Early Christian Architectural Character Analysis

In prehistoric times, human ancestors, the creature which has develop tools - made of stone, wood and bone, had settled in Africa - the place where human ancestors evolved, Southern Europe, Asia, North America, Australia. By 9000 BC, people most focused on food. They collect food by hunting and gathering. They learned to do farming and agriculture. There were domestication - the process of adapting wild plants and animals for human use for milk and wool. Some people might not spend time for farming or hunting but they created things such as, pot, metal, art and architecture. In this time, there was no religion to arrange the society.

The best feature of architectural character was stone. Menhir, A single high stone, standing alone, can be

Churches looked similar to temples of Roman but churches weren't designed by the solution of constructive problem. There were 2 truss systems which are king and queen post trusses. These systems still being used now. Basilican churches have been modeled after Roman basilicas. It was built to shelter worshipper unlike Roman temples which sheltered gods. The entrance is at west but priests stand, facing to the east. In a church consists cathedral, campanile and baptistery. Baptisteries used only for sacrament of baptism on festivals of Easter, Pentecost and Epiphany. Baptisteries were large building, separating from cathedral and connected by the atrium. Land for burials became scarce and expensive because christians insisted in burial on consecrated ground better than cremation. Monumental tombs became a symbol of faith in immortality so catacombs, underground tomb, were built. It was built like dome and decorated on walls and ceiling with painting with scenes from the bible.

Cathedrals mostly on Basilican model. Ribbed vault structure had been used to support thin stone panel. In southern Italy, buildings are richer in color and design by the influence of Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Muslim and Norman rule. According to Byzantine influence, the buildings were decorated with mosaic, being no vaults and used domes. Striped marbles and stilted pointed arches were used for buildings. The interior were decorated by geometric designs. Cefalu Cathedral, Sicily, is an example of southern italy architecture. Campaniles, straight towers shafts, standing alone were significant of power. It was kind of both monument and watch tower. The most famous campanile was in at Pisa Cathedral, Leaning Tower of