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Houses of Commons, Houses of Lords: Domestic Dwellings and Monumental Architecture in Prehistoric Europe

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 April 2013

Richard Bradley
Richard Bradley*
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology, School of Human and Environmental Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AB UK Email: R.J.Bradley@Reading.ac.uk
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Abstract

This paper is based on the 2012 Europa Lecture and discusses the relationship between the forms and structures of domestic buildings and those of public monuments. Its chronological scope extends between the Neolithic period and the Viking Age in western, northern and central Europe, with a special emphasis on the contrast between circular and rectilinear architecture. There were practical limits to the diameters of circular constructions, and beyond that point they might be organised in groups, or their characteristic outlines were reproduced in other media, such as earthwork building. By contrast, the main constraint on building rectangular houses was their width, but they could extend to almost any length. That may be one reason why they only occasionally provided the prototype for specialised forms of monument such as mounds or enclosures. Instead rectangular buildings played a wide variety of roles from domestic dwellings to ceremonial centres.

Résumés

Chambres des Communs, Chambres des Lords: Habitations domestiques et architecture monumentale dans l'Europe préhistorique, de Richard Bradley

Cet article repose sur la Conférence Europa de 2012 et discute des relations entre la forme et la structure des bâtiments domestiques et celles des monuments publics. Son échelle chronologique s’étend de la période néolithique à l’âge des Vikings en Europe occidentale, septentrionale et centrale avec une insistance particulière sur le contraste entre architecture circulaire et rectiligne. Il y avait des limites pratiques au diamètre des constructions circulaires, et ce point dépassé, s'organisaient peut-être en groupes, ou leurs aspects spécifiques étaient reproduits en d'autres matériaux, tels que dans la construction de fortifications en terre. Par contraste, la principale contrainte sur la construction de maisons rectangulaires était leur largeur, mais elles pouvaient s’étendre sur presque n'importe quelle longueur. C'est peut-être une des raisons pour lesquelles elles n'ont qu'occasionnellement fourni de prototype pour des formes spécialisées de monuments tels que des tertres ou des enclos. Au lieu de cela les bâtiments rectangulaires ont joué des rôles très divers, de l'habitation domestique au centre cérémoniel.

Zussamenfassungen

Unterhaus, Oberhaus: Wohngebäude und monumentale Architektur im prähistorischen Europa, von Richard Bradley

Dieser Beitrag basiert auf der Europa Lecture 2012 und diskutiert die Beziehung zwischen Formen und Strukturen von Wohngebäuden sowie von öffentlichen Monumenten. Seine zeitliche Spanne erstreckt sich vom Neolithikum bis zur Wikingerzeit in West-, Nord- und Mitteleuropa; ein Schwerpunkt liegt auf der Gegenüberstellung von Rund- und Rechteckbauten. Für die Konstruktion runder Gebäude bestanden Grenzen der Praktikabilität in Bezug auf ihre Durchmesser, darüber hinaus können sie in Gruppen zusammengestellt oder kann ihre charakteristische äußere Form in anderen Medien reproduziert worden sein, wie z.B. in Erdwerken. Im Gegensatz dazu bestand die wichtigste Konstruktionsgrenze für rechteckige Gebäude in ihrer Breite, ihre Länge dagegen konnte fast unendlich ausgedehnt werden. Dies mag ein Grund dafür sein, warum sie nur gelegentlich als Prototyp für spezialisierte Formen von Monumenten dienten wie Hügel oder Erdwerke. Stattdessen spielten rechteckige Bauten eine Vielzahl verschiedener Rollen, von Wohnbauten bis zu zeremoniellen Zentren.

Resumenes

Casas de los Comunes, Casas de los Lores: viviendas domésticas y arquitectura monumental en la Europa prehistórica, por Richard Bradley

Este artículo se basa en la Conferencia Europa de 2012 y analiza la relación entre las formas y estructuras de las edificaciones domésticas y las de los monumentos públicos. Su ámbito cronológico se extiende entre el Neolítico y la Época Vikinga en el oeste, norte y centro de Europa, con especial énfasis en el contraste entre la arquitectura circular y la rectangular. Existen límites prácticos para el diámetro de las construcciones circulares, más allá de los cuales éstas podrían organizarse en grupo o reproducir sus contornos característicos con otros medios, como las construcciones de tierra. Por el contrario, la principal limitación en la construcción de las viviendas rectangulares fue su anchura, aunque podían alcanzar casi cualquier longitud. Esto podría ser una de las razones por las cuales sólo ocasionalmente se diseñan prototipos de formas especializadas para monumentos como túmulos o recintos. Por otra parte, los edificios rectangulares tuvieron una amplia variedad de roles desde viviendas domésticas a centros ceremoniales.

Keywords

House societiesroundhouseslonghousesIrish royal centresBeowulfthe Táinhallshengesroundelstimber circles
Type
Articles
Information
Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society , Volume 79 , December 2013 , pp. 1 - 17
Copyright
Copyright © The Prehistoric Society 2013 

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