Humans have been building structures pretty much since the evolution of our species. Every corner of the planet has seen houses, temples, mounds, palaces, or pyramids in a variety of shapes and sizes, but few of them have withstood the elements over the centuries. These seven human-made structures are currently considered to be the earliest on each continent. But with ongoing archaeological excavation and advances in dating techniques, the list will likely change in the near future.
Antarctica: Huts on Cape Adare (1899 CE)
Two tiny huts were imported from Norway to Antarctica near the turn of the 20th century by polar explorer Carsten Borchgrevink during his Southern Cross expedition. The wood-framed huts were anchored to the ground with cables so they didn’t topple over in the Antarctic wind. Borchgrevink never dismantled the huts, which were reused by other explorers over the years. In 1990, the huts were repaired and documented, and the earliest structures on the frozen continent still stand.
Australia: Wiebbe Hayes Stone Fort (1629 CE)
Inhabited for at least 40,000 years, Australia boasts numerous archaeological sites with evidence of cave dwellings, fish traps, burials, and more. But the oldest extant building created by settlers is a fort built in 1629 by the survivors of the Batavia shipwreck. After a mutiny and a massacre, some passengers were marooned on West Wallabi Island. Fashioning defensive walls and shelter out of local stone, they overpowered the mutineers. After executing the traitors, the remaining Batavia passengers were rescued, and the fort was abandoned.
Africa: Pyramid of Djoser (c. 2650 BCE)
This continent is the cradle of humanity, where numerous human ancestor species arose. While new research suggests our ancestors might have created wood structures there as far back as 500,000 years ago, the best-preserved example of African architecture is much more recent. A six-tier, four-sided pyramid was created as a tomb for Pharaoh Djoser and his family, becoming the inspiration for all subsequent royal Egyptian burials. The pyramid remains today, in the cemetery complex at Saqqara, which was used for over three millennia.
North America: Watson Brake (c. 3500 BCE)
Although archaeologists are still debating what constitutes the oldest structure in North America, all agree that Indigenous peoples’ mound-building tradition dates back thousands of years. Watson Brake in northern Louisiana is a series of 11 mounds connected by ridges, likely used for several centuries as a kind of base camp for hunter-gatherers in the warmer months of the year. Attempts to date mounds have only recently become possible, though, so many of these structures may be even older than Watson Brake, as suggested by controversial new research claiming a 9000 BCE date for mounds on the campus of Louisiana State University.
Europe: Megalithic Temples of Malta (c. 3600 BCE)
The oldest extant structures in Europe are a dozen enormous stone temples discovered on the tiny island nation of Malta in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. Ġgantija, the earliest of the temples, was built by a giantess, according to Maltese folklore, and there is some evidence that animal sacrifices were made there to a fertility deity. Little else is known about this prehistoric temple-building culture, but thanks to its central location, Malta has been a key naval base throughout recorded history.
South America — Huaca Prieta (c. 5700 BCE)
Long before pyramids were created in Egypt, people were erecting them on the north coast of Peru. In 2017, archaeologists dated the early layers of the site of Huaca Prieta to about 14,500 years ago. The 100-foot-tall ceremonial structure appears to have been created there 7,800 years ago, suggesting people began settling in. Other contenders for earliest architecture on the continent include the Peruvian sites Sechin Bajo, whose plaza and pyramids go back to about 3500 BCE, and the Citadel of Caral, a large urban center inhabited around 3000 BCE.
Asia — Göbekli Tepe (c. 9500 BCE)
Often called the world’s oldest temple, the ancient site of Göbekli Tepe was discovered in southeastern Turkey in 1994. Linked to the emergence of agriculture and the move from foraging to farming, the site includes circular structures with massive stone pillars, many of which were decorated with human and animal figures. There are also domestic structures, quarries, and cisterns or wells at the site. Although it is unclear if the prehistoric stone structures were actually temples, it is clear that Göbekli Tepe is the oldest evidence yet of permanent human settlement.
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