ARCH 48403 - Medieval Architecture - Mid-term In-class Essay Study Guide

Spolia and Relics

Collector's frame of mind involving the collection and reuse of spolia, relics, architectural features, or entire buildings as a basis for new architectural theory during the transition from the late ancient to the early medieval period (Jas Elsner's argument).

Fragmentation and Re

assemblage

Sacred Buildings as Arenas of Spectacle

The function of sacred spaces from the late antique period into the Carolingian period, showcasing the triumph of the spirit through asceticism, involving specific architectural forms, ground plans, materials, performers, and spectators.

Middle Byzantine Architecture

Architecture of the Orthodox Church in the eastern/Byzantine realm dating from ca. 843–1204, evaluated in terms of its structural influence on Western Romanesque architecture (per Eric Fernie) and expanded to include coeval buildings in Kievan Rus' and Russia.

Vertical Towers in Northern Europe

The architectural drive and evolution of vertical towers in secular and religious environments across northern Europe from Anglo

Grading Criterion: Integration and Argument

The requirement to integrate lecture/reading concepts (avoiding AI pablum), substantiate arguments using 2 to 4 specific sites/buildings, and state a clear position at the beginning of the essay supported by a systematic argumen