Definition: The Latin-speaking half of the Roman Empire, centered in Rome.
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Term: Eastern Roman Empire
Definition: The Greek-speaking half of the Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire, centered in Constantinople.
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Term: Catacombs
Definition: Underground burial chambers where early Christians worshipped privately due to persecution.
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Term: Appropriation
Definition: Using existing imagery or symbols in a new context, a common practice in early Christianity.
Flashcard #5
Term: Orant figure
Definition: A standing figure with arms raised in prayer, derived from Roman gestures of duty.
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Term: Ichthys (fish)
Definition: A Christian symbol for Jesus Christ, Son of God.
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Term: Good Shepherd
Definition: A depiction of Jesus as a caring, protective, and pastoral caretaker, adapted from Roman pastoral scenes.
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Term: Cubicula
Definition: Mortuary chapels or rooms within catacombs used for small services.
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Term: Loculi
Definition: Shelves carved into catacomb walls for individual burials.
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Term: Wet plaster fresco (fresco buon)
Definition: A painting technique where pigment is applied to wet plaster.
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Term: Domus (community house)
Definition: Private homes converted for use as early Christian worship spaces.
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Term: Familia
Definition: A Roman core value emphasizing family loyalty.
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Term: Pietas
Definition: A Roman core value emphasizing duty to the state and gods.
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Term: Contra-posto
Definition: A naturalistic standing pose used in Roman art, where the body's weight is shifted to one leg.
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Term: Prefiguration
Definition: An Old Testament story or figure that foreshadows a New Testament event or figure.
Flashcard #16
Term: Constantine
Definition: Roman Emperor (reigned 312–337 CE) who legalized Christianity and initiated widespread Christian architectural patronage.
Flashcard #17
Term: Old St. Peter’s Basilica
Definition: An early Christian basilica built in Rome under Constantine over St. Peter’s tomb, serving as a pilgrimage site.
Flashcard #18
Term: Basilican/Cross Plan
Definition: A Western church architectural plan characterized by a long nave, side aisles, transept forming a cross, and an apse.
Flashcard #19
Term: Santa Sabina
Definition: A smaller, well-preserved example of a Western early Christian basilica in Rome.
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Term: Santa Costanza
Definition: Originally a royal mausoleum, later converted into a central-plan church, circular with a dome and ambulatory, showing Eastern influence in the West.
Flashcard #21
Term: Atrium (Old St. Peter's)
Definition: The open courtyard leading into the narthex of Old St. Peter’s Basilica.
Flashcard #22
Term: Narthex (Old St. Peter's)
Definition: The entrance hall or porch leading to the nave of Old St. Peter’s Basilica.
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Term: Nave (Old St. Peter's)
Definition: The central, main aisle of Old St. Peter's Basilica, accommodating the congregation.
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Term: Transept (Old St. Peter's)
Definition: The arm of the church that projects at right angles to the nave, forming the 'cross' in a cruciform plan, providing space for clergy.
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Term: Apse (Old St. Peter's)
Definition: A semicircular recession at the eastern end of the church, containing the altar.
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Term: Justinian I
Definition: Byzantine Emperor (527–565 CE) who expanded the empire, promoted Christianity, and commissioned major churches like Hagia Sophia and San Vitale.
Flashcard #27
Term: Trinity
Definition: The Christian concept of God as Father, Son (Jesus), and Holy Spirit.
Flashcard #28
Term: Nimubs
Definition: A halo around the head of a holy figure in art.
Flashcard #29
Term: Mandorla
Definition: An almond-shaped aura surrounding the full-body depiction of Christ or other sacred figures, signifying divinity.
Flashcard #30
Term: Icon
Definition: A religious image, often painted on wood, used in devotion, particularly in Eastern Christianity.
Flashcard #31
Term: Iconoclasm
Definition: The deliberate destruction of religious images, notably during the Byzantine controversy of 726+ CE.
Flashcard #32
Term: Dematerialization (Byzantine art)
Definition: An artistic and architectural goal in Byzantine art to create a divine space that transcends material reality, often achieved with light and shimmering mosaics.
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Term: Tesserae
Definition: Small pieces of glass, stone, or other material used to create a mosaic.
