Explore Neolithic architecture and its permanent shelters. Find out how houses were built in the Neolithic age. Discover Neolithic structures like tombs and henges.
Updated: 11/21/2023
Neolithic Architecture, Shelter & Structures
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Frequently Asked Questions
What shape were Neolithic permanent shelters?
The permanent structures made in the Neolithic era were often rectangular in shape. Called long houses, they often had partitions to create individual rooms which was not possible in prior structures, which were often tents that could be easily transported.
What is the difference between Paleolithic and Neolithic shelter?
Paleolithic humans were primarily nomadic, so they either took up shelter in caves, or in tents made from tanned hides that could be easily transported. In contrast, Neolithic shelters were more permanent, thanks to the adoption of agriculture. As a result, these structures were made from durable materials like mud brick.
What are Stone Age houses called?
Houses in the Neolithic era of the Stone Age were often rectangular in shape. Because of this, they have been called long houses.
What are some Neolithic tomb characteristics?
Neolithic passage tombs often bore cross-shaped passages with burial chambers at the ends. The passages were also aligned in such a way that the sun could shine through them during solstices and equinoxes.
Which building materials were used during Neolithic Age?
Humans of the Neolithic Age relied on simple materials. Mud bricks for houses were particularly common, as were timber for supports and reeds for roofing.
Table of Contents
ShowThe Neolithic Age marks the beginning of agricultural settlements for humanity and the end of the Stone Age. Some of the key characteristics of this period include an abandonment of nomadic ways, opting for a more settled way of life that was made possible due to farming and animal husbandry. Humans during this era were also making more refined stone tools featuring smoother and sharper cutting edges for blades and drilled holes for the insertion of hafts, which are long handles. This period also marks some of the first Neolithic architecture to be created, from impressive, megalithic structures like Stonehenge to humble mud-brick shelters. Architecture of this time used simple materials, like stone, clay, reeds, and timber.
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During the Paleolithic Age, humans often found shelter in natural formations such as caves, though they would also erect simple huts made from tanned hides and wooden posts. The Neolithic era marked the beginning of more refined structures created by humans. Neolithic shelters were primarily made from simple materials, though because they did not need to be moved and transported, they could offer better protection from the elements. Reeds thatched together would make for adequate roofing, while clay or mud bricks made up walls that provided effective insulation. Mud brick is mud shaped into bricks and dried, which could then be moved and stacked to form walls and other structures. It was a particularly common material thanks to its inexpensiveness and its durability, being much more permanent than other materials. Timber, in the form of logs and sturdy branches, would have been used for supporting the roof.
Since these once-nomadic people were becoming settled, more was possible and necessary. For example, women could have more children, food could be created in surplus, and individuals could stake ownership of land. Additionally, because of a surplus of food, these people needed methods of storage to preserve it so it could last into the winter months when crops can't grow. They created clay pottery that could store food in an air-tight environment, drastically lengthening its life. Calendars for timekeeping were invented, as well as fabrics woven from both plant- and animal-based fibers.
Neolithic Houses
Due to the settled nature of humans during this era, homes were permanent. This afforded people the ability to change how houses were built in the Neolithic age, using materials that would have gone overlooked in previous ages. Clay and mud brick structures supported by timber were commonplace in Neolithic houses thanks to their ability to shelter from the elements.
These homes were often rectangular in shape, resulting in their alternative name: long houses. They held hearths, which are fireplaces made from bricks or stones, in a central location to heat the interior and serve as a cook fire. The roofs, often made of thatch and timber, had doors that could be propped open to aid in air circulation and as a rudimentary chimney, preventing smoke from building up in the interior.
Passage Tombs
Passage tombs are impressive feats of Neolithic architecture. They take the form of large mounds with an entrance on one side to allow entry underneath the mound where the dead are buried. Inside lies a narrow passage that leads to a burial chamber in the center. Some passage tombs feature many forking passageways that each lead to an individual burial chamber, though others commonly featured passages that were cross-shaped. The cross shape has no Christian associations, since these Neolithic structures predate Christianity by thousands of years. Often, these passages are aligned so that the sun can shine through them during solstices and equinoxes. A solstice is when the sun reaches its northernmost or southernmost (in relation to the equator) position. An equinox is when the sun appears directly above the Earth's equator.
Stonehenge and Other Henges
A henge is a structure made up of stones arranged in a ring, most often found on the British Isles. Their purpose is largely unknown, though many theorize that they were once ceremonial sites for religious practices. One of the most famous of these Neolithic sites is Stonehenge, a henge made from megaliths, or ''large stones.'' Each megalith can weigh up to 25 tons, making their arrangement in post-and-lintel formation all the more impressive. Stonehenge was built in the Salisbury Plain between 3000 and 1520 BCE during the transition into the Bronze Age. There is much speculation as to the purpose of Stonehenge. Some scholars believe it was a religious site as an expression of power of those who had built it, while others believe it was built by the druids, who were practitioners of an ancient Celtic religion, as they believed the henges could connect them to their ancestors.
