Traditional dwellings of the peoples of the world (photo). Summary of direct educational activities “Dwellings of different nations”

A dwelling is a structure or structure in which people live. It serves for shelter from bad weather, for protection from the enemy, for sleep, rest, raising offspring, and storing food. The local population in different regions The world has developed its own types of traditional dwellings. For example, among nomads these are yurts, tents, wigwams, and tents. In the mountainous areas they built pallasos and chalets, and on the plains - huts, mud huts and huts. ABOUT national sports dwellings of the peoples of the world and will be discussed in the article. In addition, from the article you will learn which buildings remain relevant today and what functions they continue to perform.

Ancient traditional dwellings of the peoples of the world

People began to use housing since the times of the primitive communal system. At first these were caves, grottoes, and earthen fortifications. But climate change forced them to actively develop the skills of building and strengthening their houses. In the modern sense, "dwellings" most likely arose during the Neolithic, and stone houses appeared in the 9th century BC.

People sought to make their homes stronger and more comfortable. Now many ancient dwellings of one or another people seem completely fragile and dilapidated, but at one time they served their owners faithfully.

So, about the dwellings of the peoples of the world and their characteristics in more detail.

Dwellings of the peoples of the north

The conditions of the harsh northern climate influenced the characteristics of the national structures of the peoples who lived in these conditions. The most famous dwellings northern peoples are booth, tent, igloo and yaranga. They are still relevant today and fully meet the requirements of the absolutely difficult conditions of the north.

This dwelling is remarkably adapted to harsh climatic conditions and a nomadic lifestyle. They are inhabited by peoples engaged primarily in reindeer herding: Nenets, Komi, Entsy, Khanty. Many people believe that the Chukchi also live in a plague, but this is a misconception; they build yarangas.

The chum is a tent in the shape of a cone, which is formed by high poles. This type of structure is more resistant to gusts of wind, and the conical shape of the walls allows snow to slide over their surface in winter and not accumulate.

They are covered with burlap in the summer and with animal skins in the winter. The entrance to the tent is covered with burlap. To prevent snow or wind from getting under the lower edge of the building, snow is raked from the outside to the base of its walls.

In the center there is always a fire, which is used to heat the room and cook food. The temperature in the room is approximately 15 to 20 ºС. Animal skins are laid on the floor. Pillows, feather beds and blankets are made from sheep skins.

The chum is traditionally installed by all family members, from young to old.

• Showcase.

The traditional home of the Yakuts is a booth; it is a rectangular structure made of logs with a flat roof. It was built quite easily: they took the main logs and installed them vertically, but at an angle, and then attached many other logs of smaller diameter. Afterwards the walls were smeared with clay. The roof was first covered with bark, and a layer of earth was poured on top of it.

The floor inside the dwelling was trampled sand, the temperature of which never dropped below 5 ºС.

The walls consisted of a huge number of windows, before starting severe frosts covered with ice, and in the summer with mica.

The hearth was always located to the right of the entrance, it was smeared with clay. Everyone slept on bunks, which were placed to the right of the hearth for men and to the left for women.

• Igloo.

This is the housing of the Eskimos, who did not live very well, unlike the Chukchi, so they did not have the opportunity or materials to build a full-fledged home. They built their houses from snow or ice blocks. The structure had a dome shape.

The main feature of the igloo device was that the entrance had to be below floor level. This was done so that oxygen would enter the home and evaporate carbon dioxide In addition, this location of the entrance made it possible to retain heat.

The walls of the igloo did not melt, but melted, and this made it possible to maintain a constant temperature in the room of approximately +20 ºС even in severe frosts.

• Valkaran.

This is the home of the peoples living off the coast of the Bering Sea (Aleuts, Eskimos, Chukchi). This is a half-dugout, the frame of which consists of whale bones. Its roof is covered with earth. Interesting feature home is that it has two entrances: the winter one - through a multi-meter underground corridor, the summer one - through the roof.

• Yaranga.

This is the home of the Chukchi, Evens, Koryaks, and Yukaghirs. It's portable. Tripods made of poles were installed in a circle, inclined wooden poles were tied to them, and a dome was attached on top. The entire structure was covered with walrus or deer skins.

Several poles were placed in the middle of the room to support the ceiling. The yaranga was divided into several rooms with the help of curtains. Sometimes they placed inside it covered with skins. small house ik.

Dwellings of nomadic peoples

The nomadic way of life has formed a special type of housing for the peoples of the world who do not live settled down. Here are examples of some of them.

• Yurt.

This typical look buildings of nomads. It continues to be a traditional home in Turkmenistan, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, and Altai.

