ARC 111: Prehistoric Architecture

Study Notes

Humans constructed earthen mounds, stone circles, megaliths, and monumental structures
Examples include Stonehenge in the United Kingdom and Chauvet Cave in France
Prehistoric builders moved earth and stone into geometric forms, creating the earliest human-made formations
Prehistoric people looked to the heavens to imitate the sun and the moon, using circular shapes in their creations

Powerful rulers constructed monumental pyramids, temples, and shrines
Examples include the Pyramids of Giza, which were feats of engineering
Egyptian builders didn't use load-bearing arches; instead, columns were placed close together to support the heavy stone entablature above
Columns were often brightly painted and elaborately carved, mimicking palms, papyrus plants, and other plant forms
Egyptian art was functional, serving as a home for spirits or gods

The Doric column was first developed in Greece
Greece built elaborate temples and secular buildings with Ionic and Corinthian columns
The Romans borrowed heavily from Greek styles, but their buildings were more highly ornamented
The invention of concrete allowed the Romans to build arches, vaults, and domes
Famous examples of Roman architecture include the Roman Colosseum and the Pantheon in Rome

After Constantine moved the Roman capital to Byzantium (now Istanbul, Turkey), Roman architecture evolved into a classically-inspired style using brick, domed roofs, and elaborate mosaics
Eastern and Western traditions combined in the sacred buildings of the Byzantine period
Buildings were designed with a central dome that eventually rose to new heights using refined engineering practices
Byzantine art is concerned with religious expression and the translation of church theology into artistic terms

Churches and castles of the early Medieval period were constructed with thick walls and heavy piers
The Basilica of St. Sernin in Toulouse, France is a good example of this transitional architecture
Roman ideas reached far across Europe, even as the Roman Empire faded

Gothic architecture became characterized by elements that supported taller, more graceful architecture
Innovations included pointed arches, flying buttresses, and ribbed vaulting
Elaborate stained glass could take the place of walls
Gothic architecture began mainly in France, influenced by Romanesque style and Moorish architecture in Spain

A return to Classical ideas ushered in an "age of awakening" in Italy, France, and England
Architects and builders were inspired by the carefully proportioned buildings of ancient Greece and Rome
Italian Renaissance master Andrea Palladio helped awaken a passion for classical architecture
Palladio's designs were in the manner of ancient designs, but his ideas did not imitate the Classical order of architecture
The work of the Renaissance masters spread across Europe, inspiring architects in the Western world