INTRODUCTION – MODULE 1
THE BEGINNINGS
OF What is
ARCHITECTURE HISTORY?
History of ARCHITECTURE
a record of man’s effort to build beautifully
traces origin, growth and decline of architectural
styles which have prevailed lands and ages
the particular method, the
characteristics, manner of design
which prevails at a certain place
and time
GEOGRAPHICAL
GEOLOGICAL
INFLUENCING CLIMATICAL
FACTORS RELIGION
HISTORICAL
SOCIAL AND POLITICAL
▪Pinpoints the LOCATION
INFLUENCING ➢near the sea
FACTORS: ➢an island
➢on the mountains
GEOGRAPHICAL
➢deserts, and others
INFLUENCING ▪MATERIALS found in the
FACTORS: locality that influences the
character of the building
GEOLOGICAL
INFLUENCING ▪prevailing WEATHER in
the country that affect the
FACTORS: building’s character
CLIMATIC
▪the emotional
INFLUENCING temperament and
FACTORS: SPIRITUAL TENDENCIES
of the people
RELIGION
INFLUENCING ▪the BACKGROUND of the
FACTORS: people as a whole
HISTORICAL
INFLUENCING
FACTORS: ▪how the people LIVED
and GOVERNED
SOCIAL AND
POLITICAL
Natural Man-made
determinants determinants
Topography, climate, Trade, political
natural resources, power, religion,
building materials & defense, mobility,
Technology ethnical issues, etc.
❖Introduction to Prehistoric
Architecture
❖Early Prehistoric
dwellings
❖Religious Prehistoric
structures
❖Early Prehistoric cities
Two forces shaped
PRINCIPLES OF the form of dwellings
ARCHITECTURAL and settlements
ORGANIZATION • Functional need
• Available construction
materials and technology
Savage Stage / Old Stone Age/
STAGES OF Paleolithic Age up to 9000 BC
HUMAN Barbarian Stage/ New Stone Age/
Neolithic Age, 9000 to 3000 BC
HISTORY Iron or Bronze Age
Dwellings &
settlements
BUILDING Funerary & religious
buildings
TYPES
Ritual structures
EARLY DWELLINGS
aves
MEGALITHIC ARCHITECTURE
PREHISTORIC
STRUCTURES
MEGALITHIC ARCHITECTURE
Preserve remains of
monument made
partially or wholly of
giant stones are found
on islands or near the
sea coast of the
mainland
or Megalithic Structures
MEGALITHIC ARCHITECTURE
They are considered as
Religious Structures
Villagers were
connected by shared
mortuary and goddess
ritual centers
Monoliths Dolmen
Tumuli
MONOLITHS
▪ also know as MENHIRS
▪ are single great stones
set on end and
arranged in parallel
rows, some of which
run for several miles
and consists of
thousands of stones
purpose is of religious
in nature
▪ a prehistoric
monument consisting
of an upright stone
DOLMEN
▪ consists of
several large
stones set on
end with a
large
covering slab
Sometimes, the huge stones were arranged in a circle
and partially covered with horizontal slabs of stone.
These are known a CROMLECH.
The most imposing is the one at “STONEHEGE” in
England date 2000 BC.
Stonehenge
This consists of a complex of sarsen stones and smaller “bluestones”. Outermost was a ring of
large monoliths of sarsen stones capped by Lintels. Next was a ring of smaller bluestones which
in turn encircled a horseshoe consisted of five Lintel-Topped pairs of the largest sarsens, each of
which weighed 45 to 50 tons.
Stonehenge is a genuine architecture in the sense that it defines exterior space.
TUMULI
(Passage Grave)
▪ the dominant
Megalithic tomb type,
of which may exist in
France and England,
has a corridor lined
with large stone slabs
leading to a circular
chamber often having
tumulus
a corbelled vault ▪ a mound of earth or stone protecting a tomb
chamber or simple grave
farming
How to submit?
Scan/ Take a photo of each drawing and a photo for the whole composition, and upload it
here. Submission may start on September 1, 2021; deadline September 4, 2021.
