Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Egypt



The origin of the Egyptian Pyramid


The Egyptians were the first people we know of who built pyramids. The standard theory for the evolution of the Egyptiar pyramid is that the shape and design developed from the mud-brick Mastaba's of the first dynasty, into the larger stepped pyramid, then finally the traditional, flat-sided, stone pyramids (All in a period of around 100 years).



The function of a Pyramid

As Dr.Ray mentioned during lecture, the function of the Egyptian to build the huge pyramid is for a purpose of tomb the King and the queen. From the figure below, it is show that a pyramid is designed to be a meeting of sky and earth in the embodiment of the Pharoah. So, the soul of the king and queen can go to heaven after life. Besides, triangular shape may have been stylisation of rays of sun.



source: Dr Ray

When they build?
Egyptian build pyramids during after flood season. It is because flood can help to bring the huge stone to one place to the other. Once they collected all the stones, they will start to combine them together and become pyramid.


In egyptian culture beliefs, after flooding means the symbol of carnation, during flood of Nil river is mean symbol of death. Actually I not really understand what does it really meant. It's because of this they build pyramid? Or this is just the religious of the the Egypt culture? It is because of the God of Egypt that mentioned by Dr Ray today? Because it also related to the Nil River.



I did some research about the God of Egypt that mentioned in class by Dr.Ray today. 
And I find more information about what the story it is and trying to figure out the ridiculous story that make everyone laugh in the class today.

In the book stated, Male Geb which is the earth and Female Nut which is the sky create 2 sons and 2 daughter, Osiris, Set, Isis and Nephthys. (Dr. Ray mentioned differently.)

The story from Dr.Ray,
Osiris is a king. Then his brother which is Set is jealous about that. He made a cascade and asked everyone to fit in it. He do something tricky and the cascade only fit Osiris. After that, Set cut Osiris into 14 pieces then throw him into Nil River. Isis, which is Osiris's wife ( i guess), she found out that her husband missing and she find him with her sister Nephthys. Lastly, she found her husband's body with only 13 pieces, 1 piece left which is the penis. ( Why 14 pieces? It's the symbol of season. Egypt's calender have 14 months in a year.) 
The penis was eaten by an aligator.  Isis make a gold penis for him and sings song, then miracle happen, Osiris alive. They have sex. But, Osiris died again. With the help of god (Anubis), their's son Horus was born after that. Horus with human body and the head of a falcon. He has the power for good capable of guarding the interests of Egypt. He take over Set and become the King of earth. Osiris retired to the underworld as oversear of the realm of dead. 

Source: Art History Second Edition Marilyn Stokstad

Does it the other purpose for making the pyramid for Osiris? I think so. 
There is somehow a relation between two of them, but I can't really stated and explain how they are being related. Maybe it is because Osiris turn to be the King of the underworld, he decide to let people's after life. They going to heaven or hell that all decided by Osiris. Pyramid is being build based on the story above, to let people go to heaven afterlife.

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