Early medieval and romansique

Stringcourse

Horizontal band of masonry projecting from a building's wall

Cloisonne

Enamelwork created by soldering wire partitions onto a metal base

Hiberno-Saxon art

Art style of the British Isles from the early Christian period

Cloister

A covered walkway surrounding a monastery courtyard

Westwork

The monumental, multi-story western entrance structure of a Carolingian or Ottonian church

Stave church

A medieval church structure framed with upright posts

Carolingian art

Art produced under Charlemagne

Ottonian art

Art produced under Ottonian emperors

Alternate-support system

Alternating nave piers and columns

Square schematism

Crossing square used as an architectural unit

Reliquary

Container for holy relics

Scriptoria

Monastic manuscript writing rooms

Carpet page

Decorative textile-like manuscript page

Colophon

Manuscript production inscription

Lectionary

Liturgical scripture reading book

Book of Hours

Private prayer book

Chi-Rho-Iota (XPI)

First letters of Christ's name

Codex

Bound manuscript book

Repousse

Metal hammered from behind

Porphyry

Rare purple-red imperial stone

Charlemagne

Frankish king crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 800 who sparked the Carolingian Renaissance

Bishop Bernward

Ottonian patron bishop who innovated Saint Michael's in Hildesheim

Cluniac Order

An influential reformed Benedictine monastic movement founded in Burgundy

Bishop Odo

Bishop of Bayeux and William the Conqueror's half-brother

Salians

Ruling dynasty of the Holy Roman Empire

Hildegard of Bingen

German abbess, mystic, and composer

The Four Evangelists

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (authors of the four gospels)

Feudalism

Land and military service political system

Relics

Venerated sacred remains or objects

Pilgrimage

Journey to a holy site

Crusades

Armed military expeditions to the Holy Land

Double monastery

Monastery housing both monks and nuns

Canonize

Officially declare a person a saint

Embroidery

Decorative stitching on fabric

Tapestry

Woven wall hanging

Stem stitching

Continuous line embroidery stitch

Laid-and-couched work

Thread laid down and anchored by cross-stitches

Tribune

Gallery over nave aisle

Radiating chapels

Chapels projecting from apse or ambulatory

Barrel vault

Semi-circular tunnel vault

Groin vault

Vault formed by two intersecting barrel vaults

Engaged column

Wall-attached column

Compound pier

Pier with attached shafts

Springing

Lowest point of an arch curve

Transverse arches

Arches supporting vault across nave

Crypt

Underground church chamber

Historiated column

Column with narrative relief carving

Bestiary

Book of real and mythical animals

Voussoir

Wedge-shaped arch stone

Archivolt

Curved arch frame band

Tympanum

Semicircular relief area above a doorway

Lintel

Horizontal beam over a doorway

Trumeau

Doorway center support post

Jamb

Doorway side post

Hall church

Church with equal height aisles and nave

Campanile

Free-standing bell tower

Rib vaulting

Vault supported by diagonal ribs

Incrustation

Colored marble wall facing

Sexpartite vault

Vault divided into six compartments

Quadrant arch

Supporting half-arch

Merovingian looped fibulae

Early medieval silver gilt filigree with garnet inlays, mid-6th century CE

Lindisfarne Gospels

Hiberno-Saxon illuminated manuscript featuring cross-carpet pages and evangelist portraits, c. 700 CE

Church of Sainte-Foy (Conques)

Romanesque pilgrimage church with barrel-vaulted nave, radiating chapels, and Last Judgment tympanum, c. 1050-1130 CE

Reliquary of Saint Foy

Gold, silver, and gemstone sculpture over wood housing holy relics, 9th century CE

Bayeux Tapestry

Continuous embroidery on linen depicting the Norman Conquest (First Meal and Cavalry Attack), c. 1066-1080 CE