How to submit?
Scan/ Take a photo of each drawing and a photo for the whole composition, and upload it
here. Submission may start on September 2, 2021; deadline September 5, 2021.
How to submit?
Scan/ Take a photo of each drawing and a photo for the whole composition, and upload it
here. Submission may start on September 4, 2021; deadline September 8, 2021.
LESSON 2:
HISTORY OF
ANCIENT NEAR
EAST
ARCHITECTURE 1
(MESOPOTAMIA)
SUMERIAN
ASSYRIAN
BABYLONIAN
PERSIAN
MESOPOTAMIA
• Southwest Asia
• Iraq & Syria
• Fertile Crescent (curve
shape area)
• Land Between Rivers
• Tigris & Euphrates
ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTERISTICS
• ARCHITECTURE WAS ARCUATED
• CITIES WERE RAISED ON HUGE PLATFORMS MADE OF BRICKS & CLAY FILLINGS
• ROOFS WERE FLAT SUPPORTED BY ARCS OR DOMES
• PALACES ARE F STEPPED BATTLEMENT OUTLINE & ARE APPROACHED THROUGH
TWO HUGE HUMAN HEADED WINGED BULL STATUE
• WALLS WERE FINISHED WITH GLAZED BRICKS & DECORATED WITH
HEIROGLYPHICS
• CHIEF BUILDING TYPE WAS THE ZIGGURAT
City-states
First settled in 3300 BC
Priests were Rulers
SUMERIAN
Warriors become King
Ruled by Dynasty (series of rulers
from one single family)
CULTURAL INTERACTION/
ECONOMICS/EMPIRE BUILDING
• TRADING SURPLUS
• Allowed Sumerians to increase long distance trade &
develop new city-states
• CULTURAL DIFFUSION
• New idea or product spreads from one culture to another
• Trading surplus allowed for cultural diffusion
• EMPIRE
• Bringing together of different nations under one ruler
THE CITY OF
BABYLON
• THE MOST FAMOUS ANCIENT CITY IN
THE WORLD
• THE CAPITAL OF MESOPOTAMIAN
DYNASTIES STARTING WITH THE
DYNASTY OF KING HAMMURABI
• THE FAMOUS HANGING GARDENS
BUILT BY KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR II
FOR HIS WIFE AMYTAS
THE ISHTAR GATE
• BUILT ABOUT 575 BC BY NEBUCHADNEZZAR II
FOR THE GODDESS ISHTAR
• ONE OF THE EIGHT GATES OF THE INNER CITY OF
BABYLON (IRAQ)
• THE ISHTAR GATE IS MORE THAN 38 FT. HIGH &
WAS MADE OF BRICK GLAZED WITH COPPER
TURQUOISE ALTERNATING WITH UNGLAZED BRICK
COVERED WITH GOLD LEAF
2284 BC
Introduced the polychrome
ornamental brickwork & corbel arch
ASSYRIAN • Masonry built over an opening by advancing
courses until they meet at the midpoint
Used of high plinth or dado
ARCHITECTURAL EXAMPLES
• THE CITY OF AZHUR
• Ancient religious center of Assyria
• THE CITY OF NIMRUD
• Restored & enlarged by Ashurnasirpal II
• THE CITY OF KHORSABAD
• Built by Sargon II & contained the palace of Sargon
• THE CITY OF NINEVEH
• Built by the son of Sargon, Sennacherib, contained the
palace without a rival
PERSIAN ARCHITECTURE
• ARCHITECTURE WAS COLUMNAR
• FLAT TIMBER ROOFS WERE USED INSTEAD OF ARCHES & VAULTS
• COLUMNS WERE PLENTY IN THEIR BUILDINGS & WERE SLENDER
& GRACEFUL
• ROOMS WERE LARGER & SQUARISH IN PLAN
• USED OF DOUBLE BULL & DOUBLE UNICORN CAPITALS
• CITIES WERE STILL ELEVATED IN HUGE PLATFORMS OR ON
NATURAL HILLS
TOMB OF DARIUS
THE GREAT
HALL OF XERXES
