Egyptian Civilization and Classical Greek Essay Example for Free

Egyptian Civilization and Classical Greek Essay Egyptian Civilization and Classical Greek Introduction            Civilization has been dated to be as old and human kind whereby it’s an advanced state of human activity signified by high levels of cultural, science, industry and government development. Over time, there has been civilization all the word with different regions undergoing the civilization at different times. One of the most influential civilization processes globally is the ‘Egyptian civilizations’ (Freeman, 2004).            Egypt is a country found in the North of Africa, on the Mediterranean Sea. The country is referred as one of the earliest to experience civilization on earth. The country (Egypt) thrived for thousands of years whose culture was famous and influential for its great culture cultural advances in every area of human knowledge such as science, technology and religion. One of the most and still remains important in the Egyptians history is the great monuments which reflects the depth of Egyptian culture which in turn is believed to have influenced many of the ancient civilizations such as the cases of Rome and Greece (Freeman, 2004).            As I figured out, there are numerous feature and aspects that defined Egyptian civilization but one of the prominent aspect as the architectures. Ancient Egyptians were built their pyramids; temples and tombs remains of Egypts monumental architectural achievements are visible across the land, a tribute to the greatness of this civilization. As I visited the country, I could not fail to identify the numerous mysteries in terms of civilizations. In addition, there is no any other civilization that has captured the eyes of civilization over time like that of ancient Egypt. Mysteries like its origin, religion and even how they came up with the monumental architecture such as pyramids has been a real mystery (Talbert, 2012).            The architectural breakthrough in Egypt has been one of the sources of civilization into the entire world. The pyramids’ has made the country one of the famous, as the constructions are the remaining ones among the initial Seven Wonders of the World. One of the reasons behind the prominence of the pyramid is the fact that the Egyptians never showed how actually the pyramids were made. The art form in the focus in Egypt civilization is the architectural knowledge in the country and the role it played in the civilization process. The purpose of the architectural knowledge that resulted to the building of the pyramid in the ancient Egypt, the purpose of the piece is the fact the Egyptians were believed to be among the first to elect buildings, and as I can see here, Ancient Egyptians are the ones who have taught humanity how to erect and design buildings. Of the seven famous structures in the seven wonders list, in the ancient world as the Great Pyramid of Giza (Talbert, 2012).            This architectural structure is the most recognizable in the country (Egypt), and not only is the structure among the oldest, but it is still the one that remains as the proof of the civilization in the region as it is still the structure that remains. During my visit in the region, I also found that, The Great Giza Pyramid was recorded as the tallest artificial construction in the globe for 3800 Yrs which is not only an evidence to its stability but to its score as one of the largely exceptional structures built. According to the information obtained, the ‘Giza Pyramid’ was not the initial pyramid to be constructed; ‘however’ this pyramid became one of the largely famous structures in the globe. Why did Giza Pyramid get all the celebrity and splendour? The Pyramid though not much big than nearly every pyramid, is in reality the biggest pyramid ever built. This pyramid represents the improvements and accomplishments of structural design in Egypt. The pyramid is precise, large and required an irresistible amount of organization. It is not the pyramid that is so captivating but it is the method and process used to create it. Even today, Egyptologists are not entirely certain how The Great Pyramid of Giza was constructed (Duchesne, 2012).            In conclusion, the architectural prowess of the Egyptian architectures is found to be influential to the architectural civilization in the rest parts of the world. I also found that, Ancient Egyptian architects were also known as Chiefs of Construction, as they skilled in their designing of great religious, funerary, and public buildings, where one of their constructions is the Great Giza Pyramid (Duchesne, 2012). In addition to the magnificent structures, there also exists the sketch plans for the various building and structure that were elected during the ancient times. In addition, during my visit, I also managed to find the preserved two sketch plans on papyrus and flakes of stones, which showed the accuracy of the architects work. To the mentioned inventions in the ancient Egypt, many more can be traced to have its origin back to the Egyptians. For example, rule of law, use of spreadsheets, temples and columns and women liberation. Hence, it is clear that, the modern world civilization owes much of its development and achievements to the ancient Egyptians knowledge (Spielvogel, 2012). Classical Greek or Hellenistic Civilizations            Classical Greece is referred as a period of 200 years in the Greek culture which run between the 5th and the 4th centuries BC. The period is credited for its powerful influence to the Roman Empire as well as greatly influencing the basis of western civilization. There are numerous aspects of the modern culture such as the politics, architecture, scientific, literature and philosophies that were derived from the classical Greece period. This classical Greece period is also known as Hellenic period. The civilization in the classical Greece times had a tremendous impact to the civilization of the other parts of the words in different aspects such as the art of war, religion, culture among many other aspects. The period referred as classical Greece is denoted by cultural and military achievements. The Classical Period produced remarkable cultural and scientific achievements (Freeman, 2014).            