Town planning of ancient Egypt

Indeed, of no estimate that the Egyptian cities were of small size, at the same time compared to our current criteria and those of the time. However the German researchers estimate that the capital amarnienne Akhetaton ( 15 km X 8 km ) in a few years had reached the size of: 50000 inhabitants, which lets predict that the older cities were to be larger still.

For example, Thèbes, capital on several occasions during the Histoire of Egypt had with its Apogée during the Nouvel Empire in all and for only: 50000 inhabitants whereas at the same time with the the Middle East some cities were twice larger. However, Thèbes was more one religious capital that administrative, and it would be interesting to lean on the populations of the cities such as Memphis (from which the necropolis extends on 20 km), pi-Ramsès, etc to return from there in Thèbes, the city extended on two banks, especially with the contribution of Malgatta.

Another consideration which lets think that the population of the Egyptian cities was undoubtedly more important than one supposes it: the city of the builders of the pyramids. This one accommodated close to: 20000 people. Deir el-Médineh, only reserved to the craftsmen of the Pharaons counted a many population. Lastly, it is known that pi-Ramsès reached Avaris which was a suburb.

Nevertheless some think that the majority of the towns of Egypt did not exceed them: 10000 inhabitants.

However, more than the size, it is the Egyptian design of the city which differs from our modern design.

Egyptian civilization has a very powerful Administration. It is it which decides construction of a city. And that, always with the objective to answer a Need. That wants to say that the cities are specialized and require a Population pertaining to a particular Branch of industry.

Reasons to build a city

New capital

There are only three examples in the History where a Pharaon wanted to build a new capital. It is about:

Such el-Amarna to the XIV E, built by Akhénaton;
pi-Ramsès to the XIII E, started with Séthi {{Ier}} but truly built under the reign of Ramsès {{II}};
Tanis to the XI E and X E, founded by Smendès then Psoussennès of which wanted it with the image of Thèbes.

Military requirements

These cities are built in strategic places, at the borders of Egypt: in Nubie or in the north of the the Sinai.

They are very well strengthened using the point of the Technologie Militaire each time. They also are very well organized.

To place a working labor or craftsmen

Those are set up beside careers or during the construction of pyramids. In this case, when it is about the Carcass work heavy castings, the Ouvrier S are placed in provisional hutments. On the other hand, if it is about interior decoration, then there is construction of a Village workmen into hard.

These villages of workmen are located close to the work place and are very small (often of only one street). The population there is very isolated to avoid the escape of the secrecies as for the site of the treasures inside the pyramid.

To ensure a worship

These cities are built either beside a Sanctuaire, or with the foot of a pyramid. In this case, one calls it city pyramid .

The pyramid cities place the priest S in charge of the worship to the funerary Temple of the late Souverain (they ensure the service by bearing then return on their premises). They are built in extreme cases between the fertile grounds along the the Nile and the arid zone, with the foot of the plate of the pyramids. They are more close possible of water to facilitate there the routing of the people and food. They are towns of an extreme regularity of design and of realization and they do not have an other Lieu of worship only the funerary temple.

Characteristics of the Egyptian city

The four objectives of the Egyptian cities strongly influence the shape of the cities. It results four different standard cities from them but one can however note common points.

Administrative buildings

The administrative framing is omnipresent in Egypt. The cities are, as in all civilizations, the place of assertion of the capacity and the administration thus establishes all the official buildings to with it. One also finds in the cities the Palais and the reserves with grain.

Place of worship

A place of worship, that it is a Temple or a Sanctuaire is present in each Egyptian city. It is the most outstanding monument of the city, dominates by its Architecture and occupies a considerable surface (for example: Sésebi , town of five hectares had three hectares reserved for the temple and its dependences).

Enclosure

The Hiéroglyphe for the word city represents a circle around a cross. This hiéroglyphe appears very early (as of the OJ) and represents the ideal city: it is protected by a Muraille ( the circle ).

The construction of an enclosure was always ordered by the Pharaon.

The cities of the valley of the Nile all were defended, but there makes some was not real utility because the borders were well supervised.

On the other hand, it is still not known if the big cities had walls. With Thèbes, one for example never found of enclosure dating from the Nouvel Empire.

Standard of enclosure:

Strengthened

Those surround the military cities. They consist of:

a double wall;
of the Bastion S;
a strengthened place;
a system of course behind the first door and bringing to a second door which it also gave on a court bringing itself to a door and so on. The enemy was thus, once the first crossed door, at the thank you of the defender in a court surrounded by walls with bastions;
a Ditch;
a Glacis (released extent surrounding the city).

Brick mountain

They could make up to 20 m in height and broad. They were less effective militarily but the effect wall stopping was very dissuasive.

Useless militarily speaking

They made 2 m broad in general and 4 m in height. They surrounded the villages of workmen and the religious cities.

Planned

The hiéroglyphe describing the ideal city is on a circular level and has in the center two streets being cut to right angle.

The Egyptian cities in circular plan are very rare.

On the other hand, all the cities are built with parallel and perpendicular streets. All these streets have the same width (2-3 meters) except the principal one (with slightly higher dimensions).

The streets are narrow so that they are in the shade and are directed in the axis of the dominant winds.

They are not paved (except in four cities: Bouhen, Mirgissa, Kahoun and Qasr Sagha) and without pavements (i.e. reserved spaces for the pedestrians). In fact, the streets were not designed for vehicles (very often too narrow).

The cities are divided into districts. They are separated zones, sometimes completely isolated by walls.

The cities have these separations as of their creation.

The segregation S can be done between:

of the particular buildings (palate, temple, warehouses and stores);
rich/poor;
Egyptian/foreign;
of the different trade associations. For example, the district of the bakers, the potters, the goldsmiths,… (moreover the potters are always put in a district in-outside city because their furnaces represented a fire hazard).

Urban life

A pleasant life?

Absence of places

By looking at plans of Egyptian women city one is first of all struck by the extreme Densité of the Bâti, without no empty space. Indeed, the cities in Egypt did not have a place S. Seul in some rare examples one finds empty zones, but these spaces corresponded in fact to places of parking for the Bétail during the Nuit.

In fact, the Egyptians did not have the utility of it. The public life and official took place in the Temple S and the Marché S did not exist. In fact, in ancient Egypt, until the arrival of the Greek , the very short Commerce did not exist. The Currency either besides. The Administration provided to the Population all which it needed by a system for rations. For the Superflu, there was always possibility of exchanging between individuals what did not require a special place.

Neglected streets

The streets were only places of Circulation, nothing more. Little care was granted to them. They were not Pavé are, but in beaten Ground. They did not have either a Culvert discharge of the rainwater or worn (except with Bouhen and Mirgissa, two military cities where there was a central drain).

This is explained mainly by the absence of precipitations.

It is not known if the inhabitants of the time had rules of cleanliness to respect. On the other hand, it is known that the streets were encumbered refuse in all kinds. It should be said that nobody was responsible for the maintenance of the Voirie S, except in the military cities, not to prevent the displacement of the troops in the event of Guerre.

In short, the cities were very dirty and the parking of the animal the night was nothing to arrange. This opinion very strongly contrasts with the images which one raises in the tombs, where one notes the presence of cones scented on the wigs and where the ancient Egyptians seem to attach a very great importance to their physical aspect.

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