Construction in Ancient Greece

Flashcards about construction in ancient Greece

Why is studying ancient Greek architecture and construction essential?

Studying ancient Greek architecture and construction helps us understand the foundations of Western architectural traditions, influencing contemporary design, urban planning, and engineering principles.

What key transition occurred in Greek construction between the 7th and 6th centuries BCE?

The shift from wood, clay, and plant-based materials to durable stone.

What societal change drove the need for monumental buildings in ancient Greece?

The rise of the Greek polis (city-state).

What tension existed within Greek architecture?

A balance between material advancement and symbolic continuity (petrification), which can be seen in the evolution of the classical orders.

What were the primary materials used in ancient Greek construction?

Marble, limestone, and timber.

What materials were primarily used in early Greek structures?

Wood, clay, and plant-based materials

What advantages did the use of wooden frameworks with clay, straw, and sand offer in early Greek construction?

A rapid execution and the accessibility of materials.

From what period onwards has archaeological research confirmed that trellis-based construction was widespread?

Proto-Geometric period (c. 1050–900 BC)

Besides scaffolding, for what permanent structure timber continued to be used?

Roof structure

Why was clay a fundamental material in ancient Greek construction?

Availability, workability, and versatility.

What was the primary building material for domestic structures and smaller public buildings in ancient Greece?

Mud bricks.

What standard brick sizes did Greek architecture employ, as recorded by Vitruvius?

37 × 37 cm for public buildings and 29.6 × 29.6 cm for private houses.

What were the limitations of mud brick construction?

Vulnerability to moisture and erosion.

When was the era where great Greek Architecture was characterized by the use of brick?

From the end of the eighth through the seventh century BC.

When did Baked bricks start to be used in Greek architecture?

From the 4th century BC, kiln-fired bricks were used primarily in domestic architecture but later appeared in larger public buildings.

When did Greek construction primarily rely on wood and clay, with minimal use of stone?

Between the 12th and 8th centuries BC.

Why was stone no longer used as a principal construction material in most of mainland Greece after the decline of the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations?

The social and economic system and the technical expertise associated with stonework diminished.

What type of roof tiles were reintroduced between the 8th and 7th centuries BC?

Terracotta tiles.

What two regions played a pioneering role in introducing squared stone blocks into Greek architecture (8th and 7th centuries BC)?

Ionia (with Ephesus) and Corinthia (with Corinth).

What essential step in the development of Greek stone architecture may have been discovered by ship master carpenters in Corinth, given their shipbuilding industry?

Woodworking tools could be used for cutting and shaping limestone.

What temple exemplifies the use of stone socles supporting mudbrick walls?

The Temple of Hera at Olympia (c. 600 BC).

When did extensive deforestation in Attica accelerated the adoption of stone as a primary construction material?

By the 5th century BC.

What architectural elements retained their wooden origins, even when translated into stone?

Triglyphs, guttae, and architraves.

What did pediments preserve of wooden roofs?

The gable form of wooden roofs.

What did triglyphs replicate that showed the continuity of wooden elements in stone construction?

Replicated the ends of wooden beams.

What defined limestone as the most commonly used stone material in ancient Greece?

Local availability and usage.

What structure exemplified the use of oolitic limestone, known for its fine grain and ease of carving?

The 7th-century BC Temple of Apollo in Corinth.

When did dichromatic effects start to be achieved with Limestone?

Beginning in the 5th century BC, dark limestone was used for architectural decoration, juxtaposed with pale marble for dichromatic effects.

Why was marble highly prized in Greek architecture?

Durability, fine texture, and aesthetic appeal.

What were the two principal sources of marble for Athens?

Pentelic marble and Hymettian marble.

When was marble incorporated into architecture?

6th century BC

After extraction from Quarry what procedure would happen with the Stone?

Initial Shaping and Stoneworking in the Quarry Yard

What devices did engineers and builders devise to maneuver stones across difficult terrain to elevate them into place.

They used sledges, pulleys, and cranes.

What were the two primary methods of stone extraction in ancient Greece?

Open-pit quarrying and underground mining.

Why was careful planning required during the process of extracting stone from a quarry?

To minimize waste and ensure the integrity of the material.

What method was employed for dealing with exceptionally hard stone to facilitate its extraction from quarries?

Thermal shock.

What was the most efficient means of transporting stone in ancient Greece?

Maritime routes.

How would extracted stone blocks be moved from a quarry yard?

Using Wooden Rollers

Besides fire, what other element was used when quarry men use thermal shock to separate Stone?

Water.

What practical functions did marks on stone blocks serve throughout the quarrying, transport, and construction process?

Tracking ownership, accounting for labor, and facilitating construction.

What marking systems reveal about material management in ancient Greek construction?