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Ggantija Temples of Malta
The Ggantija Temples are a set of six Neolithic temples that form a complex located in Malta. They were constructed between 3600 and 2500 BCE to serve as ceremonial sites for fertility rituals. These temples are still standing today, thanks in part to restorations done in recent years. They were simply made, constructed from limestone chiseled and shaped with stone tools. Each temple is different in floor plan, construction method, and design. They often featured vertical slabs of stone for walls, which are topped by horizontal stone blocks. The stones used for their construction was primarily limestone, rather than mud bricks. The entranceway features a stone block with a shallow, bowl-like point in the center, which likely served as a cleansing point to be used by worshippers entering the temple.
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The Neolithic Age is the period in which humans transitioned from being nomads to establishing settlements. They relied on agriculture as their primary source of food and created permanent structures. These shelters often made use of mud brick, which is made of mud that is shaped into a brick and then dried, thanks to its inexpensiveness and its permanence. Their homes, also called long houses, were often rectangular in shape featuring a hearth, which is a fireplace constructed of stones or bricks, in the center to heat the home and provide a cooking fire. Neolithic peoples also constructed monuments like passage tombs. Passage tombs are structures built underneath a mound with a cross-shaped passageway where the dead could be buried, or religious ceremonies could take place. During a solstice or an equinox, the sun could shine down the passage of the tomb. A solstice is when the sun reaches its northernmost or southernmost (in relation to the equator) point. An equinox is when the sun is positioned directly above the Earth's equator.
Humans during this time also constructed henges, which are arrangements of stones in circular designs, most commonly found in Britain. The most famous of these is Stonehenge, which makes use of megaliths which are literally ''large stones.'' These megaliths were so large that they weighed up to 25 tons. Temples also began to become commonplace, such as the Ggantija Temples of Malta. These temples were primarily constructed of limestone, which helps archaeologists learn more about these types of Neolithic structures.
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Video Transcript
Characteristics of Neolithic Architecture
If you have ever seen pictures of Stonehenge, the huge and mysterious stone circle in Great Britain, you have seen an example of Neolithic architecture. The Neolithic Age was the last period of the Stone Age that encapsulated the beginning of human history. Ranging from about 8000 to 3000 BCE, the Neolithic Age saw the rise of ancient civilizations and the invention and usage of advanced technology. However, still being part of the Stone Age, architectural materials were not very advanced, so neolithic people mostly used stone and mud brick in their buildings.
Neolithic Homes
Unlike the prior periods of the Stone Age, people in the Neolithic Age mostly lived in settled societies. Because of this, they no longer lived in impermanent structures like huts and caves, but, for the most part, actually built homes. Homes were usually built around a central hearth, or stone or brick fireplace, which was used to warm the house and to cook. At the beginning of the period, homes were usually one room, but towards the end, they were often multi-roomed, sometimes even having two stories.
These homes, often called long houses, were usually rectangular, no matter how many rooms they had. Homes were made primarily of mud brick, which was simply mud formed into bricks and dried. While mud brick was not as sturdy or permanent as other materials, it was cheap and easy to make since mud was easy to find. Mud brick homes sometimes had wood frames depending on the location, but were mostly made from mud brick with just one door and no windows.
Neolithic Religious Temples
Beyond housing, most neolithic architecture was created for religious purposes. Though basic materials and technology were used, temples were quite complex and large. The builders used a variety of materials, from mud brick to sturdier materials, like stone and limestone. Good examples of neolithic temples are the Ggantija Temples, which still stand in Malta today. These temples were largely made from limestone, but had some plaster and paint on the walls as well. In addition to the hearths found in most neolithic architecture, the Ggantija Temples also had altars, courtyards, and multiple doorways.
Neolithic Henges
As you might know, henges are architectural set ups of circles of stone or wood that were common during the Neolithic Age, particularly in the British Isles. Of course, the most famous of these is Stonehenge. Though it is not certain what the history or purpose behind Stonehenge is, many suspect it was used for religious rituals, perhaps even human sacrifice. Stonehenge is still standing in the British Isles today, composed of many megaliths, literally ''large stones,'' that weigh up to 25 tons each.
Neolithic Passage Tombs
The ancient Egyptians were not the only ones to build lavish monuments and tombs for their dead. During the Neolithic Age, passage tombs were built to hold the dead. They were built into a mound of earth and were typically set up in a cross shape. Based on mysterious symbolic drawings on the walls and the alignment with equinoxes, many believe the tombs had religious significance beyond just holding the dead.
Lesson Summary
The Neolithic Age, the last period of the Stone Age, saw a change from the rudimentary architecture of the previous period of nomadic people to a more settled society. Neolithic people usually lived in rectangular homes with a central hearth that were called long houses. They typically only had one door and were made primarily from mud brick, mud formed into bricks and dried.
Neolithic religious architecture was often massive, like the Ggantija Temples. Henges, architectural set ups of circles of stone or wood, were also commonly built, perhaps for religious rituals. Stonehenge is probably the most famous of these with its massive megaliths, large rocks. The neolithic people also built large passage tombs to hold the dead into mounds. Though neolithic technology and materials were basic, the neolithic people made them go a long way in their architecture and homes.
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Neolithic Architecture, Shelter & Structures
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