芋頭侗寨在行政區劃上隸屬于雙江(jiang)鄉。明洪武年(nian)(nian)間(1368~1398年(nian)(nian))建(jian)寨;明嘉靖(jing)三(san)年(nian)(nian)(1508年(nian)(nian))戶增人旺,建(jian)筑規(gui)模擴大,形成村(cun)落;清順(shun)治(zhi)年(nian)(nian)間(1644~1661年(nian)(nian))遭火災,復建(jian)后形成以芋頭溪流(liu)為軸線向兩側分叉布置的7個聚落群;清乾(qian)隆四十二年(nian)(nian)(1777年(nian)(nian))建(jian)寨腳(jiao)橋(qiao)及龍氏鼓樓、牙上鼓樓;清嘉慶五(wu)年(nian)(nian)(1800年(nian)(nian))建(jian)塘(tang)頭橋(qiao)。清光緒(xu)7年(nian)(nian)建(jian)塘(tang)坪橋(qiao)。
清道(dao)(dao)光(guang)(guang)、光(guang)(guang)緒(xu)(xu)年(nian)間(jian)分(fen)別(bie)維(wei)修驛(yi)道(dao)(dao)和(he)牙上(shang)鼓(gu)樓(lou)(lou)。明洪(hong)武元年(nian)至三十(shi)一年(nian)(1368-1398)間(jian)始建(jian)(jian)(jian)寨;嘉靖(jing)三年(nian)(1508)戶增人(ren)(ren)旺,建(jian)(jian)(jian)筑規模擴大,形成村(cun)落(luo)。清順治年(nian)間(jian)遭火災,復建(jian)(jian)(jian)后(hou)形成以(yi)芋頭溪流(liu)為軸線向兩邊分(fen)叉座落(luo)的7個聚居群。清乾隆四十(shi)二年(nian)(1777)建(jian)(jian)(jian)寨腳橋(qiao)及龍氏鼓(gu)樓(lou)(lou),牙上(shang)鼓(gu)樓(lou)(lou)。清嘉慶五年(nian)(1800)建(jian)(jian)(jian)中步(bu)和(he)塘坪(ping)橋(qiao)。清道(dao)(dao)光(guang)(guang)、光(guang)(guang)緒(xu)(xu)年(nian)間(jian)分(fen)別(bie)維(wei)修驛(yi)道(dao)(dao)和(he)牙上(shang)鼓(gu)樓(lou)(lou)。芋頭侗寨古建(jian)(jian)(jian)筑群因(yin)山(shan)就(jiu)勢,結(jie)構造型具有典型的侗族風格(ge),鼓(gu)樓(lou)(lou)、門樓(lou)(lou)、蘆笙場、古井、涼亭、薩(sa)歲壇、古墓葬群、侗族樓(lou)(lou)層及青(qing)石板驛(yi)道(dao)(dao)等一應俱全,且保存完好,有很高的歷史(shi)、人(ren)(ren)文(wen)及藝術價。
芋頭(tou)(tou)侗(dong)(dong)寨(zhai),從建(jian)(jian)寨(zhai)選址,布置(zhi)建(jian)(jian)筑(zhu)(zhu)物,到規(gui)劃村寨(zhai)于周圍環境的(de)(de)(de)協調(diao)及(ji)人(ren)(ren)們衣(yi)食住行、祭祀,都是傳(chuan)統堪輿學(xue)說在侗(dong)(dong)民(min)族(zu)地(di)區(qu)現實(shi)生活中(zhong)的(de)(de)(de)運用。寨(zhai)內各類建(jian)(jian)筑(zhu)(zhu)因地(di)制宜,依(yi)山(shan)勢,順(shun)風(feng)水分別布置(zhi)建(jian)(jian)筑(zhu)(zhu)物,將自然風(feng)光與人(ren)(ren)為創造(zao)結成天、地(di)、人(ren)(ren)三位一體,充(chong)分展示了侗(dong)(dong)民(min)族(zu)的(de)(de)(de)古樸憨厚(hou)和聰(cong)明才(cai)智。芋頭(tou)(tou)侗(dong)(dong)寨(zhai)的(de)(de)(de)建(jian)(jian)筑(zhu)(zhu)屬(shu)于典型的(de)(de)(de)山(shan)地(di)溝谷侗(dong)(dong)寨(zhai)山(shan)脊型和山(shan)谷型建(jian)(jian)筑(zhu)(zhu)模式。寨(zhai)內所保存的(de)(de)(de)建(jian)(jian)筑(zhu)(zhu),無論是從整體到局部,還是從布局到工藝(yi),都融匯了侗(dong)(dong)族(zu)工藝(yi)的(de)(de)(de)傳(chuan)統和山(shan)里(li)人(ren)(ren)的(de)(de)(de)樸實(shi)風(feng)格(ge),全(quan)面(mian)反映(ying)了侗(dong)(dong)族(zu)的(de)(de)(de)民(min)族(zu)史和民(min)俗史。
