LESSON 2 - EARLY CITIES

AR 213 - HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE

PREHISTORIC - BYZANTINE
ARCHITECTURE
TODAY’S TOPIC
Neolithic Age
Early Cities
Bronze Age
Early Cities
Iron Age
Early Cities
Recap
Q&A
Assignment:
NEOLITHIC AGE -
CIVILIZATION

In the Fertile Crescent,

bounded on the west by the
Mediterranean Sea and on the
east by the Persian Gulf, wild
wheat and barley began to
grow as it got warmer. Pre-
Neolithic people called
Natufians started building
permanent houses in the
region.
NEOLITHIC AGE
JERICHO
The site of Jericho, just north of the
Dead Sea and due west of the Jordan
River, is one of the oldest continuously
lived-in cities in the world.
Archaeologists found remains of a very large settlement of
circular homes made with mud brick and topped with
domed roofs.

Plastered human skull with shell eyes from

Jericho, Pre-Pottery Neolithic B, c. 7200 B.C.E.
(The British Museum)

The site of Jericho rises above the wide

The site of Jericho is best known for its identity in the Bible
plain of the Jordan Valley, its height
and this has drawn pilgrims and explorers to it as early as
the result of layer upon layer of human
the 4th century C.E.; serious archaeological exploration
habitation, a formation called a Tell.
didn’t begin until the latter half of the 19th century.
NEOLITHIC AGE
KHIROKITIA
The Neolithic settlement of Khirokitia,
occupied from the 7th to the 4th
millennium B.C., is one of the most
important prehistoric sites in the
eastern Mediterranean. Located in Circular Houses and Community Layout. The
the District of Larnaka, about 6 km layout of Çatalhöyük's interconnected houses
from the southern coast of Cyprus, the suggests a close-knit community promoting
Neolithic settlement of Khirokitia lies social interactions and shared resources.
on the slopes of a hill partly enclosed
in a loop of the Maroni River.
NEOLITHIC AGE -
KHIROKITIA
NEOLITHIC AGE -
KHIROKITIA
The circular buildings of the
Neolithic settlement spread over
the sides of a hill, surrounded by
the meander of a river. The village,
the maximum extent of which may
be estimated to 3 h, is a closed
space, surrounded by an
impressive enclosure wall which
outline has been modified several
times. Its economy relies on
agriculture and sheep/goat
herding, combined with gathering
wild plants and hunting fallow
deer.
NEOLITHIC AGE -
ÇATALHÖYÜK
Is not the oldest site of the
Neolithic era or the largest, but it
is extremely important to the
beginning of art. Çatalhöyük,
across its history, witnesses the
transition from exclusively hunting
and gathering subsistence to
increasing skill in plant and animal
domestication. We might see
Çatalhöyük as a site whose history
is about one of man’s most
important transformations: from
nomad to settler. It is also a site at
which we see art, both painting
and sculpture, appear to play a
newly important role in the lives of
settled people.
 Çatalhöyük had no streets or foot paths; the houses
were built right up against each other and the people
NEOLITHIC AGE - who lived in them traveled over the town’s rooftops and

ÇATALHÖYÜK entered their homes through holes in the roofs, climbing

down a ladder.

Communal ovens were built above the homes of

Çatalhöyük and we can assume group activities were
performed in this elevated space as well.

Like at Jericho, the deceased were placed under the

floors or platforms in houses and sometimes the skulls
were removed and plastered to resemble live faces.
The burials at Çatalhöyük show no significant variations,
either based on wealth or gender; the only bodies
which were treated differently, decorated with beads
and covered with ochre, were those of children. The
excavator of Çatalhöyük believes that this special
concern for youths at the site may be a reflection of the
society becoming more sedentary and required larger
numbers of children because of increased labor,
exchange, and inheritance needs.
NEOLITHIC AGE -
ÇATALHÖYÜK
 NEOLITHIC AGE - Many figurines have been found at the
site, the most famous of which
ÇATALHÖYÜK illustrates a large woman seated on or
between two large felines.
Art is everywhere among the
remains of Çatalhöyük—geometric Seated Woman of Çatalhöyük
designs as well as representations
of animals and people. Repeated
lozenges and zigzags dance across
From left: A hearth, oven, and ladder cut in Building 56 smooth plaster walls, people are
sculpted in clay, pairs of leopards
are formed in relief facing one
Neolithic Wall Painting in Building 80
another at the sides of rooms, and
hunting parties are painted baiting
a wild bull. The volume and variety
of art at Çatalhöyük is immense and
must be understood as a vital,
functional part of the everyday lives
of its ancient inhabitants.
NEOLITHIC AGE -
ÇATALHÖYÜK
BRONZE AGE
(1000 BC ONWARDS)

