Pre-Historic Life and Design Elements

The pre-historic time and the way people lived is mysterious and fascinating. We are still uncovering caves and hidden dwellings today. Humans had to utilize their geographical locations and work with their surroundings and environments to survive. The materials that were used to create shelter were what was readily available locally. Humans lived in deserts in pit houses, in the arctic in igloos, and in caves all over the world. Shelter was the key to survival and humans had to be creative to survive.. It is fascinating to see the artistic pre-historic creations in the cave dwellings. Even thousands of years ago, people wanted to express themselves creatively. These drawings tell us a story about who lived there, what they did, and how they used the space There is much room for interpretation, but the pictures are a window into the past. We can see the wildlife that was native to the areas, and in some cases, how the people viewed animals and utilized them. Even in pre-historic days, humans had defined spaces for certain tasks and rituals. Religion and spirituality was a common theme that is visible throughout pre-historic art found in caves. Below are a few of my favorite pictures of pre-historic places and art. Enjoy!

Paintings of lions from the Chauvet Cave where some of the oldest paintings in the world were discovered.

Some have suggested that there was a more practical reason for the artwork. Mithen (1988) realized that the changing climate meant that many species could disappear from a region for a long time. He suggested that cave art was an attempt to keep a record of species seen before, preserving the knowledge of them for when they returned.

Hypogeum – Oldest Prehistoric Underground Temple

The Oldest Town in Europe


Bulgarian archaeologists working near Provadia announced the discovery of what they declare to be Europe’s oldest town. The fifth-millennium B.C.E. prehistoric settlement housed up to 350 people, and discoveries at the site include a nearby necropolis, ritual pits, two-story houses and a large stone wall, a rare feature for a prehistoric villages in the region. According to the site’s archaeologists, who say that the walls were built between 4,700 and 4,200 B.C.E., the area was a center for ancient salt mining and distribution, an important resource at the time. The site’s antiquity and established structure suggest that it is likely associated with the world’s earliest known gold hoard, discovered just 20 miles away near the town of Varna.

Pre-historic influence seen in homes today
Cave Homes


It's so easy even a caveman can do it - owning one or more cave homes that is. The evidence of man living in subterranean caves dates back to the Paleolithic Age. The essence of this age was that man lived in small groups and mostly took refuge in caves at night. t is from here the concept of cave homes came into existence (and ironically enough it is still with us today). But, whatever little we know about primitive cave dwelling is from what scientists have found after excavating those caves.


In modern times, the concept of cave homes has transformed into a plush, sophisticated and comfortable houses. Such cave homes can be seen in Spain, USA, Australia, Morocco and in other Mediterranean countries. All these subterranean houses provide all the modern conveniences, good ventilation and spectacular views.


The primary structures of these cave homes are all natural materials and they are very effective in maintaining a constant temperature. Caves vary in size like from a simple three room cave to a big cave comprising a dozen rooms which is likely to accommodate three generations of a family.



Cave Houses


What, Have You Been Living in a Cave All Your Life ...


Cave living is very different from living in a conventional house. Walls in cave homes are thick and the rooms are large in size with very high ceilings and a number of doorways leading to other rooms. The doors and windows are always in the front side of the house.


Among the famous cave homes, the Curtis Sleeper Caveland in Missouri (pictured at top of page) has come into the forefront because of the recent media exposure. Caveland is spread across 17,000 square feet and is spacious, beautiful.



Cave Dwelling






It belongs to William Curtis Sleeper, his wife and their three kids. According to Sleeper, their house is eco friendly as no artificial heating or cooling is required because of the natural insulation of the cave walls. The house is lighted with fluorescent bulbs and the flooring is done with re-cycled wood of an oak tree which makes it really attractive.



Cave Bedroom


There are large windows in the rooms which maximize natural light. The front of the cave provides a natural opening to the house. At the back there is a laundry, a storage room and a spare bath room. But Sleeper is facing a crisis where he is compelled to give up his distinctive house. So in order to rescue his residence he has been talking to some investors to finance him in order to stay put in his place.






The other notable cave homes can be found in Coober Pedy, in South Australia. More than half of the population in this area lives in subterranean cave homes.



Mine Your Business!


These cave homes have evolved from the existing mines and the advantage of building such homes is that it is relatively cheaper. Thus we can see it is not only Batman who can have his 'Bat Cave' beneath his Wayne Manor, but a cave home is a reality which is not only cost effective and energy efficient but versatile also.

Peer Review

Alexandra did a nice job showing the breakdown of the different pre-historic periods. 

I liked the custom chair design that Micah posted. Good example of current application of pre-historic aesthetic.