APAH U1 VOCAB

Prehistoric

Relating to the period of time before written records were kept

Hierarchy of needs (in order)

Physiological, Safety, Belonging/Love, Self-esteem, Self-actualization

To “draw”

To pull, like the pulling of a tool while drawing

Silhouette

A dark shape/outline of a figure that emphasizes form and contrast.

Profile

An angled side view of a subject that is the most descriptive of its features

Composite view

inaccurate profiles that are used to make more comprehensive views

Hunting Magic

The idea that capturing the essence of an animal would manifest it, a form of hunter-gatherer magic that used rock art rituals for successful hunts

Relief

Sculptural technique, sculpted elements are carved or added from a surface

Sculpture

Three-dimensional artwork created by combining and shaping materials

Additive Sculpture

Material is added to create a form (ex. clay modeling)

Subtractive Sculpture

Material is removed from a solid block (ex. stone carving)

Narrative of Art

The storytelling aspect conveyed through art

Hierarchy of Scale

The use of size to indicate the importance of subjects in art

Glaze

A glass-like coating applied to ceramics for decoration and protection

Akhenaton

A pharaoh known for introducing early monotheism centered around the sun disc, Aton/Aten, during the New Kingdom.

Utilitarian Art

Art that serves a practical function with aesthetic value

Register

A horizontal band or section in a work of art, often used to organize scenes.

Stylization

Methods of depicting subjects in a non-naturalistic, exaggerated manner. Typically used to simplify ideas and come from practice/mastery and culture of artists

Fertility

life and growth, the ability to conceive children

Stone Age

Prehistoric period characterized by the use of stone tools

Paleolithic

Earliest phase of the Stone Age, known for cave art

Mesolithic

Transitional period between Paleolithic and Neolithic

Neolithic

Later Stone Age marked by agriculture and settled life

Subject

The main theme or focus of an artwork

Representation

Depiction of subjects in art

Sculpture in the round

Freestanding sculptures viewable from all angles

Freestanding

Not attached to a background or base, can stand without support

Incised lines

Carved or cut lines in a surface

Twisted perspective

A way of depicting subjects in multiple viewpoints

Megaliths

Large stone structures or monuments

Trilithons

Two vertical stones supporting a horizontal stone

Megalithic

Relating to megaliths

Post & Lintel

Architectural system using vertical posts and horizontal beams

Tongue & Groove

Jointing technique for fitting materials together

Dolmen

Megalithic tomb with a large stone cap

Cromlech

Circular arrangement of stones

Henge

Prehistoric monument with a circular bank and ditch

Anthropomorphic

Human-like characteristics in non-human subjects

Stele

Upright stone slab with inscriptions or reliefs

Idol

An image or representation of a deity

Bi

A type of jade disc from ancient China

Cong

A cylindrical jade artifact with square cross-section

Form & Function

Relationship between an object's design and its use

Mortar & Pestle

Mortar: Mixture used to bind building materials
Pestle: Tool for grinding or crushing substances

Totemic

Relating to totems, symbolic objects representing clans or groups

Mesoamerica

Region known for ancient civilizations like the Maya and Aztec

Lapita

Ancient Pacific culture known for pottery and navigation

Mesopotamia

“The Fertile Crescent“, historical region within the Tigris–Euphrates river system (present-day Iraq). Location where most Neolithic developments occurred

Sumerian

Relating to Sumeria, the earliest known civilization in Mesopotamia, known as the orgin of writing (cuneiform), city-states, and monumental architecture like ziggurats

Akkadian

Relating to Akkadia, the empire that succeeded the Sumerians, known for its military conquests and the establishment of the first known empire under Sargon, as well as advancements in art and literature

Babylonian

A prominent empire known for the Code of Hammurabi, which created significant advancements in law

Assyrian

Relating to Assyria, An empire known for its, use of propaganda in art and palaces adorned with relief sculptures depicting royal achievements

Persian

The Persian empire is known for its innovations, cultural tolerance and architecture, such as the Apadana in Persepolis

Order of Mesopotamian Empires?

