Art History Exam 2: Etruscan, Roman, Early Christian, Byzantine, and Islamic Art

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering technical terminology, key concepts, and monumental artworks from Etruscan, Roman, Early Christian, Byzantine, and Islamic periods.

Granulation

The attachment of granules of precious metal to the underlying metal of jewelry.

Repousse

A metalworking technique in which a thin sheet of malleable metal is shaped by hammering from the reverse.

Fibula with orientalizing lions

A gold Etruscan jewelry piece measuring $1'\,\frac{1}{2}''$ high from the Regolini-Galassi tomb in Cerveteri, Italy (ca. $650\text{--}640\text{ BCE}$), demonstrating granulation and repousse techniques.

Apulu (Apollo of Veii)

A painted terracotta Etruscan sculpture ($5'\,11''$ high) from Veii, Italy, dating to ca. $510\text{--}500\text{ BCE}$, characterized by almond-shaped eyes, braided hair, garments, and a forward stride without contrapposto.

Sarcophagus with reclining couple

A painted terracotta Etruscan funerary monument from the Banditaccia necropolis in Cerveteri (ca. $520\text{ BCE}$) measuring $3'\,9\,\frac{1}{2}'' \times 6'\,7''$, featuring stylized male and female figures holding eternity symbols such as perfume or a pomegranate.

Tufa

A soft volcanic stone found in Etruria out of which tomb structures and reliefs were carved, aiding their survival.

Lost-wax casting

Also known by its French name cire perdue, the oldest method of casting metal sculpture in which a clay core is coated in wax, encased in plaster, and replaced by liquefied metal (most commonly bronze).

Chimera of Arezzo

An Etruscan bronze bronze sculpture dating to circa $400\text{ BCE}$ depicting a mythical creature with the body of a lion, the tail of a serpent, and a goat head emerging from its back.

Verism

A style in Roman portraiture meaning "truthful," where facial features are not idealized but realistically rendered with hallmarks of age.

Fresco

A durable painting method in which mineral pigment is infused directly into wet plaster or stone.

Coffered

Having an ornamental sunken panel in a ceiling or dome.

Forum

A public square serving as the political, administrative, and social center in an ancient Roman city.

Oculus

A circular or oval window or opening, notably positioned at the crown of a dome.

Pax Romana

A period of Roman peace that began in $27\text{ BCE}$ when Augustus became the sole ruler of Rome.

Late Antique style

A Roman sculptural style derived from second-century CE plebeian art that favored simplicity, heavy angular lines, squat bodies, and incised details over Classical naturalism.

Spolia

The Italian term for reusing sculpture, reliefs, or architectural material from earlier monuments in a newly constructed work.

Edict of Milan

A proclamation issued in $313\text{ CE}$ by Emperor Constantine that granted Christianity legal status throughout the Roman Empire.

Syncretic

Describing imagery, art, or creative expression that combines and harmonizes elements from two or more distinct religions or cultures.

Codex

A bound book format developed by the ancient Romans from wax tablets that gradually replaced the scroll, establishing the enduring shape of the book.

Scroll

A rolled manuscript constructed of papyrus or parchment, predominantly made from the papyrus plant in the ancient world.

Pendentives

Curved triangular architectural elements that allow a circular dome to be placed over a square room or an elliptical dome over a rectangular space.

Buttress

An architectural structure built against or projecting from an exterior wall to support or reinforce it against lateral force.

Greek-cross

The dominant middle- and late-period Byzantine church plan, characterized by a square center and four arms of equal length topped by a dome.

Centrally planned

A church layout with the altar positioned at the center, typically encircled by an ambulatory, frequently utilized for baptisteries and mausoleums.

Icon

An image, symbol, panel painting, or representation of sacred figures that functions as an object of religious devotion in Byzantine worship.

Iconoclasm

The belief in, participation in, or official sanction of destroying religious icons and monuments, driven by religious or political motives.

Qu'ran

The central religious text of Islam, considered by Muslims to be the verbatim word of God (Allah) and recognized as the finest work in Arabic literature.

Arabesque

A repetitive, stylized surface pattern in Islamic art composed of rhythmic geometric floral or vegetal motifs.

Mosque

A place of worship for Muslims (masjid in Arabic), functioning historically as both a center of prayer and a community meeting space.

Hypostyle mosque

A mosque design featuring a vast hall filled with many columns, historically derived from the Prophet Muhammad's home in Medina.

Mihrab

A semicircular niche set into the wall of a mosque that identifies the qibla (direction toward Mecca) and serves as the focus where the imam leads prayer.

Minaret

A tall, slender tower adjoining a mosque from which the muezzin announces the adhan (call to prayer).

Muqarnas

Tiered architectural and decorative corbeling unique to Islamic architecture, composed of stacked cells with facets and vaults that can scale ad infinitum.

Kufic Script

The earliest form of Arabic calligraphy, distinctive for its angular and rectilinear lettering.

Calligraphy

The artistic practice of decorative handwriting and lettering, holding primary significance in Islamic art.