Greek Art and Architecture Terms

cornice

above the frieze, juts out to shelter the temple below

frieze

decorated band of sculpture above the columns, can be continuous or broken up with triglyphs

triglyph

a plain square with three vertical grooves, alternates with Doric metopes

metope

squares under the cornice on a Doric temple, usually carved with relief

architrave

plain beam between the frieze and column capitals

entablature

the cornice, frieze, and architrave together

column

everything between the entablature and stylobate, including the shaft, capital, and base if present

abacus

the flat, usually square top piece of a column capital that supports the architrave

capital

the top of a column, decorated in the Ionic and Corinthian orders

shaft

the main body of a column, usually fluted

stylobate

the three steps that form the platform which a temple’s columns rest on

acroteria

decorative statues placed on the corners or apex of a temple roof

pediment

the gable of a temple, often richly sculpted in relief

portico

the entrance to a temple, like its porch

base

a small platform found at the base of a column shaft

volute

a double spiral ornament, rather like a scroll, often found on Ionic capitals

peristyle

the columns in front of a temple entrance

sella or naos

the main room of a temple, usually enclosed by solid walls

pronaos

the first room entered into in a temple, has walls except for at the front

opisthodomos

back room of a temple

skyphos

bowl

kantharos

drinking cup

pyxis

box for valuables or cosmetics

amphora

transport and storage of liquids; funerary use

oinochoe

jug

krater

mixing bowl for wine

prothesis

laying out of the dead

ekphora

funeral procession

kotyle

deep cup

aryballos

perfume flask

Astarte/Ishtar

Near Eastern goddess shown naked and wearing a tall hat (polos)

griffin

eagle head, lion body

kore (pl. korai)

free-standing clothed female statue

kouros (pl. kouroi)

free-standing male statue, usually naked - first c. 600, last c. 500

megaron

main room in a Bronze Age palace, occupying a prominent position in the overall plan

symposion

drinking party

libation

liquid offering to the gods, poured out of a shallow phiale

loutouphros

tall vase which held the water for a bride’s ritual bath

tondo

inner surface of a bowl, famously painted in Exekias’ Dionysos kylix

bilingual pottery

a vase/cup which has both black- and red-figure decoration

transition from black- to red-figure

c. 500 BC

kyathos

Etruscan high-handled wine dipper

epinetron

knee cover for wool-working

antefix

terracotta or marble ornament attached to cover tiles along the length of the roof

chryselephantine

gold and ivory, like the cult statue of Athena in the Parthenon

entasis

convex curve given to the tapering of columns about two-thirds of the way up them

Pentellic marble

marble from Mt. Pentellikon in Attica, 12km to the north of Athens, used to build the Parthenon

Panathenaic festival

Athenian festival in honour of Athena, held annually, but on an especially grand scale every four years

Parthenon frieze

Ionic on a Doric building, theme is the Panathenaic procession

Parthenon metopes

West: Battle between Greeks and Amazons, East: Gigantomachy, North: Trojan War, South: Battle of Centaurs and Lapiths

Propylaia

entrance to the Athenian Acropolis - 437-432 BC

Erechtheion

funny-shaped Ionic temple with carytids, started 421, resumed after break in 409/8 BC.

Temple of Athena Nike

Small Ionic temple on the edge of the Acropolis, 420s BC

Olympia

Panhellenic sanctuary dedicated to Zeus in the Peloponnese, home of the Olympic Games so centred on sports more than votive offerings, had a gymnasium

When did the Olympic Games begin

776 BC

Delphi

Panhellenic sanctuary dedicated to Apollo, home of the Delphic oracle, many poleis had treasuries here, run by the Amphictyonic League

Delos

another sanctuary of Apollo, centre for the Aegean Greeks