Ancient Greece Vocab and Facts

Contrapposto

Counterposed weight shift in sculpture.

Kouros

Free-standing archaic Greek youth sculpture.

Kore

Free-standing archaic Greek maiden sculpture.

Acropolis

High fortified citadel of Ancient Greece.

Stoa

Covered walkway lined with columns.

Altar

Raised structure for sacred offerings.

Cella

Inner chamber of an ancient temple.

Red-Figure Painting

Greek pottery with red painted figures.

Doric Order

Simple

Ionic Order

Column style with scroll-like volutes.

Corinthian Order

Decorative column capped with leaves.

Entablature

Horizontal superstructure above temple columns.

Frieze

Decorative horizontal band near ceiling.

Metope

Plain or sculpted frieze panel.

Triglyph

Vertically grooved block between metopes.

Pediment

Triangular gable end of temple roof.

Pilaster

Flat column attached to a wall.

Volute

Spiral

Acanthus Leaf

Mediterranean plant motif on capitals.

Fluting

Vertical grooves carved along column shafts.

Capital

Topmost decorative part of column.

Krater

Large vessel for mixing water and wine.

Zeus

Greek king god of thunder.

Poseidon

Greek god of the sea.

Athena

Greek goddess of wisdom and war.

Canon

Standard system of ideal artistic proportions.

Archaic Smile

Subtle, showing emotion, archaic period

Lost-Wax Casting

Metal casting method using wax molds.

Gigantomachy

Mythological battle between gods and giants.

Name, era

Athenian agora, archaic through hellenistic Greek

Name, era, material

Anavysos Kouros, ancient greek, marble with remnants of paint

Name, era, material

Peplos Kore from Acropolis, archaic greek, marble, painted details

Name, material, painter

Niobides Krater, clay red figure technique with white highlights, annoymous painter niobid painter

Name, material (of copy and og

doryphoros (spear bearer) polykleitos, roman copy marble greek og bronze

Name, location, artist, material

acropolis, athens greece, ikinos and kallikrates, marble

Name, attribute, material

Grave stele of Hegeso, attributed to kallimachos, marble and paint

Name, era, material

winged victory of samothrace, hellenistic greek, marble

Name, location, era, material

Great altar of zeus and athena at pergamon, asia minor, hellenistic greek, marble

Name, era, material

seated boxer, hellenistic Greek, bronze

Archaic period

arcahis smile, bent knee, fully clothed, red figure painting

Early classical

canon of proportions, contrapasto

High/late classical

humanization of god, wet drapery

Hellenistic

emotion,drama, face and body show emotion and movement

Mini

Nike Adjusting her Sandal

Mini

Plaque of Ergastines

Mini

Parthenon