History of Architecture: Pre-Historic to Pre-Columbian America

This set covers vocabulary and key concepts from Pre-Historic architecture through the civilizations of the Near East, Egypt, and Pre-Columbian America.

Pre-historic

The time before people recorded history in writing, where objects serve as the documents of record.

Nomadic Life

A lifestyle of hunting and gathering practiced by humans before $9000$ BC.

Lascaux Cave

Located in Montignac, France, it is cited as an example of the earliest form of dwelling.

Menhir

A prehistoric monument consisting of an upright stone, usually standing alone but sometimes aligned in parallel rows.

Dolmen

A prehistoric monument consisting of two or more large upright stones supporting a horizontal stone slab or capstone, derived from 'Daul' (Table) and 'Maen' (Stone).

Cromlech

A circular arrangement of megaliths, such as Stonehenge.

Tumulus

An artificial mound of earth or stone protecting a tomb chamber or a simple grave.

Mesopotamia

The fertile plains of the twin rivers Tigris and Euphrates, named from the Greek words 'Mesos' (Middle) and 'Potamos' (River).

Ziggurats

Huge, pyramidal temple-shaped towers dedicated to the god of the city and considered houses of the gods.

Persepolis

A palace complex founded by Darius I and the seat of the Persian empire; inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in $1979$.

Ishtar Gate

A large, four-storey portal dominating the processional avenue through the city.

Vizier

The most powerful position after the king in Ancient Egypt, equivalent to a modern 'prime minister'.

Imhotep

Djoser’s vizier who is considered by some to be the earliest known architect.

Mastaba

The first type of Egyptian burial structure, characterized by a flat top and tapered walls.

Serdab

A narrow chamber in an Egyptian Mastaba that is either concealed or accessible by a narrow passage and contains the statue of the deceased.

Ka

The Ancient Egyptian term for life force or spirit.

Battered Wall

A wall that diminishes in width towards the top for stability, typical of Egyptian temple architecture.

Pylons

A gateway guarding a sacred precinct, consisting of a pair of tall truncated pyramids and a doorway between them.

Hypostyle Hall

A pillared hall in which the roofs rest on columns.

Hieracosphinx

An Egyptian sphinx figure with the body of a lion and the head of a falcon or hawk.

Obelisk

An Egyptian monolithic four-sided standing stone tapering to a pyramidion cap, often inscribed with hieroglyphics.

Tenochtitlan

The ancient capital and center of the Aztec Empire, standing $8000$ ft above sea level.

Temple of Kukulcan (El Castillo)

A Mayan pyramid in Chichen Itza featuring four sides with $91$ steps each, totaling $365$ steps when including the top platform.

Tikal Temple I

Also known as the Temple of the Giant Jaguar, it is an impressive Classic Maya Temple Pyramid found in the city of Tikal.

Teotihuacan

Known as 'The City of the Gods,' it is the site of the Pyramid of the Sun and the stepped 'Teotihuacano' style of architecture.