The Heart-Shaped Corner Pillars in Graeco-Roman Egypt

The architectural elements of the ancient structures of Graeco-Roman Egypt are discussed stylistically and chronologically. These elements shed light on the hybridized arts of these structures in the Graeco-Roman Period. These architectural elements were adorned with various ornaments and motifs for they are considered the code through which architecture communicates with the public intellectually via the characteristics of these distinct architectural styles. One of these ancient architectural and decorative elements is the heart-shaped corner pillars.

The heart-shaped corner pillars were developed in Asia Minor to solve the problems posed by new architectural solutions and were used as architectural and decorative functions, spread up among the Mediterranean countries. Meanwhile, Egypt was under Ptolemaic rule and assembly point for the commercial caravans, which helped to spread the Hellenistic architectural influence in many structures all over Egypt.

The study highlights some heart-shaped pillars in the religious, funeral, public, and private houses of Egypt in Graeco-Roman Period. These included various structures in Alexandria and other Graeco-Roman polis. In addition, it sheds light on the use of heart-shaped corner pillars as a classical architectural and decorative element in the Greco-Roman Period.