芋頭(tou)(tou)侗寨(zhai)(zhai)古(gu)建(jian)筑(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)群因山就勢,結構造(zao)型(xing)(xing)具(ju)有(you)典型(xing)(xing)的(de)侗族(zu)風(feng)格,鼓(gu)(gu)樓(lou)(lou)(lou)、門樓(lou)(lou)(lou)、蘆笙場、古(gu)井、涼亭、薩(sa)歲壇、古(gu)墓葬群、侗族(zu)樓(lou)(lou)(lou)屋及青石板驛(yi)道等一應俱全,其(qi)中(zhong)(zhong)古(gu)樓(lou)(lou)(lou)4座,風(feng)雨橋3座,門樓(lou)(lou)(lou)1座,古(gu)井2口,薩(sa)歲壇2個(ge),吊(diao)(diao)腳(jiao)樓(lou)(lou)(lou)居室78棟,古(gu)驛(yi)道1.6公里(li)。芋頭(tou)(tou)侗寨(zhai)(zhai)的(de)建(jian)筑(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)屬于典型(xing)(xing)的(de)山地溝(gou)谷侗寨(zhai)(zhai)山脊(ji)型(xing)(xing)和山谷型(xing)(xing)建(jian)筑(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)模式(shi)。寨(zhai)(zhai)內民(min)居采用“桿(gan)欄式(shi)”建(jian)筑(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)為(wei)(wei)(wei)多。有(you)的(de)采用架立的(de)吊(diao)(diao)腳(jiao)樓(lou)(lou)(lou)式(shi),以(yi)適應南方山區氣候濕(shi)潤,多蚊(wen)蟲的(de)特(te)點。屋頂懸山式(shi),施小青瓦(wa)或(huo)覆蓋(gai)杉皮,使得建(jian)筑(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)物(wu)色彩樸實(shi),質(zhi)感(gan)宜人。芋頭(tou)(tou)侗寨(zhai)(zhai)始(shi)建(jian)于明洪(hong)武年間,后遭(zao)大火,寨(zhai)(zhai)內現有(you)建(jian)筑(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)大部分(fen)為(wei)(wei)(wei)清(qing)中(zhong)(zhong)期(qi)、末期(qi)的(de)建(jian)筑(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)。村寨(zhai)(zhai)現有(you)鼓(gu)(gu)樓(lou)(lou)(lou)4個(ge):寨(zhai)(zhai)中(zhong)(zhong)鼓(gu)(gu)樓(lou)(lou)(lou)簡樸地立于田中(zhong)(zhong);龍(long)氏鼓(gu)(gu)樓(lou)(lou)(lou)昂然立于山上最高處(chu);蘆笙鼓(gu)(gu)樓(lou)(lou)(lou)雕梁(liang)畫(hua)棟漂亮,為(wei)(wei)(wei)九層(ceng)密檐攢尖蘆笙頂木(mu)樓(lou)(lou)(lou),下(xia)(xia)(xia)五(wu)層(ceng)為(wei)(wei)(wei)四角,上四層(ceng)為(wei)(wei)(wei)八角,翹檐上下(xia)(xia)(xia)都塑有(you)龍(long)鳳花鳥(niao)圖案(an),金光閃亮;牙上鼓(gu)(gu)樓(lou)(lou)(lou)較為(wei)(wei)(wei)奇(qi)險,一半(ban)搭在山坡(po)(po)上,一半(ban)懸于山坡(po)(po)下(xia)(xia)(xia),由17根梨木(mu)柱子支撐(cheng),最長的(de)一根有(you)9.1米高。