ARC 113 HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE 1

(HANDOUT)

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PREHISTORIC ARCHITECTURE
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Arch. Faith Caridad I. Hernandez, UAP

College of Architecture
Answer the following questions:

1. Describe how prehistoric people lived.

2. What do you think are their types of houses?

3. Why is this period called “Prehistoric”?

From your Elementary and High School, studies, you have learned that he earliest known humans that
lived on earth were members of the genus habilis which evolved around 2.8 million years ago. Homo
habilis is the first species which were proven to have used stone tools in their everyday living. As
architecture students, you must be interested in what types of houses or other structures they
constructed, which will be discussed in this Module.

At the end of the Module, you are expected to:

1. Understand and explain the evolution of architecture during the Prehistoric period.

2. Identify the different prehistoric structures and their purpose.

3. Identify the different types of shelters built during prehistoric times by different cultures.

PREHISTORIC means: of, relating to, or existing in times antedating written history (“Prehistoric”,
Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, n.d.). It refers to the time or period before people could write, or
could make written historical records. According to Lesley Kennedy, “for roughly 2.5 million years,
humans lived on Earth without leaving a written record of their lives—but they left behind other kinds of
remains and artifacts”.

For this topic, therefore, we will be discussing these remains or artifacts, mainly in the type of shelters,
structures or monuments which were built during this period, or the earliest types of architecture.

The graph below shows the historical timeline of Architecture, from prehistoric up to the present times.
Although pre-history started 2.5 million years ago, most History of Architecture timeline is depicted
from 5,000 to 8,000 BC up to 641 AD, coinciding with the Neolithic period. Please take note that to
reduce the size of the graph, the periods Before Christ (B.C.) is in millennia or 1,000 years while the
periods After Death (A.D.) is only in centuries or 100 years. This means that the Prehistoric period is
longer than the Egyptian period up to the present time.
Our direct human ancestors evolved in Africa from 2.3
million years ago. During the Prehistoric era, humans
started to spread from Africa into Southern Europe and
Asia. They could not go far north due to the extremely
cold climates. Some people went from Siberia to North
America by foot, while some people from Asia went to
Australia by boat.
Figure 1. Map showing migration of people during the
The Prehistoric time is divided into 3 general periods: prehistoric period (Espina, n.d.)

•Paleolithic (Old Stone Age) 2.5 million years ago – 10,000 BC, early humans lived in caves or simple
huts or tepees and were hunters and gatherers, and therefore mostly nomadic. They used basic stone
and bone tools, as well as crude stone axes, for hunting birds and wild animals. They cooked their prey,
including woolly mammoths, deer and bison, using controlled fire. They also fished and collected
berries, fruit and nuts.

Ancient humans in the Paleolithic period were also the first to leave behind art. They used combinations
of minerals, ochres, burnt bone meal and charcoal mixed into water, blood, animal fats and tree saps to
etch humans, animals and signs. They also carved small figurines from stones, clay, bones and antlers.

The end of this period marked the end of the last Ice Age, which resulted in the extinction of many large
mammals and rising sea levels and climate change that eventually caused man to migrate.
•Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age) 10,000-8,000 BC - humans used small stone tools, now also polished
and sometimes crafted with points and attached to antlers, bone or wood to serve as spears and arrows.
They often lived nomadically in camps near rivers and other bodies of water. Agriculture was introduced
during this time, which led to more permanent settlements in villages.

•Neolithic (New Stone Age) 8,000-3,000 BC- ancient humans switched from hunter/gatherer mode to
agriculture and food production. They domesticated animals and cultivated cereal grains. They used
polished hand axes, adzes for ploughing and tilling the land and started to settle in the plains.
Advancements were made not only in tools but also in farming, home construction and art, including
pottery, sewing and weaving. (Kennedy, 2019).

As stated earlier, most History of Architecture timeline starts from this period because it is in this era
that humans started settling in one area and constructing more permanent shelters and other
structures.

Figure 2. Altamira Bisons (Quine, 2011). Figure 3. Prehistoric stone tool (Descouens, 2010).

During this time, there is as yet no organized religion. They worshiped the elements like fire, water,
stone and even sometimes wild animals just out of fear, or in order to be safe and secured. Their
religious beliefs were based on nature.

Their dead were treated with respect, and they practiced burial rituals and erected monuments.
  Materials used during this period were animal skins, wood, stones, animal bones, and whatever
is available in nature.
 The earliest shelters are natural or excavated caves, some of which are decorated with cave
drawings.
 Although some of their structures are made from perishable materials, they constructed
monuments which are called “megalithic”, or made of very large or gigantic stones.

a single upright rough monolith usually of prehistoric origin. (“Menhir.” Merriam-

Webster.com Dictionary, n.d.). They were erected for religious purposes, and sometimes arranged in
rows, reaching several miles and consisting of thousands of stones. The menhir de Champ-Dolent is the
largest menhir in Brittany (picture below).

