PRE-HISTORIC HOA DATING SYSTEM
ARCHITECTURE BCE
Derived from the Greek word Before Current Era or Before the
"arkhitekton" or "chief or master Common Era
builder" Also known as Before Christ (BC)
An art and science of planning,
CE
designing and constructing buildings
and other physical structures. Current Era or Common Era
Also known as Anno Domini (AD)
HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE The calendar is based on the Birth of
Jesus Christ (year zero)
It traces the origin, growth and
decline of architectural styles which In CE, the higher the number, the
have prevailed lands and ages date is current or new. Example:
2018 CE is newer than 1451 CE.
It traces the changes in architecture
through various traditions, regions, In BCE, the higher the number, the
overarching stylistic trends, and date is older or in the past. Example:
dates 5,000 BCE is older than 4,000 BCE.
Designers study styles of the past CENTURY (General Usage)
and present to enrich current
environments When you say 21st Century CE, it
Deepens the appreciation of design means the date ranges from year 2,000
(theories) and serves as a basis for CE to 2099 CE
creative ideas (inspiration) When you say 5th Century BCE, it
means the date ranges from 499 BCE to
400 BCE
WHY STUDY HISTORY OF
ARCHITECTURE?
Ten Books of Architecture by Marcus TECHNIQUES/STRUCTURE
Vitruvius Pollio under Chapter One, The (FIRMITAS)
Education of the Architect, “A wide Well-constructed structure: Durability
knowledge of history is requisite A building should stand up robustly
because, among the ornamental parts of and remain in good condition.
an architect's design for a work, there
It must create beauty from structural
are many underlying idea of whose
necessity
employment he should be able to
explain to inquirers." FUNCTION (UTILITAS)
Planning or layout of the structure:
Utility
FACTORS INFLUENCE BUILDING
It should be suitable for the purpose
FORMS, ARCHITECTURE IN
for which it is used.
GENERAL
How a building is used
1. Geographical- Location or A building without function may be
orientation of the place beautiful but it’s sculpture, not
2. Geological- Materials available architecture
within the locality
3. Climatic—Weather conditions FORM/BEAUTY (VENUSTAS)
4. Religion- Beliefs, customs and Composition of the structure: Beauty
traditions It should be aesthetically pleasing
5. Historical- Developments of events Refers to the visual and sensory
6. Social and Political- Social and appeal of building
living conditions , economics,
Without beauty, a highly functional
governments, philosophy
building is merely, utilitarian.
CONSTRUCTION PRINCIPLES TRUSSED
POST AND LINTEL (TRABEATED) A structure that “consists of two-
force members only, where the
Refers to the use of horizontal
members are organized so that
beams or lintels which are borne
the assemblage as a whole
up by or supported by columns or
behaves as a single object.”
posts
Can also be referred to as
Columnar and Trabeated.
PREHISTORIC
Early humans started to migrate out
ARCH AND VAULT of Africa and began colonizing the
entire globe.
Arch is a curved structure that
Early humans were constantly
spans a space and supports
moving (nomadic) due to food
structure and weight below it.
scarcity and climate change.
Vault is an architectural term for
Development of tools for hunting
an arched form used to provide
(men) and gathering food (women)
space with a ceiling or roof.
Arcuated- structures built using
the arch system
GRAVETTIANS
Early humans from Africa moved
towards Europe
Cold weather hunting society around
25,000 BCE
Stayed in Europe due to abundance
of wildlife (migrating animals)
CORBELING
Gravettians developed sewing
Layer of stones placed closer Connected with the spirits and
together as the vault tapers ancestors (Shamanism)
towards to the top or apex
VENUS FIGURINES
Pocket-sized female sculptures
Carved from stones, ivory or bones
and clay or ceramic
Abstract facial features, exaggerated
or large body proportions
It might be associated with fertility,
CANTILEVER
protection or talisman for hunting.
One end of the horizontal beam
is fixed while the other end is
protruding and supports the MAGDALENIAN
weight
From Ice Age animal hunters to
forest society
Caves became centers for rituals. A
discourse between the animals and
ancestors
PRIMITIVE DWELLINGS STONE AGE
Mudhif is an Iraqi traditional reed Divided into 3 periods:
house
Paleolithic (Old Stone Age)
Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age)
Neolithic (New Stone Age)
Humans started to use stone tools
Paleo and Mesolithic, humans were
Teepee or Tipi is a traditional mobile food gatherers, hunters, fishers, cave
house of the American Indians dwellers
Conical shelter covered with animal
skin and supported by poles.
