AH 111A - Exam 1

Cuneiform

the world's first system of writing developed by the Sumerians.

Ziggurat

A rectangular tiered temple or terraced mound erected by the ancient Assyrians and Babylonians. "Elevate the temple"

cylinder seal

a round piece of carved stone that when rolled onto clay produces an image

Diorite

A stone that was expensive and needed to be imported

Bent-axis plan

Indirect counter-clockwise path that you follow to approach the temple

Hierarchy of scale

The largest person is the most important

Stele

Upright stone slab with an inscription or relief

Registers (Friezes)

Ways to organize a pictorial negative. Separation of the different parts of a visual story.

Cella

Most sacred space inside a temple. Where the god lives.

Lapis Lazuli

A blue stone. Very expensive and precious

Orthostat

Stone/slab lining the walls of an Assyrian palace. Has relief sculptures on it

Lamassu

Assyrian guardian in the form of a man-headed winged bull. Protector and guardian and placed in entryways in an assyrian palace.

Apadana

Associated with persia. The audience hall in a persian palace.

Hieroglyph ("Sacred Carving")

The egyptian writing system. Pictographic. The people themselves called it Medu Netcher.

Medu Netcher ("The words of the gods")

The term the people used for their writing system

Ben-ben stone

Shaped like a pyramid and it is associated with creation. The first land to emerge from the water.

Palette

board on which a painter mixes paints. Used for eye makeup. Viewed as medicinal and protective. There were ceremonial palettes.

Mummification

the preservation of dead bodies by embalming and wrapping them in cloth.

Old Kingdom

Period in ancient Egyptian history characterized by the building of the Great Pyramids at Giza. Started in lower egypt.

New Kingdom

the period from about 1550 to 1050 BC in Egyptian history when Egypt reached the height of its power and glory. Started in upper egypt.

Armana Period

Occurs during the new kingdom however the style of art and religious beliefs were incredibly different from every other era.

Amun-Ra

the head god- they were the most powerful god in the New Kingdom. Son god. Created Shu and Tefnut.

Shu and Tefnut

Primary male and female who gave birth to earth and sky.

Maat

the Egyptian concept of truth, justice, harmony and balance represented by a goddess, often portrayed with a feather upon her head

Osiris

God of order who brought civilization to egypt. Oldest son of earth and sky. God of the underworld.

Set/seth

God of chaos. Brother of Osiris.

Nepthys

Seth's wife

Isis

Wife/sister of Osiris, great healer. Mother of Horus.

Horus

Son of Isis and Osiris

Anubis

Jackal headed god. God of mummification

Thoth

Ibis bird. God of writing. Married to Maat.

Hathor

Women with cow horns. Goddess of fertility, love and joy.

Ka

Your double self. The immortal human life force.

Mastaba

Arabic for "bench," a low, flat-roofed Egyptian tomb with sides sloping down to the ground

Serdab

A small concealed chamber in an Egyptian mastaba for the statue of the deceased.

Necropolis

city of the dead

Fresco secco

Painting on dry plaster

Pylon

Massive gateway and marks the entrance to a temple complex

Hypostyle

Large interior room characterized by many closely spaced columns

Clerestory

A gap in the roof which allows natural light to come in

Sunken relief

a carving in which the outlines of figures are deeply carved into a surface so that the figures seem to project forward

Hathsepsut

The first female king in egypt. Lead a prosperous kingdom.

Thutmose

First king to use the word Pharoah as a title.

Pharoah

A ruler of ancient Egypt. Means "great house"

Amenhotep IV

Later changed to Akhenaten. Changes everything and says that there is only one god named Aten. Moves capital of dynasty.

Nefertiti

Wife of Akhenaten. One of their children was Tutankhamun (King tut).

Tutankhamun

When he ruled egypt he changed everything back to normal. Very beloved.