The three main architectural styles found during the times
of ancient Greece were the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian orders. They are
considered to vary in style from basic to most decorative respectively, and are
reliant on shaft-based support architecture. The main differences in their design when
looking at each end of the spectrum, is that the capital stone in the Doric
order serves simply as a foundation for the architrave, and rests on top of the
capital. In the Ionic and Corinthian order however, the capital stone is
decorated with great detail, and serves as a central design element. The shaft
also rests on a decorated base in both the Ionic and Corinthian order, while
the shaft in the Doric order simply rests on its leveled foundation. A design
feature unique to the Corinthian order is that it utilized a flat roof structure,
where both other orders relied on a slant roof architecture. All three
structures also show what one can interpret as a relation to the human form and
body, as the sturdy “shaft” architecture bares similarity to the legs of a
human being standing upright and supporting the rest of the body.
The geography of Egypt and Greece is very different, which
leads to the emphasis of different aspects of living, along with a different use
of materials in the construction of everyday objects and living spaces. The
landscape of Egypt is dominated by flat desert terrain, and yields a very hot
and dry climate. Greece meanwhile experiences Mediterranean climate, with more
defined seasons, and a lot more moisture. This leads to more vegetation, and
thus more use of wood in construction. The great differences in temperature
throughout the year has left us with the remains of drastically different
living spaces, along with an understanding of the great differences in the emphasis
both societies paid to most aspects of living.
Thus we find that the ancient Egyptians relied greatly on
indoor living and spent a lot more time inside their main structures, evident
in the many great temples they left behind, such as the Karnak temple, or the Valley
of the Kings in Luxor. This was in order to shield from the often very hot
temperatures experienced throughout the year. In Greece meanwhile, people lived
in much more open or “public” places. The idea was to get done with one’s business
inside so one can go and enjoy life outside.
These different climate regions certainly played a key role
in the preservation of housing structures, furniture, textiles and other
artifacts. Although it has left us with great treasures from both
civilizations, it certainly worked in favor for Egypt. Its dry climate has
allowed for the preservation of many different kinds of furniture and everyday
objects from various levels of society. Because the Greek could rely so much
more on wood crafting, and the threat of mold and deterioration from moisture
was much greater, many artifacts were unable to withstand the test of time, and
all that remains are the ruins of ancient buildings and temple structures.
Although we are left with different amounts of valuable
information on each of these fascinating civilizations, it is enough to grant
us a good level of detail and understanding of these societies, and ultimately of
the origins of our modern life and existence. This is precisely why it is so
important to study such meaningful events in history, as they offer us not just
an insight on ancient people, but also on their craft and knowledge. Using this
insight we can construct something today, knowing it can withstand the test of
time as it has before.
