ARH 314 Midterm

Megalith

great stone

Menhir

a tall upright stone of a kind erected in prehistoric times in western Europe.

trilithon

two upright monoliths supporting a lintel stone, similar to a dolmen

Post and lintel

a structure consisting of vertical beams (posts) supporting a horizontal beam (lintel)

Dolmen

a megalithic tomb with a large flat stone laid on upright ones

Tumulus Tomb in Newgrange, Ireland

large mound made of dolmen; contained 2 graves inside. evidence of astrological importance: light shines through the window of entrance on the Winter Solstice

Stonehenge

a structure found by scientist in England is believed to have been built in the Neolithic Age and Bronze Age; stones are post and lintel and upgraded over time; very significant over generations as the structure was continuously rebuilt. wooden architecture; possibly astrologically significant

Upper Egypt

the southern part of ancient Egypt

Lower Egypt

the northern part of ancient Egypt (elevation)

Egyptian climate

hot and dry; by the Nile River so land is fertile and specialization of labor can occur. few trees=fewer wooden structures (instead used papyrus, marsh, mud brick, and eventually stone)

mastaba

came after pit tombs; both above and below ground (made of mud brick) and offerings are given to tombs. hierarchy of tombs showed type of society (mummification is present).

Imhotep (3rd dynasty)

name of the architect who designed the Step Pyramid; expansion of mastaba- gave visibility and showed importance of whoever was buried there. He invented the ashlar building and is the only 'architect' to be given god status

Saqqara Complex

King Djoser’s funary complex, first step pyramid, fake city for king to use in afterlife

engaged column

a column that is not freestanding but attached to a wall

rock-cut tomb

a burial chamber that is cut into an existing, naturally-occurring rock formation, usually along the side of a hill

Hypostyle Hall

a large interior room characterized by many closely spaced columns that support its roof

Hatshepsut

first female pharaoh who expanded Egypt through trade; wife of King Tut who took over dressed as a male

Temple of Hatshepsut

[Egypt] Temple with 3 tiers, seemingly carved out of the rock; built by Senenmut. this temple housed the Festival of the Valley where the god Amun visits. the runway from the Nile to her Temple is lined with sphinxes decorated as her but masculine

Mentuhotep I

Egyptian pharaoh who founded the Middle Kingdom by REUNITING Upper and Lower Egypt in 2134 BCE.

Abu Simbel

Nubia: rock-cut temple that used soften relief (attached to the stone it was carved in)

Bronze Age Aegean

modern day Greece (Mycenaeans) and Minoans (Crete)

Labyrinth of Knossos

Minoan: object of pilgrimage, non symmetrical, limited hierarchy, priestly, multistory with windows (showed advanced society), had plumbing, no fortifying walls, built to be invisible from the coast (natural protection), not a lot of infighting-leader had control, religious practices here. inspired the story of the Greek Minotaur

tapered column

Typical of Minoan architecture. column that gets skinnier or wider at the base; "upside down"

Grandstand Fresco

showed bullfighting (bulls were significant), very distinctive. "Snake Goddess" may be showing a ritual, "Bull-Leaping" had a contrasting gender depictions (based on color)

fresco

a painting done rapidly in watercolor on wet plaster on a wall or ceiling, so that the colors penetrate the plaster and become fixed as it dries

Cyclopean Stones/Construction

type of stonework found in Mycenaean architecture, built with massive limestone boulders, roughly fitted together with minimal clearance between adjacent stones and with clay mortar or no use of mortar

Corbel vault

A vault formed by the piling of stone blocks in horizontal courses, cantilevered inward until the two walls meet in an arch.

relieving arch

an arch occurring above another or a lintel used to distribute loads laterally away from an opening

tholos (beehive tomb)

a building with a circular plan, often with a sacred nature; domed roof (Treasury of Atrius)

Doric order

An order of Greek architecture marked by heavy, slanted columns with a flat slab for a capital; baseless columns, flat capital, triglyph (3 slashes) and menipe; more masculine