This is a dome-shaped dwelling covered with skins or felt. It is based on large poles, which are installed in the form of gratings. There is always a hole on the roof of the dome for smoke to escape from the hearth. The domed shape gives it maximum stability, and the felt maintains its constant microclimate indoors, not allowing either heat or frost to penetrate there.

In the center of the building there is a fireplace, the stones for which are always carried with you. The floor is laid with skins or planks.

The home can be assembled or disassembled in 2 hours

The Kazakhs call a camping yurt abylaysha. They were used in military campaigns under the Kazakh Khan Abylay, hence the name.

• Vardo.

This is a gypsy tent, essentially a one-room house that is mounted on wheels. There is a door, windows, a stove, a bed, and drawers for linen. At the bottom of the wagon there is a luggage compartment and even a chicken coop. The cart is very light, so one horse could handle it. Vardo became widespread at the end of the 19th century.

• Felij.

This is the tent of the Bedouins (Arab nomads). The frame consists of long poles intertwined with each other, it was covered with fabric that was woven from camel hair, it was very dense and did not allow moisture to pass through when it rained. The room was divided into male and female parts, each of them had its own fireplace.

Dwellings of the peoples of our country

Russia is a multinational country, on whose territory more than 290 people live. Each has its own culture, customs, and traditional forms of housing. Here are the most striking of them:

• Dugout.

This is one of the oldest dwellings of the peoples of our country. This is a hole dug to a depth of about 1.5 meters, the roof of which was made of planks, straw and a layer of earth. The inside wall was reinforced with logs, and the floor was coated with clay mortar.

The disadvantages of this room were that the smoke could only escape through the door, and the room was very damp due to the proximity groundwater. Therefore, living in a dugout was not easy. But there were also advantages, for example, it completely ensured safety; in it one could not be afraid of either hurricanes or fires; it was stored in it constant temperature; she did not miss loud sounds; practically did not require repairs and additional care; it could easily be built. It is thanks to all these advantages that dugouts were very widely used as shelters during the Great Patriotic War.

• Izba.

The Russian hut was traditionally built from logs using an axe. The roof was made gable. To insulate the walls, moss was placed between the logs; over time, it became dense and covered all the large cracks. The outside walls were coated with clay, which was mixed with cow dung and straw. This solution insulated the walls. A stove was always installed in a Russian hut, the smoke from it came out through the window, and only starting from the 17th century they began to build chimneys.

• Kuren.

The name comes from the word “smoke,” which meant “to smoke.” The traditional home of the Cossacks was called kuren. Their first settlements arose in the floodplains (river reed thickets). The houses were built on stilts, the walls were made of wickerwork, coated with clay, the roof was made of reeds, and a hole was left in it for the smoke to escape.

This is the home of the Telengits (people of Altai). It is a hexagonal structure made of logs with a high roof covered with larch bark. The villages always had an earthen floor and a hearth in the center.

• Kava.

The indigenous people of the Khabarovsk Territory, the Orochi, built a kava dwelling, which looked like a gable hut. The side walls and roof were covered with spruce bark. The entrance to the home was always from the river. The place for the hearth was laid out with pebbles and fenced wooden beams which were coated with clay. Wooden bunks were built near the walls.

• Cave.

This type of dwelling was built in mountainous areas composed of soft rocks (limestone, loess, tuff). People cut down caves in them and built comfortable homes. In this way, entire cities appeared, for example, in the Crimea, the cities of Eski-Kermen, Tepe-Kermen and others. Fireplaces were installed in the rooms, chimneys were cut, niches for dishes and water, windows and doors.

Dwellings of the peoples of Ukraine

The most historically valuable and famous dwellings of the peoples of Ukraine are: mud hut, Transcarpathian kolyba, hut. Many of them still exist.

• Muzanka.

This is an ancient traditional dwelling of Ukraine; unlike the hut, it was intended for living in areas with a mild and warm climate. It was built from wooden frame, the walls consisted of thin branches, on the outside they were smeared with white clay, and on the inside with a solution of clay mixed with reeds and straw. The roof consisted of reeds or straw. The mud hut house had no foundation and was not protected from moisture in any way, but served its owners for 100 years or more.

• Kolyba.

In the mountainous regions of the Carpathians, shepherds and woodcutters built temporary summer dwellings, which were called “kolyba”. This is a log house that had no windows. The roof was gable and covered with flat chips. Along the walls inside they installed wooden sunbeds and shelves for things. There was a fireplace in the middle of the dwelling.

• Hut.

This is a traditional type of home among Belarusians, Ukrainians, southern Russian peoples and Poles. The roof was hipped, made of reeds or straw. The walls were built from half-logs, coated with a mixture horse manure and clay. The hut was whitewashed both outside and inside. There were shutters on the windows. The house was surrounded by rubble ( wide bench, filled with clay). The hut was divided into 2 parts, separated by a vestibule: residential and utility.

