Art and Architecture of the Ancient World and Early Christians

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers key terms, styles, and structures across Ancient Near East, Greek, Roman, and Early Christian art and architecture.

Cuneiform

A writing system developed by the Sumerians in the Ancient Near East that used wedge-shaped markings in clay.

Code of Hammurabi

A Babylonian code of law issued circa 1780 BCE, inscribed on a 7-foot, 4-inch basalt stele featuring nearly 300 laws.

Stele

An upright stone pillar or slab, often used for inscriptions, monuments, or as a relief sculpture.

Relief Sculpture

A form of art where figures are carved into a flat background so that they stand out from the surface.

Ziggurat

A massive rectangular terraced temple built in the Ancient Near East, such as the Ziggurat of Ur constructed for the moon goddess Nanna.

Cylinder Seals

Sumerian objects used as building blocks of art to mark other objects with unique signatures.

Hellenization

The spread and influence of Greek culture across the Mediterranean world, the Middle East, and Northern Africa after the death of Alexander the Great.

Black-figure pottery

A Greek decorating method where figures are drawn in silhouette using a black slip on red-orange clay, with details scratched away after firing.

Red-figure pottery

A technique where the background of a pot is painted in black slip, leaving the silhouettes of figures in the red-orange color of the clay for greater detail.

Kouros

Large or small bronze or marble statues of standing nude male youths popular during the Archaic period.

Kore

Archaic-era statues of standing female figures, typically rendered wearing clothing.

Arete

A fundamental Classical Greek concept representing excellence or the necessity of reaching one's full potential.

Contrapposto

A natural human stance in sculpture where weight is shifted to one foot, balancing the shoulders and hips to portray symmetry and movemen.

Doric Order

The earliest architectural style featuring stout columns with simple round capitals resting directly on the stylobate without a base.

Ionic Order

An architectural order featuring slender columns capped by capitals with scrolling ornaments called volutes.

Corinthian Order

The most ornate architectural order, characterized by capitals decorated with stylized acanthus leaves and scrolls.

Metope

A rectangular space between two triglyphs in a Doric frieze, often decorated with relief sculptures.

Entablature

The horizontal sections of a building supported by columns, consisting of the architrave, frieze, and cornice.

Verism

A hyper-realistic style of portraiture popular during the Roman Republic that captured every wrinkle, dimple, and physical imperfection.

Fresco

A mural painting technique where water-based pigments are applied directly to freshly laid lime-based plaster.

Incrustation Style

The first style of Pompeian wall painting, characterized by colorful blocks painted to resemble three-dimensional marble slabs.

Architectural Style

The second style of Pompeian wall painting which used perspective to create the illusion of depth, sceneries, and open window views.

Ornate Style

The third style of Pompeian wall painting that emphasizes flatness, delicate ornamentation, and monochrome backgrounds with thin bands.

Intricate Style

The fourth style of Pompeian wall painting, blending elements of previous styles into a chaotic and symmetrical scaffold-like appearance.

Basilica

A Roman civic building used as a courthouse and meeting place, which later served as the architectural model for early Christian churches.

Concrete

A Roman innovation made of lime, volcanic sand, and gravel that allowed for the construction of massive, durable domes and arches.

Triumphal Arch

A large monument built to commemorate military victories, through which emperors would march their troops.

Ichthys

A secret early Christian symbol of a fish representing the acrostic for 'Jesus Christ God’s Son Savior.'

Catacombs

Subterranean burial places consisting of chambers and layered corridors used by early Christians to bury their dead.

Loculi

Shelf-like burial niches cut into the walls of catacomb hallways, typically used for the burial of the poor.

Cubicula

Small, artfully decorated rooms in the catacombs used as burial chambers for wealthier Christian or Jewish families.

Sarcophagus

A carved stone casket or coffin, often decorated with relief sculptures of Biblical motifs or scenes.

Codex

An early form of a bound book that replaced papyrus scrolls, allowing for illustrations to be kept flat and preserved.

Illuminated Manuscript

A handwritten document or Bible characterized by the inclusion of elaborate artwork, paintings, or illustrations alongside the text.

Orant

A figure depicted in early Christian art in a posture of prayer with hands open at shoulder height on either side.

Fossores

The minor class of clergy responsible for digging and maintaining the underground catacombs.

Edict of Milan

A document issued by Emperor Constantine in 313 AD that granted religious freedom and legalized Christianity in the Roman Empire.

Baptistery

A specialized building or area adjacent to a church used specifically for the sacrament of baptism.