Prehistoric Period

When looking at Prehistoric interior design we can see the most examples in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. Primitive homes were influenced by their geographic location and the available materials. The igloo style home was used in arctic regions, while Matmata underground homes were used throughout the Sahara desert. In regards to materials, prehistoric homes would only survive if they were constructed out of durable substances, like stone.
Furniture was rarely used during the prehistoric era, however patterns and design can be found through woven objects like blankets, baskets, clothing, and rugs. However, these patterns and designs were rarely purely ornamental. The people of these times used pattern and design purposefully to show society, tribal loyalties, and religions.
Prehistoric artifacts that have survived until this day are made of stone and wood. They were found in caves and were typically human, animal, and plant forms. One example of a prehistoric artifact is the Venus of Willendorf, found in 1908 in Austria. It dates to 30,000 BC during the paleolithic era, and the sculpture represents the goddess of fertility. Some of the first cave drawings from the paleolithic era can be found in Altamira, Spain and Laxcaux, France. These drawings date back to 33,000 BC, and the drawings were made from charcoal and ochre pigments. The Laxcaux cave in France is believed to be the very first shelter for humans and is the earliest example of creating meaning in a space through decoration. The cave, discovered in 1940, dates back to 17,000 BC and houses 2,000 figures of animals, humans, and abstract signs.
The earliest examples of "homes" are located in Skara Brae. This Neolithic village in Scotland dates from 2,000-1,500 BC and has built-in furniture including beehive cupboards, large shelves, hearths, and sleeping platforms.
The earliest example of post and lintel construction can be seen at Stonehenge, in Wiltshire, England. This monument dates to 3,200-1,600 BC during the Neolithic era. It is believed that Stonehenge was a place for religious ritual/burial ground/monument.

Past Examples:

Current Examples:

Extra Credit:

This video is of Rick Steves giving a brief tour of Laxcaux Cave.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnSq0c7jM-A

This video is an hour long documentary on the "Secrets of Stonehenge"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xl6PaGi270Q

Peer Review:

Amanda: I thought you gave a very nice and brief summary of prehistoric interior design, and I liked the current examples of these designs you chose.

Angie: I really liked your summary of prehistoric design. I liked how you talked about use of colors and patterns and that you gave information on igloo design.