The people of bronze age either usurped or integrated with their neolithic predecessors who
had used the land before them.

Small communities living with agriculture and stock raising as chief sources of livelihood. Raising
domesticated animals including cattle, sheep, goat, horses and dogs. Areas close to the river
were favourable settlement site - hunting and fowling - which were part of the economy.

Special purpose building started to be made.

BRONZE AGE
(1000 BC ONWARDS)
CIVILIZATION
Civilization in Mesopotamia, often referred to as the "Cradle of
Civilization," began around 3500 BCE in the fertile region between
the Tigris and Euphrates rivers (modern-day Iraq). Several factors
contributed to the rise of early civilization in this region:

1. Geography and Agriculture

2. The Development of Cities
3. Writing and Record-Keeping
4. Religion and Governance
5. Law and Administration
6. Technological and Cultural Advancements
7. Trade and Economy

Mesopotamia's civilization arose due to a combination of

geographical advantages, technological innovations, and social
organization. The development of agriculture and cities, coupled with
advancements in writing, law, and governance, laid the foundations
for one of the earliest complex societies in human history.
BRONZE AGE
SUMERIANS
The ancient Sumerians, the "black-
headed ones," lived in the southern
part of what is now Iraq. The
heartland of Sumer lay between the
Euphrates and Tigris rivers, in what
the Greeks later called
Mesopotamia.

The Sumerians were characteristically

inventive, and are likely to have been
responsible for the development of
the first writing.

They were energetic farmers, traders

and sailors. Their religion recognized
many gods, whose feats and
escapades were described in stories
that were often preserved for
generations.
SUMMERIAN
ARCHITECTURE
Brick styles, which varied greatly over time,
are categorized by period.

Patzen 80×40×15 cm: Late Uruk period

(3600–3200 BC)
Riemchen 16×16 cm: Late Uruk period (3600–
3200 BC)
Plano-convex 10x19x34 cm: Early Dynastic
Period (3100–2300 BC)

Bricks were sun baked to harden them. These

types of bricks are much less durable than
oven-baked ones so buildings eventually
deteriorated.

Coloured stone, terracotta panels, and clay

nails driven into the adobe-brick to create a
protective sheath that decorated the façade
BRONZE AGE
BABYLONIANS
The city of Babylon, located on the Euphrates
River about 80 miles kilometres south of
present-day Baghdad, was founded by
Akkadians about 2300 BC.

It started as a religious and cultural centre,

before King Hammurabi (r. 1792–1750 BC)
made it the capital of his growing empire.

As Babylonia expanded into central and

northern Mesopotamia, Hammurabi built
Babylon into a major city encircled by giant
walls.
BRONZE AGE
BABYLONIANS
Among of this artistic progress it can be identified
the improvement of use given in architecture to the
arch and the dome during the Babylonian Empire;
they were already used previously but was
perfected during the Neo Babylonian Empire. This
is the time of the construction of the fabulous
palaces of Nebuchadnezzar.

Babylonian temples are massive structures of crude

brick, supported by buttresses, the rain being
carried off by drains.

The use of brick led to the early development of

the pilaster and column, and of frescoes and
enamelled tiles. The walls were brilliantly coloured,
and sometimes plated with zinc or gold, as well as
with tiles. Painted terracotta cones for torches
were also embedded in the plaster.
BRONZE AGE
ASSYRIANS
The Assyrians followed in the footsteps of the Sumerians
and Chaldeans and inherited many of their architectural
practices. Homes, palaces, and temples were
constructed using mud bricks, like the Sumerians. Clay for
making bricks can be found all across Mesopotamia and
was readily available.

