Chapter 6 Keywords

Arch

the curved structure which spans an opening

Barrel Vault

a semi-circular structure made up of successive arches

Buttress

projected support for a external wall

Chimera

a monster of Greek invention with a lion’s head and body and a serpents tail

Cinerary Urn

a vase for the ashes of a cremated person, also referred to as “funerary urn”

Concave

bulges in

Convex

bulges out

Divination

the process of interpreting omens

Dome

a circular, octagonal, elliptical or polygonal shape which is hemispherical curvature of a roof

Effigy

the image of a dead person, usually a monument of remembrance

Etruscans

a people who inhabited central Italy, between the Tiber and the Arno rivers during the 6^th and 7^th century BC. Their origin is unknown but their great mineral wealth contributed to great urban development.

Fibula

a clasp or safety pin used to fasten a woman’s gown

Granulation

the fusing of tiny metal balls to a metal surface for decoration

Groin Vault

the intersection of two barrel vaults

Keystone

the topmost wedge which locked the arch into place

Necropolis

a city of the dead

Omen

an occurrence believed to portend a future event, a foreshadowing of the future

Sarcophagus

a large stone coffin usually decorated with sculpture and inscriptions

Triumphal Arch

freestanding arch commemorating an important event such as a military victory or opening a new road

Tumulus

a tomb in the form of a mound

Vault

an arched ceiling made of stone, brick or concrete

Voussoirs

wedge shaped blocks holding the curve of the arch