PRE-HISTORIC HOA
ARCHITECTURE
 Derived from the Greek word
"arkhitekton" or "chief or master
builder"
 An art and science of planning,
designing and constructing buildings
and other physical structures.
HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE
 It traces the origin, growth and
decline of architectural styles which
have prevailed lands and ages
 It traces the changes in architecture
through various traditions, regions,
overarching stylistic trends, and
dates
 Designers study styles of the past
and present to enrich current
environments
 Deepens the appreciation of design
(theories) and serves as a basis for
creative ideas (inspiration)
WHY STUDY HISTORY OF
ARCHITECTURE?
Ten Books of Architecture by Marcus
Vitruvius Pollio under Chapter One, The
Education of the Architect, “A wide
knowledge of history is requisite
because, among the ornamental parts of
an architect's design for a work, there
are many underlying idea of whose
employment he should be able to
explain to inquirers."
FACTORS INFLUENCE BUILDING
FORMS, ARCHITECTURE IN
GENERAL
1. Geographical- Location or
orientation of the place
2. Geological- Materials available
within the locality
3. Climatic—Weather conditions
4. Religion- Beliefs, customs and
traditions
5. Historical- Developments of events
6. Social and Political- Social and
living conditions , economics,
governments, philosophy
DATING SYSTEM
BCE
 Before Current Era or Before the
Common Era
 Also known as Before Christ (BC)
CE
 Current Era or Common Era
 Also known as Anno Domini (AD)
The calendar is based on the Birth of
Jesus Christ (year zero)
 In CE, the higher the number, the
date is current or new. Example:
2018 CE is newer than 1451 CE.
 In BCE, the higher the number, the
date is older or in the past. Example:
5,000 BCE is older than 4,000 BCE.
CENTURY (General Usage)
When you say 21st Century CE, it
means the date ranges from year 2,000
CE to 2099 CE
When you say 5th Century BCE, it
means the date ranges from 499 BCE to
400 BCE
TECHNIQUES/STRUCTURE
(FIRMITAS)
 Well-constructed structure: Durability
 A building should stand up robustly
and remain in good condition.
 It must create beauty from structural
necessity
FUNCTION (UTILITAS)
 Planning or layout of the structure:
Utility
 It should be suitable for the purpose
for which it is used.
 How a building is used
 A building without function may be
beautiful but it’s sculpture, not
architecture
FORM/BEAUTY (VENUSTAS)
 Composition of the structure: Beauty
 It should be aesthetically pleasing
 Refers to the visual and sensory
appeal of building
 Without beauty, a highly functional
building is merely, utilitarian.
CONSTRUCTION PRINCIPLES
POST AND LINTEL (TRABEATED)
 Refers to the use of horizontal
beams or lintels which are borne
up by or supported by columns or
posts
 Can also be referred to as
Columnar and Trabeated.
ARCH AND VAULT
 Arch is a curved structure that
spans a space and supports
structure and weight below it.
 Vault is an architectural term for
an arched form used to provide
space with a ceiling or roof.
 Arcuated- structures built using
the arch system
CORBELING
 Layer of stones placed closer
together as the vault tapers
towards to the top or apex
CANTILEVER
 One end of the horizontal beam
is fixed while the other end is
protruding and supports the
weight
TRUSSED
 A structure that “consists of two-
force members only, where the
members are organized so that
the assemblage as a whole
behaves as a single object.”
PREHISTORIC
 Early humans started to migrate out
of Africa and began colonizing the
entire globe.
 Early humans were constantly
moving (nomadic) due to food
scarcity and climate change.
 Development of tools for hunting
(men) and gathering food (women)
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)
 Gravettians developed sewing
 Connected with the spirits and
ancestors (Shamanism)
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,
protection or talisman for hunting.
MAGDALENIAN
 From Ice Age animal hunters to
forest society
 Caves became centers for rituals. A
discourse between the animals and
ancestors
PRIMITIVE DWELLINGS
 Mudhif is an Iraqi traditional reed
house
 Teepee or Tipi is a traditional mobile
house of the American Indians
Conical shelter covered with animal
skin and supported by poles.
 Hogan is a traditional house of the
Navajo tribe. A log structure of
various shapes
 Rumaq Bolon is a traditional Toba
house found in Sumatra, Indonesia.
It is a rectangular house with a
sweeping roof and elevated on stilts.
 Igloo is a traditional snow house by
the Inuit and Eskimo people.
 Nigerian hut is a cylindrical
structure with a thatched roof and
mud walls
 Trullo (beehive hut) is a traditional
Apulian dry stone hut with a conical
roof. Found in southern Italy
STONE AGE
Divided into 3 periods:
 Paleolithic (Old Stone Age)
 Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age)
 Neolithic (New Stone Age)
Humans started to use stone tools
Paleo and Mesolithic, humans were
food gatherers, hunters, fishers, cave
dwellers
NEOLITHIC AGE
 From 8,000 to 6,000 BCE (dates
vary)
 From the Greek words "Neos"
(New) and "Lithos" (Stone)
 Adoption of agriculture, development
of pottery (art), polished stone tools,
domestication of animals, and
development of human settlements
 Neolithic period started around the
Fertile Crescent which is today
modern day Iraq, Syria, Lebanon,
Israel, Jordan, Southern Turkey and
Iran
SETTLEMENT AT CATAL HÜYÜK,
KONYA PLAINS, TURKEY
 Inhabited around 7,400 BCE
 Largest and best preserved
Neolithic settlement in the world.
 First discovered in 1958, excavations
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
perimeter wall around the village
 Houses do not have windows.
 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
BIRTHING GODDESS found in a
grain yard (Fertility)
 Small female figurine statues with a
sculpted face similar to the Venus
figurines
 Fusion of the male and female
symbolism
 The bull a symbol of power and
authority (Masculine)
 Mold bulls head and insert bull horns
on it (Represents the generation of
ancestors)
 Site is composed of stone
alignments, dolmens, tumuli and
menhirs
 Single stones (menhir) aligned in
rows for several kilometers
 Assumed these were built for
ceremonial or celestial events
 Stones added to attract deceased
ancestors. Connection with the
ancestors
 Ceremonial axis
 Sacred landscape
 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