Prehistoric Architecture (c)

Flashcards covering Gobekli Tepe, Catalhoyuk, Trepylian Megastructure, and Los Mires with focus on architectural features, burial practices, and material techniques.

What is Gobekli Tepe and why is its purpose uncertain?

An ancient temple complex; its exact purpose, who built it, and for whom are unknown.

What are the main pillars at Gobekli Tepe made of and how tall can they be?

Limestone T-shaped pillars; up to 5.5 meters tall.

What kinds of reliefs appear on some Gobekli Tepe pillars?

Relief carvings of animals, human hands, belts, and loincloths.

How tall can Gobekli Tepe T-shaped pillars reach?

Up to 5.5 meters in height.

What is debated about the roofing of Gobekli Tepe spaces?

Whether spaces were enclosed by roofing or open to the night sky.

List some animals depicted in Gobekli Tepe carvings.

Wild boar, venomous snakes, a heron or crane, scorpion, and fox.

What is distinctive about Catalhoyuk's entry and connectivity?

All buildings connected with roof-entry access rather than ground-level entrances.

How were Catalhoyuk houses entered?

Through openings in the roof rather than at ground level.

What burial practice did Catalhoyuk inhabitants use for ancestors?

Buried ancestors beneath the living room floor, sometimes 17–18 individuals per house.

Where was the hearth located in Catalhoyuk relative to the ladder opening and what effect did this have on smoke?

Directly beneath the ladder opening; smoke rose out through the interior.

What evidence suggests interior walls at Catalhoyuk were plastered white and decorated?

White plastered walls and paintings, including plans of cities.

Where is the Sesclo stone foundation house located and what is distinctive about its foundation?

Thessaly, Greece; mud brick construction with a stone foundation.

How does the Sesclo house entry differ from Catalhoyuk's entry method?

It has a ground-level entry, unlike the roof-entry at Catalhoyuk.

What feature aided storage of food and protection in the Sesclo house?

A loft storage space reached by a timber ladder.

What is shown in the 'isometric reconstruction' of Neolithic settlement architecture in Greece?

Timber frame with a thatch roof and a waddle-and-daub exterior.

Define waddle and daub in Neolithic building technique.

Waddle: woven plant material; Daub: mud packed between timber members to form a surface.

Why is the waddle-and-daub technique considered easily repairable?

Materials are readily accessible and can be replaced or repaired simply.

What is the 'house shrine' and why is it notable?

A structure carved into a hill combining stone, earth, and plant materials with a stone altar; possibly for ancestors or spirit communication.

What is the Trepylian Megastructure and where was it discovered?

A two-story megastructure discovered in Ukraine; large courtyard with a gallery; burned down every 60–80 years.

How many rooms were on the first floor of the Trepylian Megastructure according to the notes?

Five rooms on the first floor; family altars on the ground floor.

What is the interior layout of the Trepylian Megastructure as described?

Two-story wooden/clay construction with a central galleried courtyard, accessible by a ladder; five first-floor rooms.

What central space did the Trepylian Megastructure have around its interior?

A galleried courtyard open to the sky.

What did archaeologist Mikhail Vedgenko estimate about the labor required to build the Trepylian Megastructure?

It would have required the same number of man-hours as several dozen ordinary houses.

What are two speculative exterior roof forms discussed for the Trepylian Megastructure?

A round roof with an oculus and a gabled temple-like roof.

What kind of small clay object suggests a possible architectural resemblance to megastructures?

A zoomorphic object with four legs and horns, possibly representing architecture.

What is Los Mires and what era does it belong to?

A Copper Age (Chalcolithic) settlement in southern Spain.

What is notable within Los Mires in terms of structures and tombs?

A large mud brick-walled settlement with rounded houses, tombs, and a water collection system.

Define a tholos tomb as described for Los Mires.

A round tomb covered with earth.

What is the typical diameter of tholos tombs at Los Mires?

Three to six meters in diameter.

What material lines the inner walls of Los Mires' tholos tombs?

Vertical slabs of slate.

How were the outer entrance and chamber doors formed in Los Mires tholos tombs?

Slate slabs with holes in the center placed at the outer entrance, the chamber entrance, and between sections to serve as doors.