For at least ten thousand years, the Nile valley has been the site of one of the most influential civilizations in the world which developed a vast array of diverse structures which we refer to as Ancient Egyptian architecture.

These amazing architectural monuments, which include the Great Pyramid of Giza and the Great Sphinx of Giza, are among the largest and most famous buildings in the world.

The Greeks borrowed the column from the Egyptians and synthesized it into an architectural style that was characteristically their own.

The first fluted columns date back to Egypt's Middle Kingdom (2040 - 1640 BC). The principle architectural ornamentation used by the Greeks was also derived from Eastern predecessors.

There were three orders of columns - Doric, Ionic and Corinthian. The Doric column is the oldest dating back to around 600 BC.

The Ionic column developed in the late fifth century BC. Its shaft is more slender than the shaft of the Doric column and the capital is distinguished by a pair of volutes (which look like rams' horns) back and front beneath which the necking is generally embellished.

The Corinthian column is even more highly ornamented than the Ionic. Its capital is further embellished with a single or double row of stylized acanthus leaves.

On some Corinthian columns volutes appear to grow out of the leaves. The Corinthian column evolved in the second century BC and continued to be a popular element in Roman architecture.

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