Dwellings of the peoples of the Caucasus

For the peoples of the Caucasus, the traditional dwelling is the saklya. It is a one-room stone structure with dirt floors and no windows. The roof was flat with a hole for the smoke to escape. Sakli in mountainous areas formed entire terraces, adjacent to each other, that is, the roof of one building was the floor of another. This type of structure served a defensive function.

Dwellings of the peoples of Europe

The most famous dwellings of European peoples are: trullo, palliaso, bordei, vezha, konak, culla, chalet. Many of them still exist.

• Trullo.

This is a type of dwelling of the peoples of central and southern Italy. They were created by dry masonry, that is, the stones were laid without cement or clay. And if one stone was removed, the structure would collapse. This type of structure was due to the fact that it was prohibited to build houses in these areas, and if inspectors came, the structure could easily be destroyed.

Trullos were one-room with two windows. The roof of the building was cone-shaped.

• Pallasso.

These dwellings are characteristic of the peoples living in the north-west of the Iberian Peninsula. They were built in the highlands of Spain. These were round buildings with a cone-shaped roof. The top of the roof was covered with straw or reeds. The exit was always on the east side; the building had no windows.

• Bordey.

This is a semi-dugout of the peoples of Moldova and Romania, which was covered with a thick layer of reed or straw. This is the oldest type of housing in this part of the continent.

• Klochan.

The home of the Irish, which looks like a domed hut built of stone. The masonry was used dry, without any solutions. The windows looked like narrow slits. Basically, such dwellings were built by monks who led an ascetic lifestyle.

• Vezha.

This is the traditional home of the Sami (Finno-Ugric people of northern Europe). The structure was made of logs in the form of a pyramid, with a smoke hole left at it. A stone hearth was built in the center of the vezha, and the floor was covered with reindeer skins. Nearby they built a shed on poles, which was called nili.

• Konak.

Double decker stone house, which was built in Romania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia. This building in plan resembles the Russian letter G; it was covered with a tiled roof. The house had a huge number of rooms, so there was no need for outbuildings in such houses.

• Kula.

It is a fortified tower, built of stone, with small windows. They can be found in Albania, the Caucasus, Sardinia, Ireland, and Corsica.

• Chalet.

This is a rural house in the Alps. It differs in its protruding eaves overhangs, wooden walls, the lower part of which was plastered and lined with stone.

Indian Dwellings

The most famous Indian dwelling is the wigwam. But there are also buildings such as teepees and wickiups.

• Indian wigwam.

This is the home of the Indians living in the north and northeast North America. Nowadays, no one lives in them, but they continue to be used for various kinds of rituals and initiations. It is dome-shaped and consists of curved and flexible trunks. At the top there is a hole for smoke to escape. In the center of the dwelling there was a fireplace, along the edges there were places for rest and sleep. The entrance to the home was covered with a curtain. Food was prepared outside.

• Tipi.

Dwelling of the Great Plains Indians. It has a cone-shaped shape up to 8 meters high; its frame consisted of pine trees, covered with bison skins on top and reinforced with pegs at the bottom. This structure was easily assembled, disassembled and transported.

• Wikiap.

Home of the Apaches and other tribes living in the southwestern United States and California. This is a small hut covered with branches, straw, and bushes. It is considered a type of wigwam.

Dwellings of the peoples of Africa

The most famous dwellings of the peoples of Africa are considered to be rondavel and ikukwane.

• Rondavel.

This is the home of the Bantu people. It has a round base, a cone-shaped roof, and stone walls, which are held together with a mixture of sand and manure. Inside, the walls were coated with clay. The top of the roof was covered with reeds.

• Ikukwane.

This is a huge domed reed house that is traditional to the Zulu people. Long twigs, reeds, tall grass intertwined and reinforced with ropes. The entrance was closed with special shields.

Dwellings of the peoples of Asia

The most famous dwellings in China are diaolou and tulou, in Japan - minka, in Korea - hanok.

• Diaolou.

These are multi-story fortified fortified houses that have been built in southern China since the Ming Dynasty. In those days, there was an urgent need for such buildings, since gangs of bandits operated in the territories. In a later and calmer time, such structures were built simply according to tradition.

• Tulou.

This is also a fortress house, which was built in the form of a circle or square. On upper floors narrow openings were left for the loopholes. Inside such a fortress there were living quarters and a well. Up to 500-600 people could live in these fortifications.

• Minka.

This is the dwelling of Japanese peasants, which was built from scrap materials: clay, bamboo, straw, grass. Functions internal partitions made screens. The roofs were very high so that snow or rain would roll down faster and the straw would not have time to get wet.

• Hanok.

