Prehistoric architecture

Ar. Maria Lourdes Rigunay, UAP

Prehistoric Architecture
No written record from the prehistoric period
Information is gathered from scientific studies of prehistoric objects

Many academic disciplines are interested in studying human civilization - archeology, paleontology, anthropology etc The disciplines study prehistoric objects They provide information about civilizations based on studies

Prehistoric Architecture
Occurred before invention of written records Also called Stone Age period because of the absence of metal implements Occurred from Human Habitation of earth to 9000 BC

Prehistoric Architecture
The history of man can be classified into different stages and with it corresponding structures were built: 1. Savage stage or the Old Stone Age or the Paleolithic age. Up to 9000 BC 2. Barbarian stage or the New Stone Age or the Neolithic age. 9000 BC to 3000 BC 3. Iron or Bronze Age

Prehistoric Architecture
Not restricted to any particular geographical region
Occurred in different localities Usually close to sources of food, near rivers

The Stone Age

The Stone Age

Occurred before invention of written records Absence of metal implements Occurred from Human Habitation of earth to 9000 BC Period can be further subdivided into Early (or Paleolithic) Stone Age and New (or Neolithic) Stone Age
Early Stone Age Up to 9000 BC New Stone Age 9000 BC to 3000 BC

Savage stage or Paleolithic age

THE OLD STONE AGE

The Old Stone Age

Before 9000 BC Where people used crude stone for their implements. Man was a hunter and a food gatherer Got their food through food gathering, hunting and fishing Constructed temporary shelters from perishable materials such as tree trunks and leaves. He also made use of natural and man-made caves both below and above ground as shelter.

The Old Stone Age

The method of living was temporary
Nomadic, always on the move Move about in search of food, water, and good climate

Usually move about in small bands of less than 15 persons Their lifestyle made them barely able to survive Not much is known about their beliefs

The Old Stone Age

ARCHITECTURE

The Old Stone Age: Architecture

Nomadic people Did not require permanent shelter or settlements Dwellings consist of simple shelters Examples: Rock Shelter Cave Dwelling Temporary structures of plant and animal materials

The Old Stone Age

Rock shelters and caves provided natural protection.

The Old Stone Age: Caves

Caves were more popular as dwelling Caves used by Stone Age people have been found in many regions of the world A good example is the cave at Lascaux,France

Lascaux, France
Interior has elaborate paintings of animals and hunting scenes The artwork celebrates the hunting life of the early stone age people

Art provides a means to explore the struggle between life and death (survival).

Caves
A. Natural caves B. Artificial caves below ground

Caves
C. Artificial caves above ground

Barbarian stage or the Neolithic age

THE NEW STONE AGE

Cave Dwellings

Handmade shelters

History of Architecture began

When early man emerged from cave dwellings into shelters created by his hands The history of architecture began
.

The New Stone Age

Lasted from 8,000 to 3,000BC People used polished stone for their implements Their method of housing was made more permanent with the use of durable materials. Discovered art of farming and animal husbandry People become more domesticated and were preoccupied with cattle raising and planting Learned to domesticate animals, farm and grow crops, make pottery and weave cloth

The New Stone Age

Neolithic people acquired confidence in ability to tame and control nature Period saw interest in natural cycles such as of weather and heavenly bodies
e.g. sun and moon

People learned to differentiate between spaces and places sacred versus everyday places
Architecture was born

Prehistoric Architecture
Architecture began when man thought of protecting himself from the attack of wild animals and from the elements.

The New Stone Age

Having fulfilled his basic need, Neolithic man sought to conquer fear of the unknown Needed to understand forces of nature that both nourishes and destroys Sought to understand the heavenly bodies and weather cycles Sought to control nature through rituals and magic Gradually introduced the idea of religion Confusion about death and life after death led to introduction of tombs Tombs are evidence of social differences in the society

The New Stone Age

Skills were developed, marking start of civilization People stopped wandering and settled down in permanent settlements Discovery: result of population pressure Introduction of basic social organization of society Villages were established and grew, protected by walls

Iron Age

BRONZE AGE

Bronze Age
Started around 2,000BC, when iron was discovered. Carpentry and masonry was practiced. There was a gradual improvement in the design of buildings, particularly in Egypt.