Whether functioning as bankers' marks, delivery records, or numerical tallies, they highlight the meticulous planning involved in large-scale building projects.

Beyond transport, where were lifting operations crucial in ancient Greek construction?

Transferring stone onto carts or ships, offloading them, hoisting at the construction site, and ensuring accurate placement within a structure.

What principles were applied to overcome logistical constraints in construction sites that became centers of technical innovation?

Geometry and physics.

What was the fundamental tool that Greek builders relied on to manoeuvre and lift heavy stone blocks?

Ropes.

What techniques did Greek builders develop to secure ropes around stone blocks without causing damage or leaving traces?

Lifting bosses, grooves, and metal clamps.

What two key metal instruments were introduced by the 5th century BC?

The lewis and the forceps.

What principle does pulley work on?

Redirecting force.

What was initially relied on before mechanical solutions were designed in hoisting system?

Human and animal strength, applied through simple tools such as levers

Besides Basic Lifting device, what other possible influence had a crucial role in the evolution of Greek lifting machines?

Shipbuilding technology.

What construction technology was one of the most significant Greek innovations?

The crane.

What was a fundamental component of Greek hoisting technology?

The pulley and the windlass.

Why was True Cranes designed to move loads vertically, utilizing mechanical devices?

To multiply lifting power.

What hoisting mechanism was the most advanced lifting mechanism developed by the Greeks?

The block-and-tackle system, also known as the compound pulley system.

What device was used to fine-tune placement of stone blocks to ensure tight joints and structural stability?

Metal Levers, which were inserted into shallow grooves curved into the blocks

What types of workers were in stone extraction?

Quarrymen, skilled stone workers, and enslaved laborers.

Who was responsible for the design, planning, and coordination of construction in ancient Greek building projects?

The architekton (architect).

What specialists were involved in the transformation of the Acropolis during the second half of the 5th century BC?

Carpenters, bronze-smiths, stonecutters, dyers, painters, embroiderers, and embossers.

Which temple provides a clear example of the hierarchical organization of labor on a large-scale construction project?

The Temple of Apollo at Didyma.

What task were magistrates and secretaries assigned to, regarding Greek construction works?

Overseeing the progress of major public works and maintain detailed financial records.

Besides location and terrain, what also influenced the organization of labor?

The type of stone selected.

What did the type of foundation chosen depend on?

The availability of materials, the soil conditions, and the size and weight of the building.

What were the three different types of foundation systems employed?

Continuous foundations, discontinuous foundations, and bed foundations.

What were the Blocks of roughly equal format and size, be arranged according to a predetermined plan, to do?

Reinforce stability of strip foundations.

What determined the different masonry techniques employed in wall construction?

Different masonry techniques were employed depending on the scale and type of building, the availability of materials, and regional traditions.

What were the main masonry techniques used in ancient Greece?

Cyclopean masonry, polygonal masonry, trapezoidal masonry, squared masonry, double facing walls, and minor work methods.

What where the main materials for Stone rollers used in putting the blocks in position at the building site?

Metal or Wood

What unique technique in construction would allow the vertical contact faces to be tighten between stones?

Anathyrosis.

What structural connections reinforced the cohesion between individual blocks?

Horizontal clamps and vertical pins.

Besides other stone made patterns, what other materials could be use as Models to standard decorations?

Temples often used a continuous frieze with the Erechtheion known to have paid 8 drachmas for a wax model of rosettes and acanthus leaves that would be used as a reference for marble design

What factors influenced ancient Greek roofing systems?

Environmental conditions, available materials, and engineering advancements.

Before the 7th century BC, what were the two primary types of Greek roofing?

Steep thatched roofs and flat clay roofs.

When was the transformation of roofing for Greek Building occurred?

In the mid-7th century BC with the introduction of terracotta roof tiles.

The various finishing and surface treatment was done with what goal in particular?

Balanced Durability with aesthetic refinement.

What were the two primary types of mortar used in ancient Greece?

Lime-based mortar and gypsum-based mortar.

How was the procedure to do apply Polychromy in Greek Architecture, from start to finish, to secure application?

Multiple Layers, with some using wax.

What was Greek architecture founded on?

Emphasizing proportion, standardization, and aesthetic unity.

What were the three classical orders?

Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian

The Acropolis perched above the city of Athens did what overtime?

Evolved into the city's primary religious and political center.

What was the Parthenon?

A Doric temple showcasing a perfectly proportioned symmetrical design, following the principles of Athenian democracy, Greek harmony and artistic mastery.

What was the Erechtheion?

An Ionic temple integrated multiple religious cults within its complex structure, executed in Pentellic marble.

What statement made the architecture in Greece a beginning, as stated by Ian Sutton?

If one seeks the origins of a definable and enduring architectural tradition, that point has to be Greece and Rome.