The Assyrians used these bricks to build multi-story homes

in large cities. Cities were the center of government,
trade, and religious life. Homes were more or less grand
based on social class, wherein wealthier citizens had
larger finer homes, and poor citizens had smaller homes.
The layout of the city centered on the temples and
ziggurats, and royal palaces, then surrounding were civil
workers, educated scribes, and craftspeople, then a
maze of homes for laborers on the outskirts. Large walls
built surrounding the cities kept the inhabitants
protected.
BRONZE AGE
ASSYRIANS
1. Homes were built using brick and had multiple stories
stacked on top of each other. Homes had windows
that were narrow, doorways, and the upper stories
were supported by wood beams built into the brick
walls.
2. Rooms of the house surrounded a central courtyard
that provided light and air to the inside of the home.
3. The flat roofs, accessed by stairs, were also used as
working and sleeping spaces during the warm summer
months.
4. People still live in brick rectangular houses with
courtyards and roof space across the Middle East
today.
5. Assyrian Palace were divided into 3 parts - Seraglio
(palace proper), Haram (private chamber), Khan
(service chamber)
BRONZE AGE
PERSIANS
Persian architecture emerged between 550
BC and 330 BC, meaning it is about 2750
years old.

And is characterized by a synthesis of

architectural elements surrounding countries
such as Assyria, Egypt and Ionian Greece.

The Achaemenids, led by rulers like Cyrus the

Great and Darius I, embarked on ambitious
construction endeavors that showcased their
advanced understanding of design,
construction techniques, and urban planning.
One of the most remarkable examples is the
city of Persepolis, a grand ceremonial
complex where palaces, terraces, and
monumental staircases blended
harmoniously with the surrounding
landscape.
BRONZE AGE
PERSIANS
Monumental architecture of this period is
best exemplified in the site of Chogha
Zanbil (earlier known as Dur Untash) with its
towering ziggurat and walls and more
modest structures which exhibit the same
care in design and construction; these same
techniques and designs, minus the ziggurat,
would later influence Persian works.

Earlier Elamite structures – such as Chogha

Zanbil – had been built of mud brick, but the
Achaemenids worked primarily in stone and
inscribed with Elamite phrases, praises, and
curses.

Gardens were integral to Persian

architecture and featured prominently in
design.
BRONZE AGE
PERSIANS
 RECAP
Ziggurats:
These were massive temple complexes that formed the centerpiece of
Mesopotamian cities. Ziggurats were stepped pyramids made of mud
Palaces:
bricks, symbolizing a connection between heaven and earth.
Royal palaces were large and elaborate, with numerous rooms, courtyards,
The ziggurats were religious sites dedicated to deities, often with a temple
and gardens. They served as both the residence of the king and the
on top for offerings and ceremonies.
administrative center of the city-state.
Mud-Brick Construction:
Defensive Structures:
Due to the scarcity of stone and timber, most buildings were constructed
City walls and fortified gates were common, particularly in the later Assyrian
from sun-dried mud bricks. This made buildings susceptible to weathering,
and Babylonian periods.
but it was an abundant material.
Decorative Arts:
Brick-making became a highly specialized craft, with bricks sometimes
Relief carvings, mosaics, and glazed bricks were used to adorn palaces,
glazed and decorated for palaces and temples.
temples, and gates. These decorations often depicted scenes of mythology,
Arches and Vaults:
war, and daily life, serving both aesthetic and narrative purposes.
Mesopotamian architects were pioneers in the use of arches and vaults,
The Assyrians, in particular, excelled in relief sculpture, with scenes of battles
particularly in gateways and underground structures. The development of
and royal hunts adorning palace walls.
these techniques allowed for larger and more complex buildings.
Urban Planning:
Mesopotamian cities, such as Uruk, Ur, and Babylon, had planned layouts
with distinct districts for temples, palaces, and residential areas.
Streets were often narrow and winding, designed to create shade in the
hot climate, while palaces and religious buildings were located at the
center of the city.
QUESTIONS