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Dolmen
A type of single-chamber megalithic tomb, usually consisting of two or more upright megaliths supporting a large flat horizontal capstone.
Ex. The Chianca Dolmen
Hunter-Gatherer
A subsistence lifestyle that relies on hunting, fishing, and foraging for food.
Ex. Terra Amada
Neolithic Era
The final division of the Stone Age marked by the introduction of farming and the domestication of animals.
Ex.
Paleolithic Era/ Stone Age
Period characterized by the use of stone tools, spanning from approximately 2.6 million years ago to about 10,000 BC.
Ex.
Post and Lintel
A building system where strong horizontal elements are supported by strong vertical elements.
Ex. Stonehenge
Tensile Structure
A construction of elements carrying only tension and no compression or bending.
Ex. Terra Amada
Axis Mundi
The mythological concept representing the connection between heaven and earth. Building upwards to reach heavens.
Ex. ziggurauts, pyramids
Benben
Stone at the top of a pyramid
Ex. Temple of Ra at Heliopolis, any pyramid
City State
An independent sovereign city serving as the center of political, economic, and cultural life.
Cuneiform
A logo-syllabic writing system used in the Ancient Near East characterized by wedge-shaped impressions.
Ex. zigguraut of Uruk, zigguraut of Ur, city of ur
Mastaba
A flat-roofed, rectangular tomb structure used in ancient Egypt, often constructed of mudbrick or limestone.
Ex. Meidum Pyramid, Saqqura
Necropolis
A large, designed cemetery with elaborate tomb monuments, meaning 'city of the dead' in Greek.
Ex. Saqqara
Polytheism
The belief in and/or worship of more than one god.
Pyramid
A structure with outer surfaces that are triangular and converge to a single point at the top.
Ex. Bent Pyramid, The Great Pyramid of Giza
Stepped Pyramid
An architectural structure using flat platforms receding from the ground to form a geometric pyramid shape.
Ex. Stepped Pyramid of Djoser
Ziggurat
An ancient Mesopotamian temple tower consisting of a stepped pyramidal structure.
Ex. White Temple/Ziggurat of Uruk, Ziggurat of Ur
Bronze Age
A prehistoric period when tools were made of bronze rather than stone, spanning approximately 3300-1200 BC.
Ex.
Cyclopean Architecture/Masonry
Stonework found in Mycenaean architecture, built with massive, roughly fitted limestone boulders.
Ex. lions gate, treasury of atreus, city of mycenae, citadel of tirys
Megaron
The great hall in early Mycenaean and ancient Greek palace complexes, surrounded by columns.
Ex. Pylos Megaron
Tholos/Beehive Tomb
A round, beehive-shaped tomb structure built during the late Bronze Age.
Ex. Treasury of Atreus
Rock-Cut Tomb
A burial chamber cut into an existing rock formation, often in cliffs or sloping rock faces.
Ex. The tomb Amenemhet, Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut
Apadana
A large hypostyle hall (columns hold up roof) in Persian architecture
Ex. persepolis
Citadel
The fortified area of a town or city, may include a castle or fortress. Its elevated.
Ex. City of Mycena, City of Tiryns, Citadel of Saragon II, Persepolis
Protomes
An adornment taking the form of the head and upper torso of a human or animal.
Ex. found in Persepolis
Relief Sculpture
A sculptural method where the sculpted pieces remain attached to a solid background.
Ex. Arch of Titus
Shedu / Lamassu
An Assyrian protective deity depicted as having a human head, a bull's body, and eagle wings.
Ex. at Citadel of Sargon II
Stambha
A pillar or column in Indian architecture, often bearing inscriptions. ex. great stupa at sanchi
Stupa
A mound-like structure used as a place of meditation, housing sacred relics.
Ex. GREAT STUPA AT SANCHI
Acropolis
A citadel or fortified part of an ancient Greek city, typically situated on a hill.
Ex. erechition, parthanon, propaliya, temple of athena nike
Agora
Ancient greek gathering place
Ex. athenian agora
Entablature
The horizontal structure above columns, divided into the architrave, frieze, and cornice.
Cornice: horizontal decorative molding
Frieze: center section that can be decorated with reliefs
Architrave: horizontal beam that touches columns
Ex. Most of the greek temples, Propylaea
Karyatid
A sculpted female figure serving as an architectural support in place of a column.
Ex. Erechtheion
Metope vs triglyphs
Architectural elements that alternate in a frieze
Metope: recessed sometimes blank section
Triglyphs: raised vertical bands
Ex. certain frieze’s
Pediment
A triangular shape placed above the entablature in classical architecture.
Ex. Any of the greek temples
Peristyle
A continuous porch formed by a row of columns surrounding a building.
Ex. Any of the greek temples
Polis
Greek term for 'city' or 'community'.
Types: acropolis (fortified greek city on hill), necropolis (scity of dead), persepolis (specific capital of the Achaemenid Empire)
Stoa
A column-lined walkway or portico used for public purposes.
Ex. Stoa of Attalos II
Aqueduct
A Roman infrastructure designed to carry water into cities and towns.
Ex. Pont du Gard
Barrel vs Groin Vault
Barrel: single semi-circle archway
Groin: two barrel archways intersecting
Ex. made with roman made concrete
Forum
A public square in a Roman city, primarily used as a marketplace.
Ex. Forum of Caesar, Forum of Augustus
Roman Concrete
pozzolana, water, lime, aggregate used in ancient Roman construction.
Ex. forum of augustus, arch of Titus, colosseum, nero's golden palace
Triumphal Arch
A monumental structure shaped like an archway, designed to span a road.
Ex. Arch of Titus
