Felix Arnold - Profile on Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Books by Felix Arnold

Traduccion en castellano del libro Madrider Beiträge 30

The monuments of Egypt have fascinated generations of visitors and scientists alike. The shear ma... more The monuments of Egypt have fascinated generations of visitors and scientists alike. The shear mass of the pyramids of Giza, the interaction of the temples at Deir el-Bahari with the natural environment, and the use of light in the hypostyle hall of Karnak make these buildings world-class masterpieces of architecture, rivaling those of Greece and Rome. This essay-like book offers an overview of Egyptian architecture written from the point of view of an archaeologist and architectural historian with decades of field-work experience in Egypt and other countries. It focuses on 15 selected masterpieces, from well-known buildings like the Bent Pyramid in Dahshur and the temple of Horus at Edfu to lesser known monuments in Hierakonpolis, Abydos, Hawara and Bubastis. Each of these buildings represents an important stage in the development of Egyptian architecture, and a different vision of what architecture is able to achieve. Through descriptions and original drawings, the book presents new insights into form, meaning, and the organization of space, providing a fresh perspective on Egyptian culture and society. It thus offers an introduction to ancient Egyptian architecture for visitors to the monuments as well as for general readers, students, and those interested in comparing Egyptian architecture with other traditions of architecture.

Die Knickpyramide in Dahschur war der erste – wenn auch fehlgeschlagene – Versuch, eine geometris... more Die Knickpyramide in Dahschur war der erste – wenn auch fehlgeschlagene – Versuch, eine geometrisch „echte“ Pyramide zu bauen. Sie ist damit ein Denkmal von Weltrang. Im Tal der Pyramide legte Akhmed Fakhry 1951-1955 die Reste eines zur Pyramide gehörenden Tempels frei, auch dieser der älteste seiner Art. In dem vorliegenden Band werden die Ergebnisse von Nachuntersuchungen vorgelegt, die der Autor zwischen 2012 und 2016 im Umfeld des Tempels durchgeführt hat. Der Bau wurde umfassend neu dokumentiert und untersucht. Bei Grabungen wurde zudem ein Vorgängerbau des Tempels entdeckt, der eine große Gartenanlage umfasste. Er wirft ein ganz neues Licht auf den Ursprung des Tempels und die Entwicklung der ägyptischen Pyramidentempel insgesamt. Untersuchungen im Umfeld des Tempels erlauben zudem eine Rekonstruktion der späteren Nutzungsgeschichte des Baukomplexes. Unter anderem wurden Siedlungsreste des frühen und des späten Alten Reiches identifiziert, Hinweise auf das Fortbestehen des Kultes im Mittleren Reich sowie den Abbau des Tempels im Neuen Reich. In dem Band werden die architektonischen und archäologischen Befunde umfassend dargestellt, inklusive der bei den neuen Grabungen entdeckten Keramik und Kleinfunde, und anschließend in ihren historischen und kulturellen Rahmen gestellt. Der Band liefert einen substanziellen Beitrag zur Geschichte der ägyptischen Pyramidentempel.

Die Broschüre "Archäologische Forschungen des DAI in Afrika 2018" informiert auf Deutsch und Engl... more Die Broschüre "Archäologische Forschungen des DAI in Afrika 2018" informiert auf Deutsch und Englisch über alle aktuellen Projekte von Marokko und Tunesien über Ägypten, Sudan und Äthiopien bis nach Südafrika im Rahmen des TransArea Network Africa.

In the country estate of ar-Rummānīya near Córdoba (Spain) the remains of an Islamic garden of th... more In the country estate of ar-Rummānīya near Córdoba (Spain) the remains of an Islamic garden of the 10th century are preserved on three terraces. This book presents the results of a comprehensive archaeological study of the garden, in particular the results of archaeobotanical studies. For the first time, insights into the design of a garden from the heyday of Islamic culture could be gained.

Palaces like the Aljafería and the Alhambra rank among the highest achievements of the Islamic wo... more Palaces like the Aljafería and the Alhambra rank among the highest achievements of the Islamic world. In recent years archaeological work at Córdoba, Kairouan and many other sites has vastly increased our knowledge about the origin and development of Islamic palatial architecture, particularly in the Western Mediterranean region. This book offers a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of Islamic palace architecture in Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and southern Italy. The author, who has himself conducted archaeological field work at several prominent sites, presents all Islamic palaces known in the region in ground plans, sections and individual descriptions. The book traces the evolution of Islamic palace architecture in the region from the 8th to the 19th century and places them within the context of the history of Islamic culture. Palace architecture is a unique source of cultural history, offering insights into the way space was conceived and the way rulers used architecture to legitimize their power. The book discusses such topics as the influence of the architecture of the Middle East on the Islamic palaces of the western Mediterranean region, the role of Greek logic and scientific progress on the design of palaces, the impact of Islamic palaces on Norman and Gothic architecture and the role of Sufism on the palatial architecture of the late medieval period.

