

Newgrange is a stone embanked, turf-topped mound. At the centre there is a ritual stone basin surrounded by a ring of thirty eight stones and an outer circle of wood. - Newgrange, Ireland

Stonehenge has eighty two Bluestone Menhirs creating the two outer circles, and thirty Sarsen Stone Menhirs capped with continuous lintels creating the two inner ovals. An altar is found at the centre. - Stonehenge III, England

The Caves of Lascaux were discovered when a group of men fell through unstable soil. A 45,000-year-old natural carstic limestone cave was found, formed by a dried-up, underground river. Throughout the caves are the soot and oak hand-painted interpretations of the animals found at the time, used to interpret the spaces within the natural form. - Caves of Lascaux, France

Villa Jovis is a castellated fortress on a high promontory in Tiberio. Constructed upon a massive structure, incorporating water cisterns and hydraulic concrete drainage, this Roman imperial palaces' gardens are so large it could be considered a small settlement. - Villa Jovis, Italy

Lepenski Vir, an eight level terraced fishing village on the rivers edge, was occupied for over a millenium. The trapizoidal schema shows formal-spatial complexity and social differentiation. The houses show artistic elements developed past the utilitarian needs; the entrance height and width corrisponds with the sacred area as the sunrise illuminates it, and carved quartzite stone shrines are found at the rear. - Lepenski Vir, Balkans (modern Serbia)

The Gračanica Mosque is the most beautiful of the Byzantine Empire. Designed by a Florentine architect for Roman Catholics who were competing with the Byzantine Christians, this rare hybrid of Roman, Constantinople, and Greek styles has become important to Serbia, even though it's style is very different from their tradition. The Mosque is now under UN security force 24/7 as it is threatened by complicated wars. - Gračanica Mosque, Kosovo

Olynthus started as a small seaside village, now located next to the new greek-planned Olynthus. This town shows the control, order, regularity, and democracy of Greece. Houses had a central courtyard, with the dining, living, bed, and bath rooms seperated around it. - Olynthus, Greece

Delphi, up the river valley in the Parnasis mountains, zigzags upward; streets formed by the building clusters. Magnificent landscape overwhelms the architecture and acts as the ampitheatre backdrop. The Treasury of Athenians has been reconstructed at the first elbow in the road. The temple is covered in text and the sculptures depict battles. The Orical of Delphi was a highly regarded priestess. - Delphi, Greece

Originally a Mycenaean dark age fort, the Greek structure atop is their most recognised temple. Most likely covered in beautiful colours, the marble blocks sat together perfectly using a high level of technology. Designed specifically for viewing both into and out of the building, the Acropolis is dramatic. Curved planes allow water run off and optical illustions of strength. It is currently being reconstructed. - Acropolis, Greece

A lot of different peoples lived in Knossus, with the religious buildings having 1000 - 1300 rooms. The original labrinth was commissioned by King Minos and designed by architect Daedalus, the word labrinth coming from religious 'labrys', or bulls. No corridor is axial or in line with the courtyard. Flagstone floors build to stone walls, topped with lighter timber and mudbrick. Light wells and grand staircases lit the interior, and terracotta pipes removed waste water. - Knossus, Crete

Found up in the hills for defence and cooling, Priene was once a coastal town, but sea level has fallen.Based around a series of public spaces, the single-sided residentials buildings' walls are still in very good condition. Enscriptions can be found with architects' names and temple dedications. Some of the earliest forms of arches, ionic columns, and temples are found here, with the temples proportioned to the golden ratio. - Priene, Turkey

Göbekli Tepe was a large early hunter-gatherer settlement, inhabited for several millenia. The temple was built first, with the town forming around it, and is the oldest temple complex discovered. It is estimated to have taken 500 people to build the town. Pictograms can be found throughout the town. - Göbekli Tepe, Anatolia (modern Turkey)

Tell Halaf was built in the sixth millenium BC in the Euphratis water shead. Excavated by German archaeologists in the 1920's, they discovered a citadel with public buildings, the power centre, and the lower city with temples and other buildings. Also discovered were massive pieces of stone trim and bronze-age sculputres, taken to Berlin for safe keeping in the Tell Halaf Museum. In WWII the museum was bomb, destroying many of the artefacts. About ten or fifteen years ago the pieces from the explosion were given to the Berlin Museum. Some pieces are slowly being put back together, but many are too small and sculptures have been remade in plaster. - Tell Halaf, Syria.

