APAH Greek Vocab

Acropolis- literally, a “high city,” a Greek temple complex built on a hill over a city

Athena – Greek goddess of war and wisdom; patroness of Athens.

Canon – a body of rules; in Greek art, the ideal mathematical proportion of a figure

Caryatid – Female figure shaped column  (atlantid – male)

Cella – the main room of a temple where the god/deity is housed.

Contrapposto – a graceful arrangement of the body based on tilted shoulders and hips and bent knees

Entablature – the upper story of a Greek temple

Frieze – a horizontal band of sculpture

Gigantomachy – a mythical Greek war between the Giants and Mount Olympian gods.

Isophalism – the tradition of depicting heads of figures on the same level.

Kiln – an oven used for making pottery

Kouros – (female: kore) an archaic Greek sculpture of a standing youth

Krater – a large Greek bowl used for mixing water + wine

Mosaic – a decoration using pieces of stone, marble or colored glass that are cemented to a wall or a floor

Nike – ancient Greek goddess of victory.

Pediment – the triangular top of a temple that contains sculpture

Peristyle – the colonnade surrounding a Greek temple

Peplos – a garment worn by women in Ancient Greece, usually full length and tied at the waist.

Portico – an entranceway into a building having columns supporting a roof.

Propylea (plural)- gateway leading to a Greek temple.

Relief Sculpture – sculpture that projects from a flat background.

Bas-Relief Sculpture – (bah-relief) a very shallow relief sculpture

Shaft – the body of a column

Tholos – an ancient Greek shrine

Zeus – King of the ancient Greek gods….known as Jupiter to the Romans….god of sky + weather.