The purpose of the menhir is still uncertain. They are thought to have been used for human sacrifice,
territorial or grave markers, or functioned as early calendars.

Figure 4. Menhir de Champ-Dolent (Piolle, 2010) Figure 5. Carnac stones (n.a., n.d.)
 a prehistoric monument of two or more upright stones supporting a horizontal stone
slab found especially in Britain and France and thought to be a tomb. (“Dolmen.” Merriam-Webster.com
Dictionary, n.d.).

Figure 6. Kilclooney Dolmen, Ireland (Hajotthu, 2016) Figure 7. Dolmen in Burren, Ireland. (n.a., n.d.)

Enclosure formed by huge stones planted on the ground in circular form (Espina,
n.d.). The most notable example of this is the Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England.

Figure 8. Stonehenge (Cardiff Box Office, n.d.). Fig. 9. Diagram of Stonehenge as it appeared c. 1550 BCE. (Encyclopædia
Britannica, n.d.)

The function of the Stonehenge has long been the subject of speculation. According to the
Encyclopaedia Britannica, it was thought to be a Druid temple; or constructed as a “computer” to
predict lunar and solar eclipses; other scientists also attributed astronomical capabilities to the
monument. Others believed that the Stonehenge were used for rites involving human sacrifice. Figure
10 shows how, during the Summer Solstice, the rising sun shines through the heel stone towards the
altar stone, allegedly proving that the builders of this monument had an advanced knowledge of
astrology. In figure 11, the smaller stones surrounding the central boulder is in a square rather than a
circular form.
Fig. 10. Summer Solstice at Stonehenge (BBC News, n.d.) Fig. 11. Cromlech de Xarez ( Felicisimo, 2019).

A mound of earth or stone protecting a tomb chamber or

simple grave. It is the dominant tomb type during the prehistoric period. There is usually a corridor
inside leading to an underground chamber (Espina, n.d.).

Figure 12. Tumulus in England Figure 13. Bougon Tumulus (Jahnke, 2007).

are one of the earliest types of dwellings, which may be natural or artificial caves. Since
the earliest humans were nomadic, they made use of existing or natural caves that they can find, which
they leave behind as they move from one place to another. On the other hand, artificial caves are those
that have been carved out of the sides of mountains using primitive tools. Figure 14 to 16 shows some
examples of prehistoric caves that are still in existence today, including the famous cave paintings in the
Lascaux caves in France.
 Figure 14. Prehistoric Caves, Syria (Kidner, 1993). Figure 15. Cappadocia Caves (NinaMarie, n.d.).

Figure 16. Lascaux Caves Paintings (Mei, 2012).

Indigenous (or vernacular) Material is an adjective meaning "originating in and characteristic of a

particular region or country". Indigenous materials, therefore, are materials that are naturally and
locally found in a specific place or area. (Danio, 2016).

There are regions or areas where there are no existing caves or rock outcrops which can be carved into
one. In such instances, the people have to make use of whatever building materials they can find in their
vicinity, like bones, stones, mud, clay, leather, timber, and the like.

Figure 17 to 24 are examples of such dwellings:

Fig. 17. Reconstruction of Mammoth House (Nandaro, 2013) Fig. 18. Reconstruction of circular stone houses in Cyprus
(Ophelia2, 2011).

Fig. 19. Reconstructed houses of early Neolithic in Germany (Rauenstein, 2005). Fig. 20 Trullo House (Mastrolia, M., n.d.).

Figure 21. Igloo (Pope,2010). Figure 22. Beehive Huts, Ireland (Burke, 2004).

Fig. 23. Traditional yurts (Chu, 2019). Fig. 24 Reconstruction of prehistoric hut in Japan
(Takashi.koike, 2008).
Take note that there are no prehistoric dwellings in existence today. However, archaeologists were able
to reconstruct how their dwellings must have looked like, and what materials they used for construction
based on certain “clues” they left behind in the different archaeological sites. However, some types of
shelters, like the igloo, trullo house, beehive huts and yurts, is said to have been the type of houses built
during prehistoric times, and are still being built and used the same way up to the present.

Now that you have learned the different structures and dwellings that were built during the prehistoric
times, try this activity:

1. From the internet, encyclopaedia or other sources, find at least 2 examples of prehistoric monuments
(menhir, dolmen, cromlech or tumulus) and at least 4 examples of prehistoric dwellings which were not
mentioned above.

2. Draw these structures in the spaces provided below, and write a brief description of each. For those
who don’t have a printed module, just use a piece of long bond paper. It should be manual drawing, and
description should be handwritten. Mode of submission will be given by the Instructor later.

