ARCH 2303 - Exam 1 Review - Vocabulary

plan - the horizontal arrangement of the parts of a building or a drawing or diagram showing such arrangement as a horizontal section. ex. Tomb of Atreus

section - a diagrammatic drawing of a vertical plan cut through a building. ex. Tomb of Atreus

elevation - the external faces of a building; also a drawing made in projection on a vertical plane to show any one face (or elevation) of a building. ex. Ziggurat at Ur, Mortuary Temple of Hatshep

Mastaba - The superstructure over an Ancient Egyptian tomb, the tomb chamber being deep underground. ex. Pyramid of Khufu

Clerestory - The upper stage of the main walls of a church above the aisle roofs, pierced by windows. ex. the entrance hall of mortuary complex of djoser

Engaged column - A structural column attached to, or partly sunk into, a wall, usually non-loadbearing. ex. entrance hall of mortuary complex of djoser

Ziggurat - A rectangular temple-tower in the form of a truncated pyramid built in diminishing stages, each stage being reached by ramps, erected by the Sumerians and their successors. ex. Ur inside temenos

Temenos - The ground surrounding or adjacent to an Ancient Greek temple or sanctuary, hence any sacred enclosure or precinct. ex. Ur

Masonry - work by a mason whether brickwork or stonework. ex. mortuary complex of djoser

Dry masonry - masonry laid without mortar. ex. skara brae Menhir - upright megalith. ex. carnac

Trilithon - a prehistoric monument consisting of a horizontal MEGALITH resting on two upright ones. ex. Stonehenge

Trabeated (post and lintel construction) - an ancient and, structurally, the simplest type of construction: vertical members (columns, posts, piers or walls) support horizontal members (beams or lintels). ex. lion gate at the citadel at Mycenae

Megalith - a large block of stone or boulder of irregular shape, only very roughly dressed or left as found. ex. stongehenge

Hypostyle hall - A hall or other large space over which the roof is supported by rows of columns like a forest. ex. mortuary complex of mentuhotep

Colonnade - A row of columns carrying an entablature or arches. ex. mortuary complex hatshepsut

Pylon - In Ancient Egyptian architecture, the rectangular, truncated, pyramidal towers flanking the gateway of a temple; also, more loosely, any high isolated structure used decoratively or to mark a boundary. ex. Karnak Temple

Obelisk - A tall tapering shaft of stone, usually granite, monolithic, or square or rectangular section, ending pyramidally and originally with a gilded apex, and usually bearing carved inscriptions in hieroglyphics. ex. Luxor Temple

Ashlar masonry - Hewn blocks of masonry wrought to even faces and square edges and laid in horizontal courses with vertical joints. ex. lower levels at Palace at Knossos

Cyclopean masonry - masonry composed of very large irregular blocks of stone. ex. citadels at mycenae

Megaron - A square or oblong room with a central hearth and usually four columns to support the roof, the lateral walls projecting forwards beyond the entrance wall to form the sides of a porch which is usually columned. ex. Mycenae

Apotropaic - an object believed to have the power to turn evil away