Its not historical at all. It has its roots there as bolts did not originally exist. However, if you know the nature of materials, wood and steel expand and contract at different rates and sizes. As the seasons and years go on, as you see with older stick framed houses that are poorly put together, the nails work loose, and the rust east through the wood weakening the connection. Wooden pegs, in addition to the joinery, make a wood to wood to wood connection, swelling and contracting at the same rates, if the grain is lined up just right as well, it swells perfectly together, over the years the joint gets tighter instead of looser, and makes for buildings that if odne right can last a millennium. Check it out by seeing how pegged and bolted furniture works out over time.