Prehistory

SUMMARY    

    This week I read Chapter 1 of Hinchman's book History of Interior Architecture Furniture, Design, and Global Culture. This section was about prehistory, specifically the time periods of the Paleolithic, Neolithic, and Bronze Age. This chapter included a lot of interesting information, especially about how this early period of design has impacted the world ever since. I learned that one of the first examples of a designed object was a hand axe. The symmetrical shape of the object reflected the value of symmetry in health and beauty for the culture during the Stone Age. Something as simple as hand tools had reasoning behind the form, thus making it a design. 

    Another interesting point the book makes is that there was so much less in the world during these time periods that the people were impacted by more. That is why the engravings, paintings, and signs created represent so much. The things the people made into art represented a significant part of their life. In the Paleolithic era, there were little ways to influence what nature had made. They reacted to the existing spaces and resources around them. Caves were made into shelters and were furnished with art of foundation myths, such as those seen in Lascaux. As time progressed, people made more developments in terms of design and architecture. The Neolithic era used mostly stone for architecture and objects. They were placed in such ways that created homes and spiritual places. Other materials were also used at this time such as wood, but stone was a very available material. The Bronze Age is where design style began to shift again. Metals began to be used more widespread for the formation of weapons, jewelry, and tools. The resources abundant in different areas impacted which materials were used for these objects and designs. An important note the book makes is that little remains of these objects and designs because of the way they utilize natural resources. The wood, leaves, and hide from these time periods are long gone. Our studies of these times are based upon the remains we have.

    My favorite pieces from this time include Skara Brae, Catal Huyuk, and Lascaux. Lascaux (1.1) was a ritual activity site around 17000 BCE. It is a cave like shelter that has over 1,500 engravings and 600 painted animals according to the book. This style of design continues to impact modern day art, with an example being the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis. The Cathedral (1.2) is a religious site for worship and prayer in the Catholic faith. Similarly to how Lascaux depicted pictures and traditional stories of what they worship, the Cathedral showcases important figures and stories of the faith.

Lascaux (1.1)

Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis (1.2)

    In continuation, Skara Brae (2.1) was a village in Scotland, inhabited between 3100 and 2500 BCE. This site is very interesting because of the way the stone was used in a curvilinear form without having a fastener such as mortar. The Canadian Museum of History (2.2) in Gatineau, Canada is a modern building that applies similar concepts as this prehistoric village. While there have been many advancements in technology since the Neolithic era, the Canadian Museum also uses stone to form curvilinear shapes for the design.

Skara Brae (2.1)

Canadian Museum of History (2.2)

    Catal Huyuk (3.1) was a Middle Eastern Neolithic town in what is now modern-day Turkey. Rectilinear houses were plastered with mud bricks to create the shelter. Houses were furnished using wooden posts, beams, and ladders. What is special about this design specifically is the central hearth. The perimeter of the rooms was where many actions took place, but they all revolved around a dominant point. In modern homes, this idea of a central hearth is seen by fireplaces in living rooms (3.2). The living room is often generalized as a gathering place for families and friends. Chairs and couches are placed around a fireplace often in the center of the room.

Catal Huyuk (3.1)

Living Home with Fireplace (3.2)

 

ONE STEP FURTHER

    One architectural work from the prehistoric time that sticks out to me is Skara Brae. As I mentioned before, it was a village in Scottland. Due to the historical time, it was built, its architects and designers are unknown. It is also unknown what else they created outside of the town. The village itself, however, has many interesting design aspects. From an aerial viewpoint (4.1), you can clearly see how each area is separated into distinct spaces. The outside of the homes was just as curvilinear as the interior (4.2). It is clear that much care and craft when into the construction. Using stones, they constructed hearths that not only kept the spaces warm but also provided light and a central meeting area (4.3). The community and architects that created this village put much intentionality behind their design. This YouTube video dives more into a typical Skara Brae home and what interior finishes and furnishings were common in them. It continues talking about cultural aspects, such as burials, that were also important in the construction and use of these homes. https://youtu.be/tlwxGvUy4Ks?si=-AbGNb-3kuSMevhP

Skara Brae Aerial View (4.1)

Skara Brae Curvilinear Exterior (4.2)

Skara Brae Central Hearth (4.3)

CONCLUSION

    While there are not many architectural or design remains from these prehistorical times, they are still very influential to the field of architecture today. These were many of the first examples of designs. Because of the creations from artists during this BCE period, we are able to build off of this foundation in our designs today. Understanding the who, what, how, where, and why of these creations allows us to become better designers in our current world.