Primitive architecture is the architecture that is associated with societies defined as primitive by anthropologists. It includes, first of all, current primitive societies, that is, those societies whose culture is or was little contaminated by the more developed cultures of neighboring peoples or conquerors. In second place but with equal importance are the primitive societies that at the end of the Neolithic built the first constructions whose remains have reached us. They are the societies that were established in the Nile Valley, Palestine "Palestine (region)"), Syria, Mesopotamia or Anatolia or those that were established in India, China and other parts of Asia, or the peoples and cultures established in Africa, Europe or in pre-Columbian America which evolved into the cultures or civilizations that have developed throughout history. They are also the primitive Neolithic cultures from various parts of the world whose mark on civilization practically became extinct with them.

Primitive architecture is at the base of popular architecture and cultured architecture, in fact, authors such as Rappoport (see bibliography) call vernacular architecture the group formed by primitive architecture and popular architecture identified by Rappoport himself, as pre-industrial vernacular architecture.

The «Encyclopedia of Vernacular Architecture of the World» (see bibliography), makes an exhaustive compendium of the typologies and local variants of vernacular architecture; Its point of view, both typological and regional, allows establishing a classification that, without being such, constitutes a general frame of reference for primitive architecture. In this sense, a series of significant types are indicated below, linked to different peoples and cultures, with different stages of development:.

Flat roof houses

The houses, villages and cities of the Berber towns, made of rammed earth and flat roofs, with few openings, link with the popular architecture of Andalusia represented by complete urban complexes such as Mojàcar") and others.