This traditional house Koreans. Clay walls and tile roof. Pipes were laid under the floor, through which hot air from the hearth circulated throughout the house.

The Slavs took the construction of a new house very seriously, because they had to live in it for many years. The location for the future home and the trees for construction were selected in advance. Pine or spruce was considered the best wood: the house made from it was strong, the logs gave off a pleasant pine smell, and people in such a house got sick less often. If there was no coniferous forest nearby, then oak or larch was cut down. Construction began in late autumn. Men from all over the village felled the forest and built it right on the edge of the forest. log house without windows and doors, which remained standing until early spring. This was done so that the logs would “settle down” over the winter and get used to each other.

In early spring, the log house was dismantled and moved to the chosen location. The perimeter of the future house was marked directly on the ground using a rope. For the foundation, a hole 20-25 cm deep was dug around the perimeter of the house, filled with sand, and covered with stone blocks or tarred logs. Later they began to use brick foundation. Birch bark layers were laid on top in a dense layer; they did not allow water to pass through and protected the house from dampness. Sometimes a quadrangular log crown was used as a foundation, installed around the perimeter of the house, and then the log walls. According to old pagan customs, which even today Russian people coexist with the true Christian faith, a piece of wool (for warmth), coins (for wealth and prosperity), and incense (for holiness) were placed under each corner of the crown.

When building a house, even the number of logs in the walls mattered; it varied depending on the customs accepted in the area. There were many ways to fasten logs at the corners, but the most common were two - the log house “in the claw” and “in the paw”. The first method left uneven projections in the corners of the house, which were called residue. We are familiar with such houses from childhood from illustrations to Russian folk tales. But the protruding parts of the logs in the huts had special meaning– protected the corners of the house from freezing in the frosty winter. But the log house “in the paw” made it possible to expand the space of the house. With this method, the logs were connected to each other at the very ends, it was much more difficult, so this method was used less often. In any case, the logs fit very tightly to each other, and for greater thermal insulation, the cracks were pierced with moss and caulked.

The sloping roof was lined with wood chips, straw, and aspen planks. No matter how strange it may be, the most durable was thatched roof, because it was filled with liquid clay, dried in the sun and became strong. A log was laid along the roof, decorated with skillful carvings on the facade, most often it was a horse or a rooster. It was a kind of amulet that protected the house from harm. Before you start finishing works, a small hole was left in the roof of the house for several days, it was believed that through it devilry must fly out of the house. The floor was covered with halves of logs from the door to the window. Between the foundation and the floor there was a space that served as a subfloor for storing food (basement); here the owner could set up a workshop, and in winter the cattle were kept in the basement. The room itself was called a cage, it could be entered through a low door with a high threshold; the windows in a Russian hut were small, usually there were three on the front side and one on the side.

A Russian hut usually had one room. The main place in it was occupied by the stove. The larger the stove, the more heat it provided; in addition, food was cooked in the stove, and old people and children slept on it. Many rituals and beliefs were associated with the stove. It was believed that a brownie lived behind the stove. It was impossible to wash dirty linen in public, and it was burned in the oven.
When matchmakers came to the house, the girl climbed onto the stove and from there watched the conversation between her parents and the guests. When they called her, she got off the stove, and this meant that she agreed to get married, and the wedding invariably ended with an empty pot being thrown into the stove: the number of shards that broke, the number of children the young people would have.

Next to the stove there was the so-called “woman’s corner”. Here women prepared food, did handicrafts, and stored dishes. It was separated from the room by a curtain and was called “kut” or “zakut”. The opposite corner was called “red”, holy, there was an icon and a lamp hanging here. In the same corner was located dinner table with benches. Wide shelves were nailed along the walls under the ceiling; on them were festive dishes and boxes that served as decoration for the house, or to store things needed in the household. In the corner between the stove and the door under the ceiling there was a wide shelf- pay.

In the ancient Russian hut there was not so much furniture: the already mentioned table, benches along the walls, on which they not only sat, but also slept, a small open cabinet for dishes, several massive chests upholstered with iron strips for storing clothes and linen - that, perhaps, is the whole furnishings. The floors were covered with knitted or woven rugs, and outerwear served as blankets.

By old tradition The cat was allowed into the house first, and only then did they enter themselves. In addition, hot coals in a pot were taken from the old house as a symbol hearth and home, they brought a brownie in bast shoes or felt boots, icons and bread.

Simple peasants lived in log huts, and boyars and princes built larger houses for themselves and decorated them more richly - towers and chambers. A tower was a high and bright living space built above a vestibule or simply on a high basement. A staircase with a high porch, decorated with carvings and resting on carved wooden posts, led to the mansion.
The room itself was often painted and also decorated with carvings, forged bars were inserted into the large windows, and the high roof was even covered with real gilding. In the mansion there were upper rooms and little rooms, in which, according to folk tales, beautiful maidens lived and spent all their time doing needlework. But there were, of course, other rooms in the mansion, connected by passages and stairs.