Civilization
was reached with:

Advancement of social and economic development Development of communication Rise of towns and cities due to social and economic development

Domestic Structures

PREHISTORIC STRUCTURES

Huts from vegetation

Space inside is organized for different uses The hut was used by a band of people for limited hunting days It is left to collapse after use and new huts built over by the next years hunting season

Temporary Structures: Hut at Terra Amata, France

Early stone people constructed temporary shelters using available materials One of earliest known example Discovered in 1966 at Terra Amata in France Dates back to 400,000 years

Oval in shape and constructed of tree branches

HUTS
Bambuti Hut huts show evidence of use of leaves to cover hut

The Tongus Hut show evidence of use of grass to make huts

Tents from Animal Skin

The Lapp Tent

The Lapp tenth shows the use of animal skins

Mud Construction
Improvement in technology led to mud construction and architecture

New Stone Age Architecture

Architecture evolved when early Stone Age man became settled Once settled, he learned to build permanent structures Early dwellings were round beehive huts

Mud was popular material, though construction system varied by location and availability of construction materials

Huts
Round huts evolved to rectangular form around 9000 to 7000 BC Early villages were simple with no palaces, rich houses or non-residential buildings Once settled Neolithic man sought to satisfy his spiritual needs
Led to the construction of monuments

Huts
Examples

Neolithic Dwelling and Settlement

Catal Huyuk

Megalithic Monuments
Dolmen Tomb, Carnac France Stone Alignment, Carnac France Stonehenge, England

Neolithic Dwelling & Settlement: Catal Huyuk

Neolithic monument in present day Turkey Occupied between 6300 BC to 5400 BC Supported a population of up to 6000 people Largest and most cosmopolitan city of its time

Catal Huyuk
Had extensive economy based on specialized craft and commerce
The city was a trading center The size of the city and its wealth are a product of its status as a trading center

Catal Huyuk
Physically, was highly organized with elaborate architectural features
Houses were packed in one continuous block punctuated by courtyards

Catal Huyuk
Physically, was highly organized with elaborate architectural features Houses were packed in one continuous block punctuated by courtyards Houses One story mud construction Access to houses was through the roof Movement from house to house through the roof No streets in settlement

Catal Huyuk
Main rooms had in-built clay furniture, fire places and ladder to the roof

Cult rooms decorated with bull heads, shrines for worship

Mostly religious or sacred in nature

PRE-HISTORIC STRUCTURES

Megalithic Monuments
Monumental construction by Neolithic man particularly in Europe took the form of megalithic monument
Megalithic means large stone Construction involves setting up large stone blocks alone or leaning against each other Sometimes post and lintel construction is used

Method of Megalithic Construction

Very similar to the Egyptian pyramids
Stone is quarried from rocks, transported by rollers pulled by people Lever action is used to lift and place stone in position

The secret of the construction lies in abundance of labor, endurance of effort and availability of unlimited time

Megalithic Monuments
Tombs
Also called Dolmen

Non-funereal structures
Single stones: Menhirs Stones composed in groups: Henge Monuments

Menhir
A large monolithic structure made of simple upright stone sometimes set on end and arranged in parallel rows Some run for several miles and consists of thousands of stones.

Stone Alignment, Carnac, France

Unique stone monument Consist of more than 3000 large stones of local granite lime lined up for several kilometers Runs east by north east Ten to thirteen rows towards a circle

Stone Alignment
The height and mass of the stones made them visible from a distance and encourage movement towards them Affords an intermediate experience between openness and enclosure, between boundless space and a wall Represents the first instance of a principle of organizing space

Dolmen
Consists of several large stones set on end with a large covering slab.

Dolmen
Horizontal cap stone Held together by their weight Consist of two upright stones slabs supporting a horizontal slab The remains of a dead person is place in the chamber formed by the stone blocks The entire structure is covered with a mound of earth Stone age people built tombs because of the belief that dead people needed shelter

Cromlech
Huge stones arranged in a circle and partially covered with horizontal slabs of stone Sometimes, there are in two concentric circles with an altar at the center. Example: Stonehenge, England

Stonehenge, Salisbury, England

Neolithic ritual monument Most celebrated monument in England Most important prehistoric structure in Europe Well preserved Subject of a very lively controversy and theories about its function

Stonehenge
The plan of Stonehenge is arranged in the form of concentric circles Altar at the center
Around it are five trilithons

ALTAR TRILITHONS Beyond trilithons is a circle of blue stones from Wales Beyond blue stones, an outer monumental circle of large rectangular blocks capped by continuous lintel