Dur-Sharrukin was founded and abandoned in the course of a century. The rectangular town is surrounded by 157 towers and 7 gates. The complex was dominated by a ziggurat, surrounded by a brick terraed temple and palace. Hinterlands helf olive plantations for oil economy. - Dur-Sharrukin, Iraq

Tutub was on of the four major tells in the valley, dominated by the Oval Temple. Enclosed by a succession of sacrificial, athletic, and basin courtyards; shrines, temples, and palaces were found centrally, surrounded by neighbourhood. Workshops, bakeries, and storage were found further out. The buildings are used to connect with the heavens, gods, and underworld. Many changes were made including large extensions. - Tutub, Iraq

Nippur is currently found in a military zone in Iraq. Many ancient plans have been found carved in stone, showing scalical connection to the buildings. Property deeds have also been found carved on small stones. The river running near-by was utilisted through canals, and height was gained by building structure then infilling. - Nippur, Iraq

Eridu is found in a military zone in the Iraqi desert. It is very eroded due to wind and water on the unfired earth brick architecture, which was rebuilt often. The near-by river was used through irrigation, but the river has since changed course. The houses had large plans with courtyards, corridors, service rooms, and storage rooms. The ziggurat, holy mountian, was safe during floods. - Eridu, Iraq

Ur ziggurat is found near an American military base, and has been fully reconstucted to look like ruins. Wars destroyed the orignal sturcture, but luckily some artefacts were saved beforehand and sent to Bahgdad Museum. Unfortunately the museum was looted, with larger artefacts being broken and smaller ones stolen. Some have slowly been repaired or recovered and sent elsewhere for safe keeping. - Ur, Iraq

The Temple of Amun Ra was commissioned for Pharoah Ramsses and his wife Nefetari, orientated to the rising sun on the Pharoahs birthday and coronation (February and October). The pharoah and his wife are depicted as the same height which is unusual. The larger temple is dedicated to three state deities, and the smaller to the Goddess of Fertility, Hathor.Four statues of Osiris implies everlasting, as Osiris is Goddess of the Underworld. It has been relocated to an artificial hill to make way for a modern project. - Temple of Amun Ra, Egypt

The Valley of Kings is a large royal burial ground found near the Nile. It has been changed over time to continue easy access for tourists, including path changes and parking lot. - Valley of Kings, Egypt

The central baths of Mohenjo-Daro lie east of the monumental citadel, and west of the lower grid city, with a six level perimetre defensive wall. The first recorded water tank was found here, water tightness being achieved through coating precisly layed bricks with gypsum (a soft sulfate mineral) and bitumen (tar-like substance). Private dwellings were down narrow streets, and had private bathing and drainage. - Mohenjo-Daro, Indus (modern Pakistan)

The Pyramid of Netjerykhet is the Mastabas (House of Eternity/Burial Grounds) of King Menes/Aha and his family. It is part of fourteen royal tomb pyramid, including Pharoah Djoser's (Netjerykhert), the largest to the north. The structure was enlarged over time, and houses many unfunctional rooms. It is more a symbol than a building. The interior is highly decorated for the after life. - Pyramid of Netjerykhet, Egypt

Early Pithouses had wooden beam or earth support roofs. - Pithouse, England

Neolithic Stilt Houses were built for protection and hunting on lake edges at low tide. - Stilt House, Sweden