Just is the case of the Egyptian civilization, the architectural development in the Classical Greek time, was also very vital in the civilization of the region. For centuries, ancient Greece gained control of many universal architectural designs and movements. Most of the breathtaking masterpieces that are present around the world derive their inspiration from ancient Greece. Greece as a country is highly famous for its rich diversity of architectural designs and it is for this reason that the latter is divided into different timeline along centuries and civilization eras (Spielvogel, 2012). For instance, a tourist visiting the city of Athens in Greece is likely to come across architecture classified according to either Minoan civilization, Mycenaean civilization or many others. In an exclusive guide to architecture based on historical periods, one can have a walk from ancient times to present day. To begin with, Minoan architecture prospered during the 15th to the 27th century BC. It was during this period that that one of the most famous architectural designs was invented. This building was the palace of Knossos that is located on a small hill that is enclosed by a thick forest of pine trees (Freeman, 2014). This palace is divided into two wings where the first wing, known as the west wing, hosts religious and official staterooms. The second wing is known as the east wing that is normally used for workshop, meetings and other domestic purposes. At the time, archeologists who examined and studied the palace of Knossos found marvelous stones called frescoes beneath the layers of ash. This made them to believe that the ruin and destruction of the town of Minoa and Knossos was directly related to the eruption of the Santorini volcano. These frescoes have crystal clear colors and mimic happy scenarios from daily life occasions and festivities. The combination of these frescoes with the fact that the town of Minoa lacked security walls is enough evidence that peaceful relationships existed with other cultures. Furthermore, other less famous sites existed in Minoa and included the palace of Phaestos and Zakros (Freeman, 2014).            In conclusion, the architectural knowledge possessed by the Greek contributed greatly to the development of the structures. The outstanding thing about the materialization of Hellenic civilization is its sharp departure from the norm, rising as it did from a dark age in which a small number of poor, isolated and illiterate people developed their own kind of society. Political control was shared by a relatively large portion of the people and participation in political life was highly valued. Most states imposed no regular taxation; there was no separate caste of priests and little concern for life after death. Speculative natural philosophy based on observation and reason arose in this varied, dynamic, secular and remarkably free context (Spielvogel, 2012). This was an era of unparalleled achievement (Benton DiYanni, 2012). While the rest of the world continued to be characterized by monarchical, hierarchical command societies, Athenian democracy was carried as fa r as it would go before modern times. Democracy disappeared with the end of Greek autonomy late in the fourth century B.C.E. When it returned in the modern world more than two millennia later, it was broader but shallower, without the emphasis on active direct participation of every citizen in the government. In addition, many of the literary genres and forms that are ritual in the modern world arose and were developed during this time. The Greek emphasis on naturalistic art that idealized the human forms also diverged from previous and contemporary art in the rest of the world. To a great extent, these developments sprang from the independence and unique political experience of the Greeks (Spielvogel, 2012). Impact of Diversity on the Future Art            There has been vast diversity between the arts presented by the different arts and eras of civilization. Diversity has affected America’s ethnicity ever since its commencement. The different immigrant groups that have come to America has brought along with them their different individual, beliefs, religious practices, architectural developments, and other numerous civilization aspects associated with each group. The different groups helped to generate the colonies and finally the US as one country. In modern America, diversity of traditions has taken on a diverse implication (Benton DiYanni, 2012). The theory has extended from cultural and ethnic custom to the interlinking of gay rights and marriage as well as social ethics. Additionally, there is currently the concept that America must accept and acclimatize to foreign traditions and make legal the use of numerous languages on government documents, street signs and in the unrestricted classrooms all over A merica rather than the incomers adjusting themselves to America’s rich language and culture. The various civilizations undergone from the different parts of the globe have directly affected the Americans way of life, and in turn diversity existence in United States (Benton DiYanni, 2012).            The numerous architectural development and civilization from the two regions has greatly diversified the architectural aspect of United States. There have been numerous civilizations undertaken in the regions discussed which have greatly influenced major political, social and economic factors which have in turn changed American life in the 1960s and 1970s (Benton DiYanni, 2012). The architectural and arts civilization in the Egyptian and Greece has greatly diversified the American culture and architecture developments over time. The  architecture  of the  United States  demonstrates a broad variety of  architectural styles  and built forms over the countrys  history  of over four centuries of independence and former  British rule. Architecture in the United States is as diverse as its multicultural society and has been shaped by many internal and external factors and regional distinctions. As a whole it represents a rich eclectic and innovative t radition (Benton DiYanni, 2012).            The future impact of the art is greatly impacted by the diversity in the American community and culture. For example, Australian Aboriginal painting is analyzed as a case study of the transition from ritual art to commercial art. The arts and cultural aspects are a reinforcing and celebrating different communities’ character (Benton DiYanni, 2012). Arts and culture strategies help to reveal and enhance the underlying identity the unique meaning, value, and character of the physical and social form of a community. This identity is reflected through the communitys character or sense of place. A communitys sense of place is not a static concept; rather, it evolves and develops over time, reflecting the spectrum of social values within and around the community. In this way, the community character of a city, county, town, or neighbourhood can be seen as a story or narrative of a place (Benton DiYanni, 2012). References Benton, J. R., DiYanni, R. (2012).  Arts and culture: An introduction to the humanities: combined volume. Boston: Prentice Hall. Duchesne, R. (2012). A Civilization of Explorers.  Academic Questions,  25(1), 65-93. doi:10.1007/s12129-012-9276-9 Freeman, C. (2014).  Egypt, Greece and Rome: Civilizations of the ancient Mediterranean. Freeman, C. (2004).  Egypt, Greece, and Rome: Civilizations of the ancient Mediterranean. Oxford: Oxford University Press. OConnor, D. B., Reid, A., University College, London. (2003).  Ancient Egypt in Africa. Walnut Creek, CA: Left Coast Press. Talbert, R. J. A. (2012).  Ancient perspectives: Maps and their place in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece Rome. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. Spielvogel, J. J. (2012).  Western civilization. Australia: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning. Source document