ARHISTORY 1
supernatural, and to spirituality.
INTRODUCTION TO HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE
- Architecural manifestation of thoughts
from the BEGINNING OF CIVILIZATION
TO THE BYZANTINE PERIOD.
- Latin ARCHITECTURA
ARCHITECTURE
- Greek ἀρχιτέκτων “ARKHITEKTON”
“arkhi” chief + “tekton” builder (CHIEF
BUILDER)
- ARCHITECTURE IS A THE ART AND
SCIENCE OF DESIGNING AND
CONSTRUCTING BUILDINGS.
HISTORY
- Greek “HISTORIA” meaning INQUIRY
- Chronological Records
- Discovery, Collection, Organization and
Presentation or Information
- The discipline that studies the
chronological record of events,
buildings and other architectural
elements, theories of aesthetic and
design and forces that shape building
practices.
SIX INFLUENCES OF
ARCHITECTURE
- GEOGRAPHY- The lands, the features,
the inhabitants, and the phenomena of
a place.
- GEOLOGY- The scientific study of the
origin, history, and structure of a place
- CLIMATE- Is commonly defined as the
weather averaged over a long period
- RELIGION- Is an organized collection of
belief, cultural systems, and world
views that relate humanity to the
- HISTORY- Past events, discovery,
collection, organization, and
presentation of information.
- SOCIAL & POLITICAL- Tyranny,
Feudalism, Monarchy, Music, Dancing,
Wrestling
FIVE GREAT CONSTRUCTIVE
PRINCIPLES
- Post and Lintel Construction – Two
Vertical/ Column
- Arch and Vault Construction – Curved
Structure/ Forming a ceiling
- Corbel Construction - Overlapping
- Trussed Construction – Structure frame
- Cantilever – Beam or other rigid
PREHISTORIC ARCHITECTURE
HISTORY
- 35000- 2000 BC
- Archaeological discoveries, studies and
research
- 2.3 million years
- Homo Habilis
- Homo Erectus
- Homo Sapiens
- Homo Sapiens Sapiens (Hunting,
Pottery, Wall/Cave Paintings and
Engravings)
SOCIAL & POLITICAL
- Success of the human race was largely
due to the development of tools –
stone, wood & bone
GEOGRAPHY/GEOLOGY
- Abundant materials
 - Advantages of rock cave - MIDDLE STONE AGE
- 10,000 YEARS
CLIMATE/RELIGIOUS BELIEFS - FORAGING TO FARMING
- No formal organization - FERTILE SOIL AND PLENTIFUL FOOD
- Natural phenomena - WORK, MILK AND WOOL
- LIVE IN COMMUNITIES
ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER - MIDDLE EAST, SOUTH AMERICA.
CENTRAL AMERICA, INDIA AND CHINA
MATERIALS
NEOLITHIC
- Animal skins, wooden frames and
animal bones - SETTLEMENTS AND THE
ARCHITECTURAL STRUXTURE OF
WALLS
HOUSES
- Thick timber posts, reeds, clay and - DWELLINGS
stone
CLASSIFICATIONS
ROOFING
DWELLINGS
- Tree trunks, reeds, clay and hay were
- ROCK CAVE -earliest form of dwellings.
used
- TENTS -Made from tree barks, Animal
CONSTRUCTION SYSTEM skins & Plant leaves.
- HUTS -usually made up of reeds,
- Existing and excavated cave\ brushes and wattles.
- Megalithic - Lean-To -consisted of a timber frame
with post supports and a skin covering.
DECORATION
TENTS
- Caves painting AFRICA, FRANCE AND
SPAIN Wigwam or Tepee
- Sculpture
- conical tent with timber/
STONE AGE wooden poles as framework
- Covered with rush mats and
- 30,000 BC until 10,000 BC
an animal skin door
- First Accomplishments (human
creativity) HOGAN

PALEOLITHIC - primitive Indian structure of joined logs

- HUNTED WOLD ANIMAL HUTS

- SUCCESS OF THE HUMAN RACE
IGLOO - snow blocks built up
MESOLITHIC
NIGERIAN HUT - mud walls and roof of
palm leaves. Genuine architecture -it defines exterior space

Beehive Hut A solar observatory -designed to mark the sun's

path during sunrise on Midsummer Day
Trullo - dry walled rough stone shelter with
corbelled roof

LEAN-TO

- one wall of a cave

- timber frame with post supports and a
skin covering, pinned to the ground by a
circle of stones.

RELIGIOUS MONUMENTS

MENHIR

- A single, large upright monolith

MEGALITH –a very large stone used in ancient

construction work.

MEGALITHIC –The principal form of

construction. (Megas-Lithos, Greek, Great
Stone)

Dolmen -2 or more upright stones supporting a

horizontal slab.

TRILITHON -Two upright megaliths supporting a

horizontal stone

Cromlech -a circular arrangement of megaliths

Stone Circle or Stone Row-made-up of 3,000

Stones

STONEHENGE

- Early Bronze age c2700 B.C

- Wiltshire, England
- 45 to 50 tons
- sea or river then hauled on land with
sledges and rollers