Chapter 2: The Cave and the Sky: Stone Age Europe

A series of vocabulary flashcards derived from lecture notes on prehistoric architecture and its significance in human history.

Architecture

The act of making places for ritual use or the ambitious creation of an environment separate from the natural order.

Terra Amata

An archaeological site near Nice in France, dating back to about 400,000 years ago, containing the oldest artificial structures.

Hearth

A fireplace or fire pit that served as a gathering place for social activities, cooking, and warmth in prehistoric dwellings.

Neolithic Age

The last part of the Stone Age, when humans transitioned from nomadic lifestyles to settled farming and animal husbandry.

Megaliths

Large stone structures or monuments often used in ceremonial and burial sites, significant in Neolithic architecture.

Dolmen

A type of single-chamber megalithic tomb made up of upright stones supporting a large flat stone.

Menhir

A tall upright stone that is often part of a megalithic structure and serves as a marker in the landscape.

Cyclopean Masonry

A technique involving the use of large stones, often uncut, in building walls prominently seen in Bronze Age structures.

Lascaux

A famous cave in southwestern France, known for its prehistoric cave paintings, dating back around 17,000 years.

Ggantija

A Neolithic temple complex on the island of Gozo, Malta, showcasing early monumental architecture dedicated to fertility and ancestral spirits.

Stonehenge

A prehistoric monument in England, built with a series of massive sarsen stones arranged in a circular formation, likely used for ceremonial purposes related to astronomical events.

Passage Grave

A type of burial tomb featuring a long entrance corridor made of large stones that leads to a chamber typically for collective burials.

Art as Reality

The concept that prehistoric art reflects deeper cultural beliefs, acting as both a representation of the physical world and an expression of spiritual significance.

Ritual Action

Ceremonial acts or practices that are significant within social or religious contexts, often involving architecture or spaces designed for these actions.

Boundary and Monument

Concepts in architecture where structures impose human order on nature, differentiating spaces and marking significant geographical or cultural sites.

Neolithic Revolution

The period marked by the transition from hunting-gathering societies to agricultural and settled lifestyles, leading to the development of permanent settlements.

Megalithic Tombs

Burial sites built using giant stones, often associated with ceremonial or commemorative practices in Neolithic cultures.

Cave Murals

Artistic representations painted on cave walls by prehistoric peoples, serving both decorative and ritualistic purposes associated with hunting and spirituality.