ARTH111

Priscilla

Wealthy Roman woman who donated her land for Christian burials.

Catacombs

Underground burial places that stretch approximately 5 miles and contain around 40,000 tombs.

Frescoes

Paintings on walls, often resembling Roman domestic art but lacking eroticism.

Bodily Resurrection

The Christian belief that the body will be resurrected, leading to the rejection of cremation.

Edict of Milan

A decree issued in 313 CE by Emperor Constantine that legalized Christianity and ended persecutory practices.

Good Shepherd

Symbol of Christ that signifies that He rescues sinners, depicted using symbolic imagery, not literal portraits.

Narthex

The entry area or lobby at the west end of a basilica.

Nave

The long central hall of a basilica where the congregation gathers.

Transept

The cross-arm of a basilica that gives it a cruciform shape.

Hagia Sophia

An architectural marvel built from 532-537 CE, originally a Christian basilica, later converted to a mosque.

Pendentives

Triangular curved elements that allow a round dome to rest on a square base, first used in Hagia Sophia.

Spolia

Reuse of architectural or sculptural pieces from older buildings in new constructions, connecting new architecture to the imperial Roman legacy.

Mihrab

A central niche in a mosque indicating the qibla, the direction of Mecca toward which Muslims pray.

Five Pillars of Islam

Core beliefs and practices in Islam: Shahada, Salat, Sawm, Hajj, and Zakat.

Tessellation

Repeating geometric patterns created through mathematical precision in Islamic art.

Arabesques

Intricate patterns based on floral or organic motifs, representing the infinite nature of creation.

Calligraphy

Highly ornamental handwriting considered the highest form of art in Islam.

Bayeux Tapestry

An embroidered linen piece depicting the Norman Conquest and the Battle of Hastings.

Gothic Architecture

Characterized by innovations like rib vaults, flying buttresses, and pointed arches.

Golden Haggadah

An illuminated manuscript from 1320 that tells the Jewish Passover story with a mix of Gothic and Islamic elements.

Dome of the Rock

A shrine located in Jerusalem built over a sacred rock significant in Judaism and Islam.

Pyxis of al-Mughira

A luxury ivory container from 968 CE, notable for its intricate decoration and horror vacui style.

Basin (Baptistère de St. Louis)

A brass luxury object made between 1320-1340, originally used for ceremonial handwashing.

Kaaba

The most sacred site in Islam, believed to be built by Ibrahim and previously housed the Black Stone.

Minarets

Tall towers on mosques from which the call to prayer is announced.

Islamic Art

Characterized by no figural images in sacred spaces and an emphasis on geometric patterns, arabesques, and calligraphy.