1.

PRE-HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE
Man has developed a form of architecture based
on megaliths (a big rock) from the Greek word
lithos (stone) and megas (big). This architecture is
made of huge stone blocks which were probably
intended for burial.

Megalithic monuments have always ignited

man’s imagination. It provided plenty of legends
and superstition .During this era, stones and rocks
were associated with divinity.
THREE MAIN TYPES OF MEGALITH STONES:
 1. Menhir: a huge stone standing vertically on the
ground, usually standing in the middle of the field or
arranged in rows.
 2. Dolmens: the word dolmen originated from the
expression taolmaen, which means “stone table”.
These structures are in a form of table consisting of
two huge standing stones supporting a horizontal
giant stone. It is believed that it served as grave or as
an altar.
 3. Cromlech: a Brythonic word where “crom” means bent or
curved and “llech” which means slab or flagstones. Literary it
is a circle of standing stones.
Stonehenge: best
preserved megalithic
site in Europe, a
group of stones
arranged in
concentric circles,
with a large external
circle of triliths
(Greek word meaning
three stones) , two
internal circles built
in a similar manner
and altar-shape stone It is a temple where rituals were held. The
structure and the movement of the sun in the
in the center.
sky has a relationship in terms of identifying
the change of the seasons which helped the
primitive man on their rituals and on their
agricultural practices
 2.EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE
 This architectural style was developed during the pre-
dynastic period 4,000BC.
Characteristics of Egyptian Architecture:

1. The structure has thick sloping walls with few openings to obtain
stability.
2. The exterior and interior walls along with columns and piers were
covered with hieroglyphics and pictorial frescoes and carvings painted
in brilliant colors.
3. Ornamentations were symbolic including scarab (sacred beetle), solar
disk and vulture, common motifs (palm leaves, buds, flower of lotus,
and papyrus plants)
4. Temples were aligned with astronomically significant events like
solstices (comes from the Latin word Sol, meaning sun and stitium
meaning stoppage, as the sun appears to stand still on the first day of
winter) and equinox (a time or date when day and night are of equal
length) with precise measurements required in determining the
moment of that particular event.
 PYRAMIDS OF GIZA It is the most substantial
ancient structure of the
world. The three
pyramids are the
funerary structures of
the three kings of the
fourth dynasty (2575 to
2465 BC) namely: Khufu
(Cheops) whom the Great
Pyramid was attributed
to; Khafa
(Chepren)whom the
pyramid next to the
Great Pyramid is
These pyramids were made highly attributed; and the
confusing and with many tunnels to smallest is attributed to
create confusion for grave rubbers. Menkaura (Mycerinus).
 Egyptian Temples were built to serve as
places of residence for the gods. They also served as
key centers for economic activity. Ancient temples were
made of perishables materials like wood, reed matting
and mud brick. Their walls were covered with scenes
that were carved onto the stone then brightly painted.
Pharaoh fighting in the battles and performing rituals
with the gods were the scenes found on the walls.
 MASTABA

It is a type of Egyptian tomb in the form of a

flatroofed, rectangular structure with outward
sloping sides. It was made of mud-bricks or stone.
 3.GREEK ARCHITECTURE
Temples consisted of a central shrine or room in an aisle
surrounded by rows of columns. These buildings were
designed in one of three architectural style or orders:
1.DORIC
2.IONIC
3.CORINTHIAN
 THE PARTHENON
447-432 BC, ATHENS

The Greatest
Classical temple,
ingeniously
engineered to correct
an optical illusion.
The columns were
slightly contorted,
swollen at the center
and leaning inward
to correct what
would otherwise
have been an
impression of
deadness and top
heaviness.
 4.ROMAN ARCHITECTURE

They built sturdy stone structures both for

use and to perpetuate their glory.
The emperors erected huge halls and arenas
for public games, baths and procession. They built
them of gigantic arches of stone, bricks and
concrete or with barrel vaults.
THE COLOSSEUM, AD 70-82, ROME
 5.BYZANTINE ARCHITECTURE

It has a lot in common with the early Christian

architecture. Mosaic decoration was perfected by the
Byzantines, as was the use of clerestory to bring light
in from high windows. Byzantine's advancement in
developing the dome created a new style in global
architecture.
 HAGIA SOPHIA. ISTANBUL, 537 BC

Hagia Sophia means “Holy Wisdom”. It narrates how a

magnificent construction transformed from being a church, into a
mosque and what is now known as the Hagia Sophia museum.
One of the biggest domes ever created with 108 feet in diameter
and because of its grand size it can still be seen from miles away.
 6.ROMANESQUE ARCHITECTURE

Romanesque architecture displayed solid

masonry walls, rounded arches and masonry vaults
.It is the period of great building activities in Europe,
castles, churches, monasteries arose everywhere.