Until the 16th century, houses in Ancient Rus' were wooden, they often burned, so that practically nothing remained from the buildings of those times. In the 16th century, stone buildings appeared, and then brick ones. They are built on the same principle as wooden houses, even the stone carving repeats the motifs characteristic of wooden architecture, but the common people for several centuries preferred to live in log cabins. It was more familiar, healthier, and cheaper.

When our prehistoric ancestors sought the refuge they would later call home, they used Natural resources around itself as a means of shelter.

Ancient people lived in caves. But man is the most brilliant creation of nature. And over time he learned to build abodes for himself.

For centuries, people had to live underground, in trees and under rocks. Over time, a person began to develop skills, he began to use auxiliary means in the construction of his house: wood, metal, brick, stone, ice and animal skins.

Nowadays, in most cases, houses are built of brick and concrete, with some exceptions, for example, cabins, prefabricated buildings and wooden sheds.

However, there are some civilizations in the world that still live in the dwellings used by their ancestors hundreds of years ago.

This article highlights some of the more unusual types of dwellings that man has called home, just as they have been for hundreds of years (since they were first built).

Bamboo houses

Bamboo is a fast-growing, evergreen grass that grows in many places around the world.

Bamboo has been used for housing construction thousands of years ago. This is special durable material, making it ideal for construction.

Constructions modern houses made of bamboo, based on ancient technologies, designed for rapid construction housing especially in disaster areas of Southeast Asia.

Earthen houses, as their name suggests, are dwellings built underground and, along with caves, are probably the oldest method of construction on the planet.

The centuries-old idea of ​​such design has found recognition all over the world, and today there are many buildings called eco-earth dwellings.

House made of timber

Log houses are well known and, as a rule, are used in the construction of holiday homes. Construction log houses The roots go back many years, to the times when man was first able to cut off large tree branches. But even today such houses are very popular.

The log house has found its application in mountain and forest areas. Such houses were especially common in areas inhabited by settlers in new lands, such as America and Australia. Today they are a landmark of the European Alps and Scandinavia, here these buildings are called “chalets”.

For many centuries, adobe houses were used as quick way construction of dwellings.

These types of housing are commonly found in dry and hot countries around the world, but most notably on the African continent.

To build them, soil or clay is mixed with water, and sometimes grass is added. The shaped squares are then dried in the sun until they reach the required hardness. After this, they are ready for use just like any other building brick.

Tree houses

Did you think that such houses are built only for children?

In fact, a tree house is quite common in jungle areas around the world, where the terrain is infested with snakes, dangerous wild animals and crawling insects.

They are also used as temporary shelter in areas prone to flooding and heavy monsoon rains.

Tent house

Tents are a popular means of refuge for outdoor enthusiasts. fresh air, and are also regularly used for quick construction.

Large tents were typically made from animal skins and were used as regular dwellings by many civilizations over the centuries. They are most widespread among nomadic peoples.

Today, tent-shaped housing is used mainly nomadic peoples, such as: the Bedouin tribes of Arabia and the Mongolian herders, whose shelter - yurts - have existed for several generations.

Cabana (beach house)

The picture shows a wild boar located on the grounds of a hotel in Ecuador. This small house, which currently functions as a hotel room, is a bamboo frame topped with a grass roof and is typical of indigenous South American Indian architecture.

Tod's Huts

These bamboo and rattan houses come from a village located in South India, where locals have been living in such houses for over a thousand years.

Half a dozen of these buildings will be installed in one of the villages, where each of the buildings is used for a specific purpose, such as: living for people, finding animals, preparing food, and so on.

Houses of the Toba Batak tribe

These impressive structures, built in the likeness of a boat, are the huts of the indigenous people on the island of Sumatra.

The dwellings are called jabu and have been used by fishing communities for centuries.

The human home is a pure reflection of nature. Initially, the shape of the house comes from an organic feeling. It has an inner necessity, like a bird's nest, a beehive, or a clam shell. Every feature of the forms of existence and customs, family and marriage life, in addition, the tribal routine - all this is reflected in the main rooms and plan of the house - in the upper room, vestibule, atrium, megaron, kemenate, courtyard, gyneceum.

16 geographical and historical-cultural provinces can be distinguished: Eastern European, Western Central European, Central Asian-Kazakhstan, Caucasian, Central Asian, Siberian, Southeast Asian, East Asian, South-West Asian, South Asian, tropical African, North African, Latin American, North American, Oceanic, Australian . Moreover, each of them has its own characteristics. In this article we will look at national houses peoples of the world.