Sumeria, Akkadian, Babylonian, Assyrian, Persian

Ziggurat

Massive rectangular stepped towers, sometimes surmounted by a temple

Cuneiform

Earliest known form of writing, developed by the Sumerians using wedge-shaped marks on clay tablets

Tower of Babel

Biblical structure symbolizing human ambition and the confusion of languages

Bent Axial Plan

An architectural layout where the main axis is not straight, often seen in ziggurats

Cella

The inner chamber of a temple, housing the cult statue of the deity

Conceptual Representation

An artistic approach that emphasizes ideas and concepts over realistic depiction

Ka

The spiritual form taken in the (Ancient Egpytian) afterlife, enters a room/statue and lives in that area for their afterlife

Osiris

God of the afterlife, resurrection, and agriculture; often depicted as a mummified king

Isis

Goddess of magic, motherhood, and fertility; wife of Osiris and mother of Horus

Set/Seth

God of chaos, storms, and the desert; often depicted as a rival to Osiris and Horus

Amen (Amun)

A major deity, often associated with the sun and air; later merged with Re

Re (Ra)

Sun god, considered the king of the gods and creator of all life

Aten

The disk of the sun; worshiped during the reign of Akhenaten

Horus

Sky god, often depicted as a falcon; associated with kingship and protection

Pharaoh

The title for ancient Egyptian rulers, considered divine

Mastaba

A flat-roofed, rectangular tomb structure used before pyramids

Imhotep

Architect, physician, and vizier; credited with designing the Step Pyramid

Step Pyramid

A structure with successively smaller platforms, resembling steps, often used in ancient Egyptian tombs

Pyramid

Monumental structure with a square/triangular base and sloping sides that meet in a point at the top, built of stone as a royal tomb in ancient Egypt.

Papyrus

A plant used to make a writing surface in ancient Egypt, also symbolizing knowledge and communication, Stood for Lower Egpyt

Lotus

A flower symbolizing creation and rebirth in Egyptian art, often associated with the sun, stood for Upper Egypt

Obelisk

Tall, four-sided stone pillar representing the corners of the world, often inscribed, symbolizes the sun god Ra

Nile River

The river central to Egyptian civilization, often depicted in art as a source of life

Column

A structural element in architecture, often decorated and symbolic of strength

Base (Column/Structure)

The bottom part of a column or structure, providing support

Capital (Column)

The top part of a column, often elaborately designed

Negative Space

The space around and between subjects in art, important for composition

Symmetric

Balanced proportions in art, creating harmony

Idealized

Representing subjects in a perfect form, often seen in classical art

Ephemeral

Art that is temporary or fleeting, such as sand sculptures

Cyclical Time

The concept of time as a repeating cycle, often reflected in art themes. Contrasts with the modern “linear time”

Dynastic

Relating to a sequence of rulers from the same family

Predynastic

Referring to the period before the establishment of dynasties (in Egypt)

Optical Representation

A technique that depicts objects as they appear to the eye, emphasizing realism

Canon

A set of rules/standards/traditons, such as proportions and aesthetics in artwork

Giza

Egyptian city that is the site of the Great Pyramids, significant in ancient Egyptian art

Armana

A period in ancient Egypt known for its distinctive art style under Akhenaten

Luxor

A city with significant ancient monuments, often depicted in art

Ankh

An ancient Egyptian symbol representing life and immortality

Upper and Lower Egypt

Lower Egypt is in the north, contains the Nile Delta
Upper Egypt contains areas to the South.
Names reflect the flow of the Nile, S→N and altitude

frieze

A long expanse of relief/murals telling a story

hypostyle

many structures/columns, usually used to describe a building that is supported by many columns.

Aubrey holes

a ring of 56 pits found at Stonehenge

Nile River East vs. West

Structures for worship were located on the east, side of the living. Structures for the dead were located on the west side of the Nile

Hatshepsut

An important female figure who became a pharaoh, represented similarly to past pharaohs despite not being a traditional leader