In der Glanzzeit des Kalifats war die Stadt Córdoba (Spanien) von luxuriösen Landvillen umgeben. ... more In der Glanzzeit des Kalifats war die Stadt Córdoba (Spanien) von luxuriösen Landvillen umgeben. Historische Quellen berichten von prachtvollen Palastanlagen, exotischen Gärten und ausgedehnten Ländereien. Die Bauten stehen am Anfang einer Entwicklung, die später zum Bau der Alhambra in Granada führte, aber auch auf die europäische Architektur- und Landschaftsgestaltung Einfluss nahm. Im vorliegenden Band werden erstmals die archäologischen Überreste einer solchen Landvilla umfassend vorgestellt.
Der Landsitz ar-Rummānīya liegt am Fuß der Sierra Morena, rund 10 km westlich des Stadtzentrums von Córdoba und 2 km westlich der Palaststadt Madinat al-Zahrā’. Die Anlage wurde vermutlich von ad-Durrī „dem Kleinen“, einem Finanzminister des Kalifen al-Hakam I., um das Jahr 965 errichtet. Sie umfasst vier Terrassen, von denen drei als Garten gestaltet waren. Auf der obersten Terrasse lagen Wohngebäude sowie ein ungewöhnlich großes Wasserbecken. Architektonischer Höhepunkt war ein Saalbau, der sich einerseits zu dem Wasserbecken, andererseits zu dem Garten öffnete. Der Saal ist insofern von besonderer Bedeutung, als bei der Anlage seiner Arkaden erstmals die Prinzipien der Perspektive berücksichtigt fanden.
Die vorliegende Monographie ist Ergebnis eines seit 2006 laufenden Gemeinschaftsprojektes des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts, der Universidad Autónoma de Madrid und des Conjunto Arqueológico de Madinat al-Zahra. Neben einer detaillierten Beschreibung der baulichen Überreste und der archäologischen Grabungsbefunde umfasst der Band Beiträge zur Geschichte, Geologie, Wassertechnik und Botanik des Fundplatzes. Zudem stellt der Band den Landsitz in den Kontext der Geschichte der islamischen Palastarchitektur im Allgemeinen.

Publication of houses of the Late Antique and Early Medieval Period (Fifth to Ninth Centuries AD)... more Publication of houses of the Late Antique and Early Medieval Period (Fifth to Ninth Centuries AD) on Elephantine, including a general study of tower houses in Egypt

Ancient Egypt by Felix Arnold

Structure and Significance, 2005

Archäologischer Anzeiger, 2024

Some scholars have suggested that the design of Hellenistic terraced sanctuaries was based on Egy... more Some scholars have suggested that the design of Hellenistic terraced sanctuaries was based on Egyptian prototypes. On the basis of several new observations on Egyptian architecture, the paper proposes to re-frame the question in a new con-text. Recent studies on changes in the ancient landscape indicates, for example, that the valley temples of the Old Kingdom did not stand next to harbor basins, but on terraces within garden enclosures. They therefore could be regarded as precursors to the terraced temples of the Middle and New Kingdoms at Deir el-Bahari. This tradi-tion appears to have been revived in the Late Period temples at Sakkara, including the temple of Imhotep/Asklepios. This building may be the ›missing link‹ between Egyptian and Hellenistic architecture: both the temple of Imhotep at Sakkara and the sanctuary of Asklepios at Kos were embellished by Ptolemy II. The paper suggests new perspectives on Egyptian-Hellenistic cultural contacts.

Estimating the size of urban population

The article offers a reconstruction of a temple built by Ramses II south of the Ptah precinct at ... more The article offers a reconstruction of a temple built by Ramses II south of the Ptah precinct at Memphis.
As reconstructed, the temple comprised an elongated forecourt surrounded on three sides by Hathor
columns. A pronaos with two rows of columns, at least one of which consisted of papyrus columns
was built on the fourth side. Based on typological considerations, the building may be identified as the
“House of Millions of Years” built by Ramses II within the precinct of Hathor at Memphis.

Egyptian pyramid temples of the Old Kingdom show a gradual development from temples with large co... more Egyptian pyramid temples of the Old Kingdom show a gradual development from temples with large courtyards and few interior spaces opening onto the courtyard (Snofru, Cheops, Mykerinos) to temples with small courtyards and closed interior spaces extending in depth (Sahure, Niuserre). On the one hand, this development necessitated the placing of windows in the rear rooms of the temple. On the other hand, it became possible to accentuate the interior rooms through the deliberate use of light. The pyramid temples thus present an early example of the discovery of light as a forming principle in architecture.

The creation of short access routes was not among the aims of architects in early dynastic Egypt.... more The creation of short access routes was not among the aims of architects in early dynastic Egypt. In many palaces, long and winding corridors led from the palace gate to the audience hall. As a result, the space allotted to entrance ways occupies a significant part of the total surface area of the buildings. The narrow corridors serve as a means for monitoring those who seek access, while at the same time they convey the impression of a palace of limitless size. The visitor quickly loses his orientation, to be struck only the more forcibly by the grandeur of the courtyards and halls in the interior of the palace. A very similar attitude toward the design of access routes can be observed in the “ciudadelas” of the Chimú-state of northern Peru. Here, a confusing network of corridors connects courtyards, reception areas (so called “audiencias”) and magazines. Does the similarity in the structure of the ground plan in the two cultures suggest similarities in the conception of power? Is it possible to assume a ritual function for winding corridors,
e.g. forming part of the “rite de passage” of rulers? The aim of the paper is to compare palaces at Abydos, Buto and Sakkara in Egypt (3rd millennium BC) with those in Chan Chan in Peru (2nd millennium AD), and to suggest possible analogies in the respective interpretations of kingship.