HA vocab

apotropaic power

protective power meant to ward off evil

apse

a semicircular or polygonal recess (a curved or angled room) that projects outward from the main body of a building, often at the end of a church or basilica

architrave

lowest horizontal beam or molding in the entablature — the horizontal structure above columns or pilasters. It rests directly on top of the column capitals and spans between them, supporting the parts above it, such as the frieze and cornice

atrium

large open-air or skylight-covered space surrounded by a building

barrel vault

tunnel‑like vault formed by extending an arch

bollard

short, sturdy vertical post—often made of wood, stone, or later iron—set into the ground or fixed to a surface to serve a specific functional purpose. The term itself is derived from the Old Norse bole, meaning “tree trunk,”

buon fresco

painting on wet plaster so pigments bond with the wall

bust

sculpture of head, neck, and upper chest

capital

decorative top element of a column

chryselephantine

made of gold and ivory

Classical

Greek art of the 5th–4th century BCE, idealized and balanced

coffers

series of sunken panels—typically square, rectangular, or octagonal—incised into a ceiling, soffit, vault, or dome

contrapposto

natural stance with weight on one leg creating an S‑curve

cuirass

molded breastplate shown on Roman statues

cuneiform

logo/wedge-shaped writing of ancient Mesopotamia

Doric

simplest Greek order with plain capital and no base

entablature

he horizontal “cap” that sits on top of columns in ancient Greek and Roman buildings. It’s the part that turns a row of columns into a complete, proportioned structure

entasis

a slight convex curve in the shaft of a column, introduced to correct the visual illusion of concavity produced by a straight shaft.

Etruria/Etruscans

ancient Italian culture before Rome, home to the Etruscans, a people who lived there from about the 8th century BCE until they were absorbed into the Roman Republic in the 4th century BCE

foreshortening

depicting objects at an angle to create depth

frieze

a horizontal decorative band that runs across the middle of a building’s façade or interior wall

groin vault

vault formed by intersecting two barrel vaults

high relief

sculpture projecting strongly from its background

Hellenistic

Greek art after Alexander, dramatic and emotional

hierarchical scale

making important figures larger

Hodegetria

Byzantine icon of Mary pointing to Christ

icon

sacred image used in Christian worship

iconoclasm

destruction or banning of images for religious/political reasons

impluvium

sunken pool in a Roman atrium collecting rainwater

inlaid

design made by inserting contrasting material into recesses

incised

cut into a surface with a sharp tool

Ionic

classical Greek architectural style defined by slender, fluted columns with bases and capitals featuring distinctive spiral volutes.

kouros/kore

Archaic Greek statues of young men (kouros) or women (kore)

low relief

sculpture projecting slightly from background

mandorla

almond‑shaped halo around holy figures

metope

square panel between triglyphs in a Doric frieze

modeling

using light and shadow to suggest three‑dimensional form

monolith

single large block of stone

mosaic

image made from small pieces set into a surface

naturalism

lifelike representation of figures and objects

nave

main central hall of a church — the long, open space where worshippers stand or sit

oculus

circular opening, often at the top of a dome

ocher

natural earth pigment ranging yellow to red

pediment

the triangular upper part of the front of a building in classical style, typically surmounting a portico of columns.

pendentives

concave triangular segment of a sphere used to transition from a square or polygonal room to the circular base of a dome, allowing the dome to be supported at the room’s four corners

peplos

simple draped garment worn by Greek women

Polykleitos

Classical sculptor known for ideal proportions

polychrome

painted in multiple colors

porphyry

hard purple stone linked to imperial Rome

post-and-lintel

basic building system where two vertical supports (called posts, columns, or piers) hold up a horizontal beam or lintel laid across their tops

register

a horizontal band or level in a composition that separates different scenes, themes, or narrative elements

sarcophagus

large stone coffin or container used in ancient times to hold a mummified body, often placed above ground in tombs or burial chambers

spandrel

triangular space between arches

spolia

refers to architectural or artistic fragments taken from older buildings and reused in new constructions

stele

an upright stone slab or pillar bearing an inscription or design and serving as a monument, marker, or the like

tesserae

small pieces used to make a mosaic

tetrarchy

four‑ruler system of late Roman Empire

thalassocracy

a state or empire whose power is primarily derived from maritime dominance — controlling the sea, trade routes, and naval supremacy rather than relying on land-based conquest

triglyph

three‑bar element in a Doric frieze

typology

interpreting Christian images through Old/New Testament parallels

velarium

large, retractable awning or canopy used in ancient roman amphitheaters to provide shade and protection from the sun, and sometimes light rain

verism

Roman portrait style emphasizing realistic detail

votive

object offered to a deity in devotion