Eastern European province

It includes the following regions: northern and central, Volga-Kama, Baltic, southwestern. It is worth noting that in the north, utility and residential premises were built under common roof. Villages were more common in the south large sizes, while outbuildings were located separately. In those places where there was not enough wood, wooden and stone walls were coated with clay and then whitewashed. In such buildings, the stove has always been the center of the interior.

West Central European Province

It is divided into regions: Atlantic, Northern European, Mediterranean and Central European. Considering the homes of the peoples of the world, we can say that in this province rural settlements have different layouts (circular, cumulus, scattered, row) and consist of rectangular buildings. Half-timbered ( frame houses) predominate in central Europe, timber frames - in the north, brick and stone - in the south. In some areas, utility and residential premises are located under a common roof, in others they are built separately.

Central Asian-Kazakhstan province

This province occupies the plains in the eastern part of the Caspian Sea, high mountain systems and deserts of the Pamirs and Tien Shan. It is divided into regions: Turkmenistan (southwestern), Tajikistan and Uzbekistan (southeastern), Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan (northern). Such traditional dwellings the peoples of the world here are rectangular adobe buildings with a flat roof in the south, in the mountains - frame houses, among semi-nomads and nomads - round yurts with a felt covering and a lattice frame. In the north, houses were influenced by immigrants from Russia.

Caucasian province

This province is located between the Caspian and Black Seas in the southern part of the East European Plain. It covers various landscapes mountain systems Caucasus, mountain plains and foothills, is divided into 2 regions: Caucasian and North Caucasian. Such dwellings of the peoples of the world, pictures of which can be seen in this article, are very diverse - from stone fortresses and tower houses to turluch (wattle) half-dugouts and structures; in Azerbaijan - adobe one-story dwellings with a completely flat roof, an entrance and windows to the courtyard; in the eastern part of Georgia these are 2-story houses made of wood and stone with balconies, a gable or flat roof.

Siberian province

It is located in the northern part of Asia and occupies the expanses of taiga, dry steppes and tundra from Pacific Ocean to the Urals. The settlements are dominated by rectangular log houses in the northern part - dugouts, tents, yarangas - in the northeast, multi-cornered yurts - among cattle breeders in the south.

Central Asian province

The province occupies deserts located in the temperate zone (Taklamakan, Gobi). It is worth noting that the homes of the peoples of the world are very diverse. In this place they are represented by round yurts (among the Turks and Mongols), as well as woolen tents of the Tibetans. Among the Uighurs, some Tibetans, and also the Itzu, houses with walls made of cut stone or mud brick.

East Asian province

This region occupies the Korean peninsula, the plains of China, and the Japanese islands. The houses here are frame-and-post with adobe filling, with a gable or flat roof, which other traditional dwellings of the peoples of the world cannot boast of. In the southern part of the province, pile buildings predominate, in the northern part - heated benches.

Southeast Asian province

These are the islands of the Philippines and Indonesia, as well as the Indochina Peninsula. Includes the following regions: East Indo-China, East Indonesia, West Indo-China, West Indonesia, Philippines. The dwellings of different peoples of the world here are represented by pile buildings with high roofs and light walls.

South Asian province

It includes the Ganges and Indus valleys, the Himalayan mountains in the northern part, arid regions and low mountains in the western part, the Burma-Assam Mountains in the eastern part, and the island of Sri Lanka in the southern part. All kinds of dwellings of the peoples of the world, photos of which can be seen in this article, are of great interest to historians today. The settlements here are mostly street plan; Most often you can find brick or adobe 2- and 3-chamber houses, with a high or flat roof. There are also frame-and-post buildings. Several floors of stone - in the mountains, and nomads have interesting woolen tents.

Dwellings of different peoples of the world: North African province

It occupies the Mediterranean coast, the arid subtropical zone of the Sahara, and also oases from the Maghreb to Egypt. The following regions are distinguished: Maghreb, Egyptian, Sudanese. Settled farmers have large settlements with very disorderly buildings. In their center there is a mosque and a market square. Houses are square or rectangular, made of stone, adobe, with patio and a flat roof. The nomads live in black woolen tents. The division of the home remains into male and female halves.

Dwellings of the peoples of the world: southwest Asian province

This province occupies mountains with oases and arid highlands in deserts and river valleys. It is divided into Iranian-Afghan, Asia Minor, Arabian, Mesopotamian-Syrian historical and cultural regions. Rural settlements mostly large, with a central market square, rectangular houses made of mud brick, stone or adobe with a courtyard and a flat roof. Interior decoration includes felts, carpets, mats.