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Note: Add more pages if necessary. Bonus points will be given for additional structures submitted in
excess of the minimum 6 drawings/descriptions required.

After completing this activity, you will be ready for the next module.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:

“Dolmen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-

webster.com/dictionary/dolmen. Accessed 9 Aug. 2020.

“Indigenous Material.” Danio Jr., D. (2016). Makasinag Artist Club. Retrieved from
http://www.makasining.org/?page=news&action=details&REFECODE=ARWHA2017010001

“Menhir.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-

webster.com/dictionary/menhir. Accessed 9 Aug. 2020.

Burke, Rob (2004). Skellig Michael’s Beehive huts, Ireland. [Photograph]. Wikimedia Commons.
Retrieved from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Skellig_Michael_-_cell_E_and_F.jpg

Carnac Stones. (n.d.). [Photograph]. Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved from

https://www.tes.com/lessons/ogJ1uQxsBiScVw/carnac-stones-in-france

Chu, M. (2019). Traditional yurts (gers) in the Gobi desert [Photograph]. Ancient History Encyclopedia.
Retrieved from https://www.ancient.eu/image/11224/traditional-yurts/

Descouens, D. (2010). Biface- different views of the same specimen [Photograph]. Wikimedia Commons.
Retrieved from
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Biface_Cintegabelle_MHNT_PRE_2009.0.201.1_V2.jpg

Diagram of Stonehenge as it appeared c. 1550 BCE. (n.d.) [Photograph]. Encyclopædia Britannica.

Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Stonehenge

Dolmen, Burren, Ireland. (n.d.). [Photograph]. Piqsels. Retrieved from

https://www.piqsels.com/fi/public-domain-photo-zoxsy

Felicisimo, A. (2019). Cromlech de Xarez [Photograph]. Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved from

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cromlech_de_Xarez_(48808609618).jpg

Hajotthu (2016). Kilclooney Dolmen, Ireland [Photograph]. Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved from
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kilclooney_Dolmen_Irland@20160530_003.jpg

Jahnke, Jochen (2007). Bougon Tumulus [Photograph]. Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved from
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tumulus_Bougon.jpg

Kennedy, L. (2019). The Prehistoric Ages: How Humans Lived Before Written Records. Retrieved from
https://www.history.com/news/prehistoric-ages-timeline

Kidner, F. (1993). Prehistoric Caves, Syria [Photograph]. Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved from
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Maaloula_(%D9%85%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%88%D9%84
%D8%A7),_Syria_-_Prehistoric_caves_-_PHBZ024_2016_0143_-_Dumbarton_Oaks.jpg
Mastrolia, M. (n.d.). Trullo House [Photograph]. Pinterest. Retrieved from
https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/378161699951170365/?nic_v2=1a7zhFOXx

Mei, J. (2012). Lascaux Caves [Photograph]. Flickr. Retrieved from

https://www.flickr.com/photos/47357563@N06/8087949259

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Prehistoric. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved August 8, 2020,

from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prehistoric

Nandaro (2013). Mammoth House [Photograph]. Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved from

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28592388

NinaMarie (n.d.). Cappadocia Caves Goreme [Photograph]. Needpix.com. Retrieved from

https://www.needpix.com/photo/992366/cappadocia-cave-goreme-turkey-sandstone-travel-
ancient-landscape-unesco

Ophelia2 (2011). Reconstruction of stone houses in Choiokoitia in Cyprus, dating from around 6,000 B.C.
[Photograph]. Vikidia. Retrieved from
https://en.vikidia.org/wiki/Prehistoric_house#/media/File:Khirokitia1.jpg

Piolle, G. (2010). The Menhir de Champ-Dolent [Photograph]. Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved from
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Menhir_du_Champ_Dolent.jpg

Quine, T. (2011). Altamira Bisons [Photograph]. Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved from

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Altamira_bisons.jpg

Rauenstein (2005). Reconstructed houses of early Neolithic (Germany) [Photograph]. Vikidia. Retrieved
from https://en.vikidia.org/wiki/Prehistoric_house#/media/File:Kussow,_Steinzeitdorf.jpg

Stonehenge. (n.d.). [Photograph]. Cardiff Box Office. Retrieved from

https://www.cardiffboxoffice.com/events/11505/12673/

Summer Solstice at Stonehenge (n.d.) [Illustration]. BBC News. Retrieved from

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/wiltshire/5098706.stm

Takashi.koike (2008). Reconstruction of a prehistoric hut in Japan [Photograph]. Vikidia. Retrieved from
https://en.vikidia.org/wiki/Prehistoric_house#/media/File: 三内丸山遺跡復元茅葺住居.JPG