Flashcard #34
Term: Hagia Sophia
Definition: Meaning 'Holy Wisdom,' a monumental Byzantine church in Istanbul built by Justinian (532–537 CE), known for synthesizing basilican and central plans with its massive dome.
Flashcard #35
Term: Pendentives
Definition: Spherical triangular sections that transfer the weight of a circular dome to four piers or columns, allowing for a large, open space below.
Flashcard #36
Term: San Vitale
Definition: An octagonal, central-plan Byzantine church in Ravenna, famous for its lavish mosaics depicting Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora.
Flashcard #37
Term: Muhammad
Definition: The prophet of Islam (571–632 CE) who received revelations from Allah, forming the basis of the Qur’an.
Flashcard #38
Term: Qur’an
Definition: The holy book of Islam, believed to be the literal word of God (Allah) revealed to Muhammad.
Flashcard #39
Term: Calligraphy (Islam)
Definition: The art of beautiful writing, highly esteemed in Islamic culture as a manifestation of Allah's word.
Flashcard #40
Term: Five Pillars of Islam
Definition: The fundamental practices of Islam: Shahada (faith), Salah (prayer), Sawm (fasting), Zakat (charity), Hajj (pilgrimage).
Flashcard #41
Term: Geometric abstraction (Islamic art)
Definition: Complex patterns based on numbers and mathematics, developed in Islamic art due to the general avoidance of sentient figural imagery in religious contexts.
Flashcard #42
Term: Tessellation
Definition: The repeating of geometric units to form an intricate pattern without gaps or overlaps, common in Islamic art to suggest eternity.
Flashcard #43
Term: Symmetry (Islamic art)
Definition: The use of balanced proportions (e.g., fourfold, fivefold, sixfold) in geometric patterns to create visual harmony.
Flashcard #44
Term: Masjid
Definition: An Arabic term meaning 'place of prostration,' referring to a mosque.
Flashcard #45
Term: Minaret
Definition: A tall, slender tower, typically part of a mosque, from which the call to prayer (adhan) is issued.
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Term: Qibla wall
Definition: The wall in a mosque that faces the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca, which Muslims face during prayer.
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Term: Mihrab
Definition: A niche or recess in the qibla wall of a mosque, indicating the direction of prayer.
Flashcard #48
Term: Dome of the Rock
Definition: Built 687–692 CE in Jerusalem, it is one of the earliest major Islamic monuments, an octagonal central-plan building sacred to Jews, Christians, and Muslims.
Flashcard #49
Term: Horror vacui (Islamic art)
Definition: A design principle characterized by the filling of an entire surface with details and decoration, often seen in the Dome of the Rock's exterior.
Flashcard #50
Term: Great Mosque of Córdoba
Definition: A significant example of Islamic architecture in Spain, featuring a massive hypostyle prayer hall with reused Roman columns and a distinctive double-arched system.
Flashcard #51
Term: Siddhartha Gautama
Definition: The historical Buddha (5th century BCE) who founded Buddhism after renouncing luxury to seek an end to human suffering.
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Term: Four Noble Truths
Definition: The core teachings of Buddhism: 1. Life is suffering. 2. Suffering is caused by desire and ignorance. 3. Ending desire ends suffering. 4. The way to end suffering is to follow the Eightfold Path.
Flashcard #53
Term: Eightfold Path
Definition: The Buddhist path to liberation from suffering, comprising right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.
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Term: Stupa
Definition: A hemispherical mound or reliquary housing Buddha's relics, symbolizing the cosmos (mandala), used as a pilgrimage site for circumambulation.
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Term: Circumambulation
Definition: The ritual act of walking around a sacred object, such as a stupa or shrine, in a clockwise direction as a form of devotion.
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Term: Toranas
Definition: Elaborately carved gateways at the entrances to a stupa, decorated with narrative scenes and symbolic representations of the Buddha.
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Term: Yakshi Figures
Definition: Female nature spirits associated with fertility, abundance, and life force, often shown in a sensuous tribhanga pose at stupa gateways.
