The focus of this investigation will revolve around the speculation of geometric principles utilized during the period of Ancient Kemet (Egypt). There are hypotheses by numerous scholars who contend that Kemetic architectural design was governed by far more than geometric principles, such as astrological measures. However, these assorted arguments may prove to be more difficult to validate than others. Any one of these theories may be considered highly speculative and would leave them open for serious critique and scrutiny. Therefore, I will focus on the centralization of geometry as one of the major governing principles to Kemetic architectural design.

Background

It is Pythagoras who is generally known as the father of mathematics. He, along with his Greek counterparts, have long been associated with various areas of geometrical and mathematical discourse. Western civilization will be forever indebted to the genius of Greek intellectual achievements. They provided the foundation for Western intellectual advancement. In tribute to the Greeks, Rudolph Wittkower says:

In their (Greeks) hands, mathematics became a theoretical science, and it was they who first attempted to interpret nature mathematically. This unique achievement was never forgotten and, indeed, made our Western civilization possible. (Wittkower, p. 147, 1988)

This statement shows an example of how contemporary scholars continue to pay homage to Greek intellectual achievements. Without question, these scholars have good reason to bestow honor upon the Greeks. However, many of the Greek intellectual giants are said to have been students in the universities in Ancient Kemet. Plato and Pythagoras, in particular, are noted to be two of the initiated students who gained access to knowledge that was generally known to only a chosen few.(Hilliard, 1994) In speaking of the education of Pythagoras and Plato, Molefi Kete Asante has this to say.

We also know from the Greeks that Pythagoras spent 22 years in the temples of Egypt. Olymiodorus in his Life of Plato and Strabo in his description of Egypt say that Plato spent 13 years in Egypt learning geometry and theology. (Asante, p. 64, 1990)

Hence, perhaps it is Kemet where Pythagoras and Plato were trained and able to supplement Kemetic philosophies with their own insight. In reference to this, Peter Tompkins asserts that Pythagoras, himself, claimed that the measures of antiquity were derived from Kemetic standards. (Tompkins, p. 22, 1971) Thus, we can trace an ample number of years in which Pythagoras and Plato were educated in Africa. In addition, Pythagoras passes the torch of light to Kemet as the source of mathematics. Therefore, perhaps we can narrow the search for the origins of geometrical principles to Africa as well.