Early architecture shows the settling of the nomadic hunter-gatherer people. The nomadic people perfected portable dwellings and lived lightly off the land. Ancient human inhabitations were so slight they're hard to find; soil is looked at to see colour change from wood posts. - Wigwam, Americas

Early humans used circular dwellings to try mimic caves and tree trunks. When women menstrated they had to go to Menstral Huts. San, Basarwa, and Baka people still live similarly to 2000 years ago. - Yurt, Central Asia



De Architectura Libri Decem, The Ten Books on Architecture, by Marco Vitruvius (33 - 20BC) are the first books on architecture. He was a military architect, but at the end of his career moved to theoretical architecture in Rome.
Book One
-
Architect's Education and Training
-
Architectural Subjects
-
Firmitatis, Utilitatis, Venustatis
-
Salubrity of Sites
-
The Periphery: Civic Fortifications
-
The Street Pattern
-
Siting Public Buildings
Book Two
-
Homines Vetere
-
The Four Elements
-
Bricks, Sand, Lime, Pozzolana, Stone, Walling, Timber
-
Highland and Lowland Fir
Book Three
-
The Embodied Proportional System of Temples
-
Temple Plans
-
Columnar and Intercolumnar Proportional System
-
Stereobate and Stylobate Design
-
The Ionic Order
Book Four
-
The Corinthian Order
-
Timber Origins of the Orders
-
The Doric Order
-
Plan Proportions of the Naos and Opisthodomos
-
Temple Orientation
-
Doric, Ionic, and Attic Temple Doorways
-
Proportions of the Tuscan Order
-
Circular and Other Unusual Temple Plans
-
Altars
Book Five
-
Forum and Basilica
-
Treasury, Prison, and Curia
-
Theatres and Their Siting
-
Harmony
-
Sounding Vases in Theatres
-
Roman Theatre Planning
-
Greek Theatre Planning
-
Acoustics
-
Theatral Dromos and Porticae
-
Baths
-
Palaestra/Gymnasia
-
Harbours and Shipyards
Book Six
-
Climate, Human Temperament, and Architecture
-
Proportions of a Fixed Unit and Symmetry of the House
-
Principal Rooms
-
Principal Room Orientation
-
Larger Complex Houses and Outbuildings
-
Farm Buildings, Funtional Planning, and Ventilation/Lighting
-
Expose on Greek Houses of Substance
-
The Importance of Appropriate Quality Foundations
Book Seven
-
Concrete Floors
-
Stucco Preparations
-
Use of Stucco on Walls and Vaults
-
Stuco Application in Damp Environments
-
Fresco Wall Painting Technique, Subject, and Style
-
Marble Dust Pigmentation
-
Natural Pigmentation of Ochres
-
Manufactured Pigmentation: Vermillion and Quicksilver
-
Manufactured Pigmentation: Minium
-
Manufactured Pigmentation: Black
-
Manufactured Pigmentation: Blue and Yellow
-
Manufactured Pigmentation: White Lead, Verdigris, Red Lead
-
Manufactured Pigmentation: Purple
-
Manufactured Pigmentation: Artificial Colours
Book Eight
-
Water Content of Matter, Moisture, and Landscape
-
Meteorology and the Presence of Rainwater
-
Nature of Different Waters
-
Testing Water
-
Levelling
-
Lead and Earthen Pipe Aquaducts
Book Nine
-
The Universe and the Planets
-
The Phases of the Moon
-
Zodiacal Signs
-
Norhtern Constellations
-
Southern Constellations
-
Astrology and Weather Portents
-
Roman Analemma
-
Sundials and Three Waterclocks
Book Ten
-
Principles of Mechanics and Vocabulary
-
Equilibrium
-
Rectilinear and Circular Traction
-
Water Raising Devices
-
Water Organ
-
Odometres for Land and Sea
-
Catapults
-
Ballistae
-
Ditch Filling Tortoise Machine
-
Seige Engines
-
Hagtor of Byzantium's Tortoise
-
Defence Machinery