Flashcard #58
Term: Tribhanga pose
Definition: A triple-bent pose (at the neck, waist, and knee) often used in ancient Indian sculpture, especially for female figures like Yakshi.
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Term: Chaitya Halls
Definition: Rock-cut sanctuaries and congregation halls in Buddhist cave architecture, often containing stupa replicas, used for worship and by monks during monsoons.
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Term: Mudras
Definition: Symbolic hand gestures of the Buddha that convey specific meanings or states of mind in Buddhist iconography.
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Term: Mandala (Tibetan Buddhism)
Definition: A diagram of the universe, often intricately designed, used as a tool for meditation and ritual in Tibetan Buddhism.
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Term: Ottonian Period
Definition: A period in European art and architecture from c. 950–1050 CE, primarily in present-day Germany, marked by a continuation of Carolingian ideals and increased church building.
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Term: St. Michael’s, Hildesheim
Definition: A key Ottonian basilica plan church known for its double transept, strong symmetry, and wooden roof which posed a fire risk.
Flashcard #64
Term: Codex
Definition: The modern book form, consisting of folded and bound pages, which replaced scrolls by the 5th–6th century CE and allowed for easier navigation of texts.
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Term: Migration Period
Definition: A period in Western Europe (c. 500–700 CE), formerly called the 'Dark Ages,' characterized by political decentralization, nomadic societies, and art primarily consisting of small, portable luxury objects.
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Term: Zoomorphic motifs
Definition: Stylized animal forms and designs, common in the metalwork and art of the Migration Period.
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Term: Cloisonné technique
Definition: An enameling technique where colored glass, enamel, or gemstones are separated by thin metal strips (cloisons) on a metal backing, seen in Migration Period jewelry.
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Term: Monasteries (Early Middle Ages)
Definition: Centers of learning, economic activity, and safe havens during the instability of the Early Middle Ages.
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Term: Illuminated Manuscripts
Definition: Hand-copied books, often religious texts, adorned with intricate decorations, illustrations, and ornamental initials by monks in scriptoria.
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Term: Vellum
Definition: A fine parchment made from calf or sheep skin, commonly used as pages for illuminated manuscripts.
Flashcard #71
Term: Carpet pages
Definition: Purely decorative pages in illuminated manuscripts, often resembling textiles, used for meditation before reading the text (e.g., Lindisfarne Gospels).
Flashcard #72
Term: Romanesque Period
Definition: An architectural and artistic style (c. 1050–1200 CE) meaning 'Roman-like,' characterized by a revival of large-scale stone construction, round arches, and barrel/groin vaults.
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Term: Crusades
Definition: A series of religious wars (1096–1204 CE) promoted by Pope Urban II, which led to increased East-West interaction and the recovery of ancient Roman knowledge in Western Europe.
Flashcard #74
Term: Pilgrimage (Romanesque)
Definition: An act of devotion, healing, or penance involving travel to sacred sites like Santiago de Compostela, a driving force behind Romanesque church construction.
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Term: Relics
Definition: Body parts, clothing, or other objects associated with saints, believed to possess healing or miraculous powers, central to Romanesque pilgrimage.
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Term: Reliquaries
Definition: Elaborately crafted containers, often made of precious materials, designed to house and display relics.
Flashcard #77
Term: Church of Saint-Sernin, Toulouse
Definition: An important Romanesque pilgrimage church (c. 1070–1120) known for its early stone vaulting and plan designed to accommodate large numbers of pilgrims.
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Term: Crossing square
Definition: The square space at the intersection of the nave and transept in a Romanesque church, which often served as the basic geometric unit for the church's proportions.
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Term: Ambulatory (Romanesque)
Definition: A walkway or aisle around the apse and altar of a Romanesque church, allowing pilgrims to circulate and visit radiating chapels without disturbing services.
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Term: Radiating chapels
Definition: Small chapels projecting outward from the ambulatory of a Romanesque church, designed to house relics.
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Term: Chevet (Romanesque)
Definition: The extended eastern end of a Romanesque church, comprising the apse, ambulatory, and radiating chapels.
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Term: Barrel-vaulted nave
Definition: A long, continuous semicircular vaulted ceiling over the nave, characteristic of many Romanesque churches.
