History of Architecture 1 Review Flashcards

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering Prehistoric, Egyptian, Mesopotamian, and Persian architecture based on lecture notes.

Prehistoric Architecture

Buildings and structures created before written history, built primarily for protection, safety, and religious ceremonies.

Megalith

A term meaning 'large stone,' used for burial, religious ceremonies, and memorials in prehistoric architecture.

Trilithon

A construction consisting of two vertical stones supporting one horizontal lintel.

Lintel

A horizontal stone placed across the top of vertical stones in a megalithic structure.

Sarsen stones

The large vertical stones used in the construction of the Stonehenge monument in England.

Stonehenge

A prehistoric megalithic monument in England featuring a circular arrangement of stones and associated with astronomical and ceremonial practices.

Wigwam

A circular or conical shelter consisting of poles covered with bark, skins, or grass.

Beehive Hut

A primitive rounded, dome-shaped shelter featuring thick walls and a small opening for thermal protection.

Hieroglyphs

The ancient Egyptian system of writing using symbols and pictures to record religious beliefs and historical events.

Battered Walls

Egyptian walls that were thick, heavy, and slightly sloping to express power and permanence.

Post-and-Lintel System

A construction method commonly used in Egypt consisting of vertical columns supporting horizontal beams.

Mastaba

An early Egyptian rectangular tomb with a flat roof and sloping sides.

Step Pyramid of Djoser

A pyramid at Saqqara built for Pharaoh Djoser by the architect Imhotep, resembling a series of stacked mastabas.

Bent Pyramid

A pyramid built by Sneferu that features a change in slope, signifying experimentation in construction.

Red Pyramid

One of the earliest successful true pyramids, named for the reddish color of its stone and associated with Pharaoh Sneferu.

Great Pyramid of Khufu

The largest of the three major pyramids in the Giza pyramid complex.

Pyramid Complex

A sequence of structures including a Valley Temple, Causeway, Mortuary Temple, and the Pyramid itself.

Sphinx

A monument at Giza combining a human head with a lion's body, representing royal power and protection.

Pylon

The monumental entrance of an Egyptian temple consisting of two massive towers with a central entrance.

Hypostyle Hall

A large hall filled with columns that support the roof, creating a dramatic ceremonial interior.

Sanctuary

The most sacred inner area of an Egyptian temple, located at the end of the axial sequence.

Obelisk

A tall, narrow, four-sided monolithic stone monument with a tapered shape and a pointed top.

Abu Simbel

A site featuring rock-cut temples for Ramesses II with a façade carved directly into cliffs containing enormous statues.

Mesopotamia

A name meaning 'Land between the rivers,' referring to the civilization developed between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

Ziggurat

A large, stepped temple platform in Mesopotamia with multiple levels and a shrine at the top, used for religious ceremonies.

Cuneiform

The wedge-shaped writing system of Mesopotamia, usually impressed into clay tablets.

Arch

A curved structure spanning an opening, used by Mesopotamian builders to create spaces without large horizontal beams.

Vault

A continuous arched structure used to provide a covering or roof over a space.

Ishtar Gate

A famous monumental gate in Babylon known for its blue glazed bricks and animal imagery including bulls and dragons.

Persepolis

The ceremonial capital of the Persian Empire, characterized by stone platforms, monumental stairways, and large columns.

Apadana

A large audience or ceremonial hall in Persepolis featuring a monumental scale and huge stone columns.

Relief Sculpture

Carved sculptures projecting from a background surface used in Persian architecture to show delegations and royal processions.