North American province

It includes the taiga and arctic tundra, Alaska, prairies and temperate forests, as well as the subtropics on the Atlantic coast. The following regions are distinguished: Canadian, Arctic, North American. Before European colonization, only Indians and Eskimos lived in this place (the main types of houses differ slightly from each other, which depends on the areas where people lived. The settlers’ housing traditions are in many ways similar to European ones.

African tropical province

It includes the equatorial regions of Africa with dry and wet savannas and tropical forests. The regions are distinguished: West Central, West African, East African, Tropical, Madagascar Island, South African. Rural settlements are scattered or compact, consisting of small frame-and-post dwellings with a round or rectangular layout. They are surrounded by various outbuildings. Sometimes the walls are decorated with painted or relief patterns.

Latin American province

It occupies all of Central and South America. The following areas are distinguished: Mesoamerican, Caribbean, Amazonian, Andean, Fuegian, Pampas. For local residents Characterized by rectangular, single-chamber dwellings made of reeds, wood and adobes, with a high 2- or 4-slope roof.

Ocean Province

It consists of 3 regions: Polynesia (Polynesians and Maoris), Micronesia and Melanesia (Melanesians and Papuans). Houses in New Guinea are piled, above ground, rectangular, while in Oceania they are frame-and-post with a high gable roof made of palm leaves.

Australian province

It also occupies Australia. The dwellings of the aborigines of these places are sheds, windbreaks, and huts.

Agree, in our distant childhood we were all interested in homes in one way or another. We read about them in books and popular science magazines, watched them in movies, which means, willy-nilly, at least once in our lives, but we still imagined how great it would be to swap roles with them for a few hours, finding yourself in that distant world full of the unknown and unprecedented.

However, despite the abundance of information, we sometimes cannot answer seemingly completely simple questions. For example, about how they defended their homes, where and how they got food, whether they made supplies for the winter and whether they had any pets.

The article is aimed at introducing readers to the topic. After reading all the sections carefully, everyone will have a more than detailed idea of ​​what the dwellings of ancient people were like.

general information

To more clearly imagine what happened many centuries ago, let's think about the principle by which buildings are built and ennobled. modern houses. Many will agree that the choice of material is primarily influenced by climate. In hot countries, you are unlikely to find buildings with thick brick (or panel) walls and additional insulation means. In turn, in the northern regions there are no bungalows and open villas.

The primitive dwellings of ancient people were also built taking into account the weather conditions of a particular region. In addition, of course, the presence of nearby bodies of water and the characteristic features of the local flora and fauna were taken into account.

Thus, modern experts claim that Paleolithic hunters in most cases settled on slightly rough, or even completely flat, terrain, in close proximity to lakes, rivers or streams.

Where can you see ancient sites?

We all know that caves are areas of the upper part earth's crust, located, as a rule, in mountainous regions of the planet. Today it has been established that most of them were once the dwellings of ancient people. Of course, regardless of the continent, people settled only in horizontal and gently sloping caves. In vertical ones, called mines and wells, the depth of which can reach up to one and a half kilometers, it was inconvenient to live and organize everyday life, and even very dangerous.

Archaeologists have discovered the dwellings of ancient people in different parts our planet: in Africa, Australia, Asia, Europe and the Americas.

Many caves have also been discovered on Russian territory. The most famous are Kungurskaya, Bolshaya Oreshnaya, Denisova and the whole Tavdinsky complex.

What did the ancient man's home look like from the inside?

There is a fairly common misconception that the caves were warm and dry enough for the inhabitants of that time. Unfortunately, this is not so, but rather the opposite. As a rule, in faults rocks very cold and humid. And this is not surprising: such areas are warmed up quite slowly by the sun, and it is generally impossible to heat a huge cave in this way.

The humid air prevailing around, which in most cases is barely felt in the open air, tends to condense, falling into a closed space, surrounded on all sides by cold stone.

As a rule, the air in a cave cannot be called stale. On the contrary, there are constant drafts formed under the influence of the aerodynamic effect created by the presence of numerous passages and cracks.

As a result, we can conclude that the very first dwellings of ancient people were small, cool caves with walls constantly damp from condensation.

Was it possible to warm up by lighting a fire?

In general, make a fire in a cave, even if there is modern means- a rather troublesome and not always effective task.

Why? The thing is that initially it will take a long time to choose a place protected from the wind, otherwise the fire will simply go out. Secondly, heating a cave in this way is the same as if you set yourself the goal of heating an entire stadium, armed with an ordinary electric heater. Sounds absurd, right?

IN in this case one fire is actually not enough, especially considering that cold air will constantly move towards your parking spot from somewhere inside the stone bag.