NEOLITHIC AGE
From 8,000 to 6,000 BCE (dates
vary)
From the Greek words "Neos"
(New) and "Lithos" (Stone)
Hogan is a traditional house of the Adoption of agriculture, development
Navajo tribe. A log structure of of pottery (art), polished stone tools,
various shapes domestication of animals, and
development of human settlements
Neolithic period started around the
Fertile Crescent which is today
modern day Iraq, Syria, Lebanon,
Rumaq Bolon is a traditional Toba Israel, Jordan, Southern Turkey and
house found in Sumatra, Indonesia. Iran
It is a rectangular house with a
sweeping roof and elevated on stilts.
SETTLEMENT AT CATAL HÜYÜK,
KONYA PLAINS, TURKEY
Igloo is a traditional snow house by
the Inuit and Eskimo people.
Inhabited around 7,400 BCE
Largest and best preserved
Nigerian hut is a cylindrical
Neolithic settlement in the world.
structure with a thatched roof and
First discovered in 1958, excavations
mud walls
in 1961 to 1965 by James Mellaarts
Located in a marsh land, ideal for
agriculture and cattle (agro pastoral
society)
Around 5,000 to 8,000 people settled
Clustered houses creating a
Trullo (beehive hut) is a traditional perimeter wall around the village
Apulian dry stone hut with a conical Houses do not have windows.
roof. Found in southern Italy Roof became public spaces
Paintings on the wall with Bull and
Vulture figure
Bones of ancestors buried within the
room (ritual space)
SEATED MOTHER GODDESS or Site is composed of stone
BIRTHING GODDESS found in a alignments, dolmens, tumuli and
grain yard (Fertility) menhirs
Small female figurine statues with a Single stones (menhir) aligned in
sculpted face similar to the Venus rows for several kilometers
figurines Assumed these were built for
Fusion of the male and female ceremonial or celestial events
symbolism Stones added to attract deceased
The bull a symbol of power and ancestors. Connection with the
authority (Masculine) ancestors
Mold bulls head and insert bull horns Ceremonial axis
on it (Represents the generation of Sacred landscape
ancestors) Stone were painted In red (transit
between life and death)
MEGALITHIC ARHCITECTURE
DOLMEN
From the Greek words Megas
(Great) and Lithos (Stone)
Megaliths are large stones used to
construct a structure or monument
Climatic warming around 6,000 to
3,000 BCE
Movement of people due to climate
Also known as Cromlech, Quiot,
change
Goindol or Portal Tomb
Regions in Northern Europe like
Burial tomb consisting of several
Scotland was warmer and ideal for
large stones set on end with a large
farming. Cultural expansion
covering slab or capstone
Sahara region became a desert.
Usually covered with earth or smaller
Cultural contraction towards the Nile
stones to form a barrow (tumulus)
Poulnabrone Dolmen in Ireland
COMMON MEGALITHIC
STRUCTURES
TUMULI
MENHIR (MONOLITH)
From a Celtic/Breton word Men
(stone) and Hir (long)
Large upright standing stone in the
landscape
Common in France, Portugal, parts Tumulus (tumuli plural) is a mound of
of Ireland and England earth and stones raised over a grave
Their function or use has been or graves
subject to debates (sacrifice, It has an opening for the first burial
calendar, territorial markers) Years later the bones are removed
for the second burial
New Grange in Ireland
STONE ALIGNMENTS
CARNAC STONES IN CARNAC,
FRANCE
STONEHENGE AND CURSI
WILTSHIRE, ENGLAND
Built around 2,500 to 2,000 BCE
Consists of a complex of Sarsen
stones and smaller Blue stones
Each stones weighed 45 to 50 tons
Purpose of is still debatable but
related to ancestral worship
Merlin of King Arthurs court.
32 m diameter (108 feet)
UNESCO World Heritage Site
TRILITHON- a structure consisting
of two upright stone supporting a
horizontal lintel
Stonehenge was associated with
celestial observations, gatherings,
second burials and ancestor worship
annual clan
Avenue still River Avon (avenue
uncovered that connects from the
Stonehenge to the ceremony or
avenue of death)
Perimeter
Centralized
Axial / Path / Destination
Symmetrical
Hierarchy
Monumental
Rhythmic
Henge - a flat round or oval land
surface surrounded by a border
Bluestone – a hard, fine grained,
feldspathic and micaceous
sandstone
Sarsen Stones- sandstone blocks
found in quantity on Salisbury plain.
Heel Stone - along the east would
align with the sunrise of the summer
solstice
SUMMER SOLSTICE - earth’s axis
is closest to the sun (June 21)
It is assumed to be an astronomical
calendar
WINTER SOLSTICE - earth’s axis is
farthest to the sun (December 21)
Finding the right moment to attract
the ancestor and access their spirits