Persia and Etruscans Vocab

History of World Architecture I

hypostyle hall

a large hall composed of many columns placed closely together to support the roof, which gives the appearance of a forest of columns

Persepolis

Greek, “the Persian city.” Ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Dynasty of Persia, ca. 550 to 330 BC

Arch

a curved structural member that spans an opening and is generally composed of wedge- shaped blocks (voussoirs) that transmit the downward pressure laterally

Arcuation

arcuated. Having arches; a system of architecture dependant upon arches

Centering

in arch construction, the temporary wooden framework used to hold construction material in place until a vault or arch is self-sustaining

Keystone

the central voussoir at the top of a completed arch

Tufa

a soft porous volcanic rock

Tumulus

(pl., tumuli) burial mound; in Etruscan architecture, tumuli cover one or more subterranean multi-chambered tombs cut out of local tufa

Tuscan Order

the standard Etruscan order. A Tuscan column resembles a Greek Doric column, but is made of wood, is not fluted, and has a base

Voussoir

a wedge-shaped stone used in the construction of an arch or vault

An Etruscan culture first begins to develop

A strongly hierarchical Etruscan society has emerged

Tarquinius Priscus becomes Rome’s first Etruscan king

Romans expel the Etruscans from Rome and establish the Roman Republic

Rome conquers the last Etruscan kingdom

900,700,616,509,27