The doorways of Romanesque’s churches are

often grand sculptured portals. Wood or metal doors
are surrounded by elaborate stone sculpture
arranged in zones to fit architectural elements.
THE GROIN-VAULTED CRYPT OF
WORCESTER CATHEDRAL
 7.GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE

This design included two new devices:

pointed arch which enabled builders to construct
much higher ceiling vaults and stone vaulting
borne on a network of stone ribs supported by
piers and clustered pillars.
NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL (1145-1260)
 Has rich architecture and design
 Splendid stained glass windows
 Thousands of sculptured figures
 SUMMARY
Pre-historic art is not easy to understand. These artworks are
clues for archeologists in understanding the Stone Age
civilization. Archeologists are given a peek into the minds of the
primitive people through their art work sand find out what they
have experienced to produce those pictures.
The characteristics of Egyptian art are a combination of
geometric regularity and keen observation of nature. Their art
were classified into three: first art used in the home-furniture,
jewelry, musical instruments and many more, second art used in
the dead – tombs, masks mummy cases, and wrapping for the
body, third art was created for the gods and their priest and
kings-in temples, paintings, statues.
Greek art style was a taste of Western realism or “naturalism”.
Artists have studied anatomy, physics and optics, as well as
techniques of carving, painting, building, gold-working and
ceramics. Roman artists tried to reproduce the world around
them as realistically as they could. Their architecture was
designed to reflect the power of the city and to create in all
people an awe of its imperial power.
 Roman art is a reflection of mixture of
borrowed cultures fused together with local traditions
to form their own styles and traditions.
Byzantine art was the meeting place for the
Greek and oriental culture.
Romanesque style first evolved in the first
third of the 12th century.It is a complete realization of
religious and social functions and had an
architectural program with a wealth of sculptural
decoration subordination to the architectural frame.
 GLOSSARY OF TERMS
 Ancient – dating from remote slab or abacus
period; of great age; very old  Elaborated- intricate and rich
 Aristocratic – a member of a in details
ruling class or of the nobility  Encaustic- a paint consist of
 Corinthian- elegantly or pigment mixed with beeswax
elaborately ornate and fixed with heat after its
 Dolmens- consisting of two or application
more large, upright stones set Era- a period of time as
with a space between and reckoned from a specific date
capped by a horizontal stone. serving as the basis of its
 Doric- one of the five classical chronological system.
orders of architecture,  Fresco- a technique of
typically characterized by a painting on a wall using a
flute column having as a moist plaster surface with
capital convex circular colors ground up in water or
molding supporting a square a limewater mixture.
 Hellenistic – relating to or a  Menhir- an upright monumental
characteristic of the classical stone, standing by itself or in a
Greek Civilization from the group
death of Alexander the Great to  Mille fleur- literally means
the accession of Augustus thousand flowers
 Hieroglyphics- a system of  Mosaics- a design or decoration
writing using picture symbols made up of small pieces of
used in ancient Egypt. colored glass, stone etc.
 Ionic- one of the five classical  Mythological figures- creatures,
orders of architecture, Gods and animals in the
characterized by fluted columns Mythology
and capitals with scroll- like
 Naturalism- factual or realistic
ornaments
representation
 Mastaba- an ancient Egyptian
 Outline- a line by which a figure
tomb with a rectangular base,
or object is defined or bounded
sloping sides and flat roofs.
 Pigments- a substance used in
 Medieval – relating to middle
coloring,
ages Megaliths- a very large
stones used in the pre historic  Pillars- a slender, freestanding,
architectures vertical support; a column