Stonehenge
Beyond the monumental circle are 56 movable marker stones in the Aubrey holes The whole monument is isolated from the landscape by a trench A long avenue cut through trench to trilithons

The Stonehenge appears to be a sacred place The actual function of the structure is still not clear

Stonehenge: Function
There are two viable theories:
Structure mirrors cosmic eye of lunar goddess and outer circle is an elevated walkway for rituals An astronomical computer for the prediction of the eclipse of the sun and moon

Whatever the case, function is in someway connected with the cosmos

Stonehenge: Uniqueness
Why is the Stonehenge a remarkable monument? Three possible reasons
It was not constructed to meet any practical need of the people The level of accuracy in its construction The uniqueness of its geometry and form

Tumuli or Barrows
A passage grave or mound of earth or stone protecting a tomb chamber or simple grave. Example: Treasury of Atreus

ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTERISTICS

Building Materials, Construction & Technologies

Characteristics of prehistoric architecture will be examined under three headings:

Building Types Building materials, construction and technologies

Principles of architectural organization

Building Types
Categories of Prehistoric buildings Dwellings and settlements Funerary and Religious buildings Ritual structures

Architecture of the Civilization

Residential building and settlements varied between early and new Stone Age periods EARLY STONE AGE Always on the move Used temporary structures Provided basic shelter and protection for short periods of time

Architecture of the Civilization

NEW STONE AGE Established permanent dwellings and settlements CatalHuyuk, Jericho Improvement in house form including change to rectangular rooms Introduction of multi-room houses Introduction of non-residential buildingsfor work, storage & rituals Open village layouts with streets Increase in number and size of villages

Architecture of the Civilization

Funerary and religious buildings were introduced during new Stone Age FUNERARY BUILDINGS Structures such as tombs used for rituals and burial for the dead
Example we studied is the Dolmen Tomb

Architecture of the Civilization

RELIGIOUS BUILDINGS Evidence of the first practices of religion Buildings used for rituals related to worship and religion
Example is found in the shrines embedded within Catal Huyuk

Architecture of the Civilization

RITUAL BUILDINGS Buildings whose functions are not entirely certain Usually associated with ritual ceremonial activities Activities may be related to religion
Examples are the Stone Alignment, Carnac and the Stonehenge, England

Building Types

Building materials, construction and technologies

Principles of architectural organization

Materials, Construction System & Technique Most popular construction materials were wood and tree saplings, leaves, grasses, adobe, animal skins and stones Availability of material and construction technology varied between locations Materials and construction technology also varied between the early and new stone age periods

Materials, Construction System & Technique EARLY STONE AGE

Used simple, easily available materials Usually of plant and animal materials such as wooden poles, grasses, leaves, and animal skins Construction system was also simple Usually involves digging holes, putting wooden poles in holes and burying them The poles are tied together to create the shell of the building The shell is covered with grasses, leaves or animal skins

Materials, Construction System & Technique NEW STONE AGE

More diversified construction materials Adobe and stone most popular materials Large stone was used for monuments Construction method also improved over time Significant improvement in Adobe construction Evidence of ability to quarry, shape, transport and join large stones to create monuments

Building Types

Building materials, construction and technologies

Principles of architectural organization

Principles of Architectural Organization

Principles that give form to architecture of period:
Principles and forces that determine form of dwellings and settlements Principles and forces that determine the form of monuments

Principles of Architectural Organization

Two forces shaped the form of dwellings and settlements: Functional need Available construction materials and technology

Principles of Architectural Organization

DWELLINGS AND SETTLEMENTS: EARLY STONE AGE Primary requirement is for temporary structure No desire to invest in construction of dwellings Constructed dwellings using available materials Form directly reflecting natural objects

Principles of Architectural Organization

DWELLINGS AND SETTLEMENTS: NEW STONE AGE
Became settled requiring permanent dwellings Required durable construction Improved dwellings and settlements to meet needs Change in form of house, introduction of furniture and differentiation of space Improvement in village form including introduction of streets Improvement in construction technology

Principles of Architectural Organization

MONUMENTS Function was not an important issue in monuments Desire to achieve higher emotional and spiritual needs Symbol of the achievement of society Understanding monument requires understanding meaning to its creators

Principles of Architectural Organization

Monuments display an understanding of architectural principles:
Role of geometry in organizing architectural form Differentiation of space for different activities and uses Principles of locating objects in space and of channeling movement Principles of space enclosure, including difference between boundless space and full enclosure Monuments represent the first instance of a principle of organizing space

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