Ionic order

Ornate base; slender, less tapered shaft; double roll or volute below abacus; feminine; unique bases, narrowly sculpted frieze

entisis

curving columns to look like they're under pressure

peristyle

Row of columns around a building or court

Intercolumnation

The space between adjacent columns

pediment

the gabled top of a temple that contains sculpture

Entablature

a horizontal, continuous lintel on a classical building supported by columns or a wall, comprising the architrave, frieze, and cornice.

triglyph

a triple projecting, grooved member of a Doric frieze that alternates with metopes

metope

panel between the triglyphs in a Doric frieze, often sculpted in relief

architrave

a plain, unornamented lintel on the entablature

capital

the top element of a column

Volute

A spiral, scroll-like form characteristic of the ancient Greek Ionic and the Roman Composite capital.

frieze

ornamental horizontal band on a wall

cella

the main room of a greek temple where the god is housed

Greek temple

A temple built as a shrine to the ancient Greek god or goddess to whom it was dedicated.

Orthogonal Grid Plan

type of urban design layout that consists of mostly square street blocks with straight streets intersecting at right angles.

Pericles

Athenian leader noted for advancing democracy in Athens and for ordering the construction of the Parthenon.

orchestra

Circular dancing place where actors and chorus performed

cavea

seating in greek theater

skene

building behind the playing area that was originally a hut for the changing of masks and costumes but eventually became the background before which the drama was enacted

agora

a Greek public open space used for assemblies and markets

Acropolis

A fortified hilltop in an ancient Greek city; hosts temples and important public sites

Mauryan

Dynasty established in Indian subcontinent in 4th century BCE following invasion by Alexander the Great

Ashoka

Leader of the Mauryan dynasty of India who conquered most of India but eventually gave up violence and converted to Buddhism

dharma

In Hindu belief, a person's religious and moral duties; all life is suffering, suffering is caused by desire, overcome desire, no suffering/rebirth when you overcome desire

Stupa @ Sarnath

a dome-shaped structure erected as a Buddhist shrine

Ashoka Pillar

19 survived (only 6 with capital) out of many; one piece of stone, had to be dragged; had an element of "axis mundi"; have lions and lotus flowers

Axis Mundi

believed to connect the heavens and the earth and regarded as the center of the world

Gupta

an empire located in northern India that lasted from 320-550 c.e.; Prince builds Temple 17 at Sanchi: associating himself with Ashoka (was rectangular with Buddhist symbols)

Hindu Caves

carved into rock to honor gods, similar to Temple 17, columns had a T shape (Mauryan), lion topped capitals

Great Chaitya Hall

largest example of a subtractive cave, carved of one stone; hall terminated in a stupa; similar to a relief structure

Arch

a curved symmetrical structure spanning an opening and typically supporting the weight of a bridge, roof, or wall above it.

barrel vault

the simplest form of vault consisting of an unbroken series of arches; it forms a tunnel like shape

groin vault

formed at the point at which 2 barrel vaults intersect at right angles

concrete

building material made by mixing small stones and sand with limestone, clay, and water. perfected by romans. Can be shaped by molds as a liquid then hardens.

aqueduct

A raised channel used to carry water from mountains into cities

basilica

a large oblong hall or building with double colonnades and a semicircular apse, used in ancient Rome as a court of law or for public assemblies.

Ampitheater

A round arena where games, shows, or fights are held in the center

annular barrel vault

Vault designed in the shape of a ring.

