History of Architecture Flashcards

Comprehensive practice flashcards reviewing historical architectural terminology and concepts covering Aegean cultures, Greek classical orders, and structural elements.

What defines Aegean Cultures according to the text?

SeaFaring people ho have learned to expolit natural resources

What is Ashlar Masonry?

Smooth stone masonry laid so that joints are visable

How is the Bronze Age described in the notes?

Time imported and bronze created

What is a Citadel?

A Fortress in a commanding position in or near a city

What is Cyclopean masonry?

Walls made o very large stones, only minimally shaped

What are Frescoes?

Several related mural painting types, done on plaster on walls or ceilings (Jumping Bulls)

What is a Labyrinth?

An elaborate maze, made to trap a minotaur(half man half bull)

What is a Lustral-Basin?

A pool used or ritual purification

What is a Megaron?

Rectangular room having a central hearth and four columns supporting a roof ith an atrium opening

What is an Acaanthus leaf?

A plant used as a model for decoration on Corinthian and composite capitals

What is an Acropolis?

"High city" In greek states the acropolis as the location of the most important temples and religious shrines

What is an Agora in Greek cities?

In greek cities the term applied to the area of markets and city government

How is the term Archaic defined?

Very old or old fashioned

What is a Caryatid?

A pier carved in the form of a standing woman and used in place of a column

What is Egg and Dart?

An egg shaped ornament alternating with a dart shaped one

What is Entasis?

The slight outward curve of a column, which then tapers toward the top of the shaft

What is a Fret or Greek Key?

An artistic meander pattern of decorative border

How is the Golden section defined mathematically in the notes?

Proportion where A:B is same as B:A+B

How are Hellenes described in the notes?

Waning of old greek religion, larger sized cities

What defines the Hellenistic period?

Period of Greek history between death of Alexander the Great and the annexation of the romans

How are Orders of Architecture described?

The trabeated systems of architecture develped by the Greeks and extended by the Romans. The Greek orders, Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian - Differ slightly from the Roman orders. The Romans develped the Tuscan and Composite order

What is a Polis?

Ancient Greek City state

What is Polychromy?

The decorative use of colored stone, seen primarily in medieval architecture

What is a Temenos?

A piece of land cut off and assigned as an official domain, especially to kings and chiefs, or a piece of land marked off from common uses and dedicated to a god, a sanctuary or holy grave

What is a Temple?

Is a structure resered for relgious or spiritual activites

What is a Tholos?

A dome over a circular plan building or more generally the building itself

What is a Stoa in Greek architecture?

In greek architecture a linear building with one or more rows of columns, stoas could be used for shops, meetings, exhibitions

What is a Cella or Noas?

The shrine room in the center of a temple

What is the Base of a column or pier?

The lowest part of a column or pier often broader than the sections avobe to spread the load to the foundation

What is the Shaft of a column?

The vertical element above the base and below the capital in an architectural order

What is a Capital in classical architecture?

In classical architecture the termination of a column, generally given a decorative carving

What is an Architrave?

In classical architecture the bottom portion o an entablature

What is a Frieze?

The horizontal element above the architrave and belo the cornice in an entablature

What are Flutes or Fluting?

Vertical grooves incessed in the shaft of a classical column

What is a Metope?

An element of the doric frieze set alternately with triglyphs. Panels contain low relief carvings

What is a Pediment?

The gable end of a temple framed with cornices

What is a Peristyle?

A colonnaded court or garden

What is a Stylobate?

The base, usually having steps on which a colonnaded temple sits

What is a Triglyph?

A channeled block set between metopes in a doric frieze

What is a Volute?

A decorative spiral found in Ionic, Corinthian and composite capitals

What is a Cornice?

The uppermost element of an entablature, which projects beyond the plane of the exterior wall: more generally , the overhanging molding atop any building

What is an Amphitheater?

An area with raked seating arranged around a circular or oval floor

What is an Apse?

Ther termination of the nave of a basilica or the choir in a basilican church