The art of Ancient Egypt was a reflection of the society=s religious beliefs. The most striking aspect of Egyptian religious thought is its obsession with immortality and the possibilities of life after death. They worshiped a host of deities, subdeities, and nature spirits. These gods were responsible for all aspects of existence, inspired mythology and ritual that affected the daily life of every Egyptian. They believed that an essential part of every human personality was its life force, or spirit called ka. One of the ways to worship these deities was to give them visible form in works of art- a principal function of Egyptian artists. In addition to producing images of deities, artists were required to provide temples, develop funerary rites and structures where they can be honored. Thus, the same central authority that controlled religion affected the development of the arts. .
The Pyramid of Djoser, Saqqara built on 2681-2662 B.C. by the architect Imhotep is an example. He is the first pyramid architect in history known by name and founder of Egyptian culture. Saqqara has the distinction of being the site of the first and oldest monumental stone structure built in the world. It remains today as one of the most brilliant architecture wonders of the ancient world. This pyramid was made for the pharaoh Djoser for his tomb complex. Imhotep=s architecture consists of the most elemental structural techniques and the purest geometric forms. He used engaged columns. These columns resemble stalks of papyrus which have been used to reinforce mud walls and symbolize Lower Egypt. The architectural decorations of the south Palace featured plants symbolic of Upper Egypt. .
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Egyptian models played an important part in the early development of Greek style. The earliest buildings made use of bundles of papyrus to form posts, from these soon developed the stone post-and lintel constructions characteristic of Egyptian architecture.