Imperial Fora

series of monumental fora constructed in Rome

domus

the type of house occupied by the upper classes and some wealthy freedmen during the Republican and Imperial eras

atrium

an open-roofed entrance hall or central court in an ancient Roman domus.

cubiculum

A small room, especially a bedroom, typically those small rooms found on the upper floor of a Roman house

oculus

a round opening at the center of a dome

coffer

series of sunken panels in the shape of a square, rectangle, or octagon in a ceiling, soffit or vault

Trajan

Leader of the Roman Empire who disguised it as a republic, and under who the Roman Empire came to be at its greatest extent; Built Basilica Opia and a market, forum was the most impressive to date and gave space for lower class, oo

Nero

First Roman emperor to persecute Christians

Flavian Dynasty

Vespasian, Titus, Domitian

Vespasian

Emperor of Rome and founder of the Flavian dynasty who consolidated Roman rule in Germany and Britain and reformed the army and brought prosperity to the empire

Titus

flavian emperor who is best known for completing the Colosseum and for his generosity in relieving the suffering caused by two disasters, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79 and a fire in Rome in 80

Domitian

Roman emperor from 81 to 96 C.E.; most scholars believe he was the emperor when the book of Revelation, and its attack on the Roman Empire, was composed.

Hadrian

"Romanized"and organized the empire- built bridges, roads, and aqueducts, ruled during the height of the Pax Romana, Built wall across Britain, strengthened borders; rebuilt the Pantheon. Had lavish villa

Teotihuacán

The largest city of ancient Mesoamerica; flourished around 500 C.E.; city revolves around the Pyramid of the Sun, the Pyramid of the Moon, San Juan River (transportation of goods), and the Street of the Dead (connects the pyramids and the plazas that follow the river alignment) (aligned w Pyramid of the Moon and the Mesoamerican calendar); religious emphasis

talud-tablero style

Architectural style used in platforms, temples, and pyramids; pre-Columbian (teotihuacan); inward-sloping surface or panel called the talud, with a panel or structure perpendicular to the ground sitting upon the slope called the tablero. This may also be referred to as the slope-and-panel style.

Mayan

A Mesoamerican civilization of Central America and southern Mexico. Achievements include mathematics, architecture, and a 365 day a year calendar. They flourished between the 4th and 12th centuries C.E..

Toltec

Mesoamerican people that flourished in central Mexico before the Aztecs. Invaded Teotihuacan.

Chichén-Itzá

Yucatan peninsula, marked the end of Mayan power; Has two very cerimonial cores: (Toltec Maya core: northern; more similar to inland Yucatan architecture) (Chichen Maya- southern: more traditionally Maya); possible site of migration

Chacmool

a Mayan figure that is half-sitting and half-lying on his back. Used to hold the hearts of sacrifices

Zhou Dynasty

the longest lasting Chinese dynasty, during which the use of iron was introduced; connected a series of walls into the first iteration of the great wall of china.

Qin Dynasty

(221-207 BCE) The first centralized dynasty of China that used Legalism as its base of belief. Established confucious method of imperial urban planning. Established by Shi Huangdi.

siheyuan

courtyard surrounded by buildings on all four sides

bay/ jian

a regularly repeated spatial unit of a building or wall, defined by vaults, windows, orders, or other prominent vertical features

dougong

In Chinese architecture, a cantilevered bracket or cluster of brackets is used to support a roof. Similar to a corbel they stack over each other distributing the weight.

Shi Huangdi

Founder of the short-lived Qin dynasty and creator of the Chinese Empire (r. 221-210 B.C.E.). He is remembered for his ruthless conquests of rival states and standardization; united and expanded China, standardized currency and legal issues; did not uphold Confucius ideals so he was controversial; his funerary complex is the largest of al the Chinese

Pagoda

A multistoried Chinese tower, usually associated with a Buddhist temple, having a multiplicity of projecting eaves.

tetrarchy

Emperor Diocletian's division of the Roman Empire into four seperate administrative districts

Constantine

Emperor of Rome who adopted the Christian faith and stopped the persecution of Christians (280-337); has traits of a stereotypical Roman ruler

Edict of Milan

313 CE Constantine legalized Christian religion of the Roman Empire: did not have to worship in secret and they could not be persecuted; issued with Licinius (who he killed after this edict)

apse

A recess, usually semicircular, in the wall of a Roman basilica or at the east end of a church.

altar

the table in a Christian church at which the bread and wine are consecrated in communion services.

arcade

a covered passageway usually lined with arches