Security measures

How did ancient people protect their homes, and was this necessary in principle? Scientists have been trying to get a definite answer to this question for a long time. It was found that in warm climates, sites were usually temporary. People found them by chasing wild animals along the paths and collecting various kinds of roots. Ambushes were set up nearby and the dead carcasses were skinned. Such houses were not guarded: raw materials were collected, rest was arranged, thirst was quenched, simple belongings were collected, and the tribe moved on.

In what is now Eurasia, most of the land was covered with a thick layer of snow. There was already a need for the improvement of a more permanent monastery. The dwelling was often won from the hyena through perseverance, deceit or cunning. During winter cold, the entrances to the cave were often blocked from the inside with stones and branches. This, first of all, was done to prevent the former owner from getting inside.

Section 6. What was inside the house

The dwellings of ancient people, photos of which can often be found in modern popular science literature, were quite simple in their design and contents.

Most often it was round or oval inside. According to scientists, on average the width rarely exceeded 6-8 meters with a length of 10-12 m. Inside, according to experts, up to 20 people could fit. Tree trunks cut down or broken in the neighboring forest were used for beautification and insulation. It was not uncommon for such material to flow down the river.

Often the dwellings of ancient people were not a place in a cave, but real huts. The skeleton of the future house was represented by tree trunks inserted into pre-dug recesses. Later, intertwined branches were placed on top. Of course, due to the constantly blowing wind, it was quite cold and damp inside, so the fire had to be maintained both day and night. By the way, scientists were surprised to discover that tree trunks, which play a key role in construction, were reinforced with heavy stones for safety reasons.

There were no doors at all. They were replaced by a hearth built from rock fragments, which not only heated the home, but also served reliable protection from predators.

Of course, in the process of evolution, not only people changed, but also their places of residence.

Houses of ancient Palestinians

In Palestine, modern scientists have managed to excavate the most archaeologically important cities.

It was established that these settlements were mainly built on hills and were well fortified both outside and inside. Very often one of the walls was protected by a cliff or a fast water flow. The city was surrounded by a wall.

Like many others, this culture, when choosing a location, was guided by the presence of a nearby source, the water from which was suitable for drinking and for irrigating crops. In case of a siege, local residents built unique underground reservoirs located under the homes of wealthier townspeople.

Wooden houses were considered a rarity. Preference was mainly given to stone and adobe buildings. In order to protect the room from soil dampness, the structure was built on a stone foundation.

The outbreak was located in central room directly under a special hole in the ceiling. Second floor and availability large quantities Only the wealthiest townspeople could afford windows.

Dwellings of the upper Mesopotamia

Not everyone knows that some of the houses here were two- or even several-story. For example, in the chronicles of Herodotus one can find mention of buildings with three or even four tiers.

The dwellings were covered with a spherical dome, which was sometimes very high. There was a hole at the top that allowed air to penetrate inside. By the way, it should be noted that there were almost never windows on the first floor. And there may be several explanations for this factor. Firstly, local residents tried to protect themselves from external enemies in this way. Secondly, religion did not allow them to flaunt the features of their privacy. Only fairly narrow doors and loopholes, located at the level of human height, went outside.

Above, terraces were built on brick pillars, which performed two functions at once. First of all, they were built so that the owner could relax there, hiding away from human eyes. But that's not all. This section made it possible to protect the roof from direct impacts. sun rays, which means from overheating. On the upper terrace there were most often open galleries planted with flowers and exotic plants.

In this area the main building material Clay, reed and bitumen were considered. Sometimes special brick or mosaic inlays were made in wooden supports to protect the wood from the ubiquitous ants.

Dwelling of ancient Indian culture

The ancient city of Mohenjo-Daro, located in India, was once surrounded by a powerful wall. There was also sewer system, which from individual houses was directed into the citywide sewer canal, equipped under the pavements.

In general, they preferred to build houses from baked brick, which was considered the most durable and therefore reliable. The outer walls were more than massive, and also had a slight inward slope.

Documents about how ancient people built homes indicate that wealthy locals had a gatekeeper's room in their homes. Almost always there was a small central courtyard, into which, for the purpose additional lighting, there were certainly numerous windows on the first and second floors.

The yard was paved with bricks, and there was a sewer canal right next to it. As a rule, a luxurious terrace was arranged on the flat roof of the house.

Ancient Greek house

Scientists have found that during the Trojan culture, most dwellings were a square or rectangular shape. There may have been a small portico in front. In a room or part common area, which served as a bedroom, special raised platforms were made for the beds.

As a rule, there were two outbreaks. One was needed for heating, the second for cooking.

The walls were also not quite ordinary. The lower 60 cm were laid out of stone, and a little higher raw brick was used. Flat roof was not supported by anything additional.

The poor preferred to live in round or oval houses, because... it was easier to heat them, and there was no need to have several rooms. The rich in their homes allocated space not only for bedrooms, but also for dining rooms and storage rooms.