Mediterranean architecture as outcome of cultural migrations

This paper has the aim to select among a wide historical framework the most significant migrating architectural typologies and structural elements throughout the Mediterranean cultural area which have been defining through thousands of years an evolutive path based on innovations. In more recent times, during Enlightenment and Neoclassicism, remarkable architects and theorists have had their main reference for the Mediterranean architectural culture and tangible heritage via Greek and Roman architecture. To quote someone we could think of Claude Perrault and Paul Cret, the first one introducing during XVII century a new disenchanted approach towards Renaissance treatises (debating Vitruvis Theories) in favor of a scientific rational approach, the second one stating an undogmatic Beaux art practice in teaching and profession (with Greek architecture in his mind). However there are very well studied issues that could be interesting to reconsider in a unique general frame – even in the length of one paper – to understand how ingrained have been the process of migration of knowledge and technical expertise in the cultural Mediterranean area. With the teaching of Braudel in the mind, we would reinforce the idea that Mediterranean culture can be read on several levels simultaneously especially in the architectural domain. So that there is not only one Greek architecture but one cultural area with several cultural contaminations. The paper will consider the following migratory issues: a1) The Doric Greek Order migrated from the Egyptian Proto-Doric Order; a2) The Greek Ionic Order origin is in the oriental slim columns of Persepolis; b) the majestic floor plan of Knossos Palaces was influenced by the enclosure in the enclosure layout of the arcaic Egyptian temple complex (Karnak and Luxor); c) the trilithon, the gate system and the hypostyle hall of Greek architecture migrated from estern previous ancient complexes (Assirian, Persian, Egyptian); d) The arch, the vault, the dome migrate in the Mediterranean from Northern the Etruscan building culture via Rome and replaces the structual faulse vaulte typical of the Mediterranean ancient tradition (as the Mycenaean vault and the Trully layered vault with thick rubble). After Late Antiquity and Byzantine architecture all these mentioned features, already widespread in the Mediterranea Basin, meet the Islamic koiné. From that moment on the Mediterranean world does not propose further significant and consistent typological and technical innovations in Architecture.