaced elements.  This is why understanding this one complex, the Djoser Pyramid and complex is fundamentally important to understanding all Egyptian Architecture that follows, to see where deviations occur and if those deviations become part of the standardized building culture.

Architecture, through time, incrementally changes and evolves, typically to 'the ultimate expression' at which time designs change.  Egypt Architecture is no different.  It is just that the complexity, yet simplicity of concept that I feel Imhotep presented was so compelling that it influenced Egyptian Architecture for an extremely long time and since impressed all who have been born.

Pyramids: Hieroglyphs (Part 2)

by Nicholas Buccalo, copyright 2008

Note, this is under construction and elements may be out of sequence... sorry but I have a lot of ground to cover and am in the process of strengthening my arguments, gathering material and adding to each blog post that seems to be part of a particular topic.

ANIMATION: Sunrise with Sun 'skirting' over the horizon. Images by Rafal K. Komierowski1900

Echoes the path of the loop portion of the Ankh as it clears the horizon.  The path at this time of day, looks like it is 'skirting' or sliding somewhat horizontally, before mid-day when it arcs across overhead.  This movement can be clearly seen in the symbol of the Ankh.  Animation: NBuccalo, copyright 2009.

Ankh (Source Wiki HERE): Autore: it:Utente:Hotepibre (Giuseppe);
Località e data: Valle dei Re, dicembre 2000;
Soggetto: particolare di rilievo dalla tomba di Ramses IV.

Arc above the Horizon: One can imagine the 'skirting' of the Sun over the horizon as it begins to rise and 'slide' from East to a Southerly direction and then rise in an overhead arcing motion only to repeat it's sliding motion on the West horizon until it is no longer seen.

Note how the two arms are symmetrical if one were to draw a horizontal line centered through these two arms.  Above the horizon is land, below the horizon is an exact opposite reflection of the land in the water.

Please read Part I: Pyramids, What are they? below, in order to fully appreciate the following.

Refresh your browser if any of the images do not load.

ANIMATION:

Sphinx from the Louvre, Animation:

1 - Original Statue;

2 - Adding Beard (rough repair);

3 - Removing Face/Shadow to focus on perimeter elements;

4 - Enhancing image;

5 - Enhancing 'water' horizontal lines;

6 - Adding 'sun' and 'reflection' in 'waves';

7 - Adding radiating 'sun rays'.

NOTE: Not all statues have the same detailing as this one.  This one in particular is reminiscent of the Ankh jewelry example, to me, it all seems to tie together.

In the case of the 'radiating rays of light', it is my contention that while they echo that of the sun, they are in fact radiating from the face as a whole.  The more verticle 'rays' emphasizing the accession towards the heavens.  There is also marker centered on the forehead 'pointing' up towards a circle.  This marker I will conjecture to be a symbol for death pointing to a state of afterlife above.

Finally, if you look at the beard in natural light, without the lines, one can almost imagine a reflection in water as the curvatures of the beard itself create the conditions for some nice wave-like highlights.

Detail: Sphinx dan le Musee De Louvre.

A = Large Radiating Grooves, raised smaller ridge set against recessed larger space.

B = Small Horizontal Grooves, equal spacing.

C = Large 'Concave Cut' Grooves.  They curve around the 'beard' but also curve into the groove itself.

Note: not all Sphinx's or statues have this exact pattern.

Ankh Symbol at Karnak.  Here you can see the care taken to carve the horizontals with a double angle to represent the perspective of the shores.  It is easy to imagine the Nile below and the rising sun above with the reflection fading to the horizon.  Note how the vertical line, as it touches the horizontal, becomes an up-side-down V shape, much like the reflection of the first image in the original post on this subject.  It also has the proportions of an obelisk... it makes you wonder if the shape of the obelisk is based on this reflection.

ANIMATION:

The Rising Sun, Animation: Why is this circular form have the shape of a tear-drop?  As the sun rises, it is small and distant at the horizon, as it continues to move, it is perceived to get larger and 'closer' as it provides more light to the land.  Another reason, used to connect the individual to the sun is, that it is the basic shape of the human head, but fundamentally, it is my contention that it has to do with the perception of the sun rising into the sky.  To see the sun again, after darkness, was always a welcome sight as it symbolized rebirth, awakening and a new day.

Another interpretation of the up side down tear drop, is that the point at which the line touches the horizon on the right represents the rising of the sun, and as it arcs across the sky and sets, touches the horizon again on the left.  Rising on the East (right) and setting in the West (left).  Both interpretations could be working hand in hand.  Both point to the Sun as an important factor.

Interactive Ankh: Because early Ankh symbols were carried in the hand, and because of their size, one could imagine them being viewed through, either towards the Sun in giving a blessing or to another person, such as a farmer, to give fruitful growth of their crops a blessing.  As one would look at the Pharaoh through an Ankh, it would be like looking at the Sun itself... perhaps.

Question of origins: When was the first Ankh symbol recorded?  It is said that many were seen after the 'Step' Pyramid.

'Rope' Hieroglyph Examples: The twisting of the rope is reminescent of the reflection in water, the loop and fan of the sun, and the triangle of the river.  Here the twist lies above the horizon.  Click for enlargement and photo credit.  As one looks at more hieroglyph examples, it become readily apparent that the symbols are pictures of reality that are 'abstracted' in order to give meaning.  Clearly a very early form of writing that is based on vision to create meaning rather than solely an abstract alphabet as one might expect from an early civilization.

Symbol for the Night Sky and Darkness. Source: Ancient Egypt Online.  The vertical line represents the path of the sun... note that it is represented as a vertical line, like a string, lowering the sun from the sky as the sun sets.

Symbol for Heaven: Source: Ancient Egypt Online
Could reflect that there is a 'blanket' blocking out the suns light in that this symbol seems to cover all that is below it.  To me it is like they are saying the sky cover is flat, but at the ends, where the sun rises and descends, the sky is blocked by the bending of this cover, much the same way a blanket lies on a bed.  See next symbol to see how it might tie into a greater meaning.

Symbol of the path to the Heavens? (Note: I do not know the current interpretation of this symbol).  Here, reading from bottom to top, triangle representing the Nile (earthly path), the horizontal represents the horizon (earth), the vertical line representing the spirit's rise to the heavens, and sky/heaven symbol representing the final destination.  In the context of a Pyramid, the triangle is the Pyramid is the earthly path.  Source: A section of the Papyrus of Ani showing cursive hieroglyphs. wiki/Egyptian_hieroglyph.