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Term: Transverse arches
Definition: Arches that span the nave at regular intervals, reinforcing the barrel vaulting and dividing the nave into bays.
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Term: Massive stone piers
Definition: Large, solid columns or supports used in Romanesque architecture to bear the heavy weight of stone vaults.
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Term: Nave arcade (Romanesque)
Definition: The series of arches supported by columns or piers that separate the nave from the side aisles in a Romanesque church.
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Term: Gallery (Romanesque)
Definition: A second story built over the side aisles of a Romanesque church, opening onto the nave.
Flashcard #87
Term: Westwork
Definition: A monumental, multi-storied stone façade located at the western end of a Romanesque church, often featuring towers and multiple portals.
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Term: Tympanum
Definition: The semicircular or triangular decorative wall surface over an entrance, door, or window, often filled with relief sculpture in Romanesque and Gothic architecture.
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Term: Lintel
Definition: A horizontal architectural support spanning the top of a door or window opening, often sculpted in Romanesque portals.
Flashcard #90
Term: Trumeau
Definition: The central column or post supporting the lintel and tympanum of a large portal, often carved with a figure.
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Term: Jambs
Definition: The side posts or vertical elements of a doorway or window frame, often adorned with sculpted figures in Romanesque and Gothic architecture.
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Term: Voussoirs
Definition: Wedge-shaped stones that form an arch, found in Romanesque portals.
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Term: Historiated Capitals
Definition: Sculpted capitals on columns or piers that depict narrative scenes, biblical stories, or fantastic beasts, common in Romanesque interiors.
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Term: Last Judgment Portal — Autun Cathedral
Definition: A famous Romanesque tympanum sculpture at the Church of Saint-Lazare in Autun, France, depicting Christ in Majesty presiding over the Last Judgment, designed to inspire fear and moral instruction.
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Term: Christ in Majesty
Definition: An iconic depiction of Christ enthroned within a mandorla, often flanked by the symbols of the four Evangelists, symbolizing his divine authority.
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Term: Evangelist symbols
Definition: Representations of the four Evangelists: Matthew (man or angel), Mark (lion), Luke (ox), and John (eagle), often surrounding Christ in Majesty.
Flashcard #97
Term: Charlemagne
Definition: Frankish king crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 800 CE, who initiated the Carolingian Renaissance, reviving Roman art, architecture, and learning.
Flashcard #98
Term: Carolingian Renaissance
Definition: A period of intellectual, cultural, and artistic revival in the Carolingian Empire under Charlemagne, marked by a conscious effort to restore Roman imperial glory.
Flashcard #99
Term: Coronation Gospels
Definition: An example of Carolingian manuscript art known for its naturalistic figures, gold text on purple vellum, reflecting imperial power and Roman influence.
Flashcard #100
Term: Palatine Chapel, Aachen
Definition: Charlemagne's personal chapel, inspired by San Vitale, representing the first vaulted stone building north of the Alps since Rome and fusing Roman, Byzantine, and Christian symbolism.
Flashcard #101
Term: Gothic Art & Architecture
Definition: An architectural and artistic style (c. 1140–1400) originating in the Paris region, characterized by unprecedented height, abundant light, and a sense of dematerialization.
Flashcard #102
Term: Abbot Suger
Definition: The Abbot of Saint-Denis and advisor to French kings, credited with conceptually inventing Gothic architecture through his renovation of the Abbey Church of Saint-Denis.
Flashcard #103
Term: Saint-Denis (Gothic)
Definition: The burial church of French kings and the birthplace of Gothic architecture, renovated by Abbot Suger to embody his vision of Lux Nova and anagogy.
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Term: Pseudo-Dionysius
Definition: A 6th-century Byzantine mystic whose Neoplatonic texts, mistakenly attributed to Saint Denis, profoundly influenced Abbot Suger's ideas about the symbolism of light in architecture.
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Term: Lux Nova
Definition: 'New Light,' Abbot Suger’s key theological concept, referring to the divine, spiritual light that filled Gothic churches through stained glass, facilitating anagogical ascent.
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Term: Anagogy
Definition: A spiritual ascent from the material to the immaterial, a key concept for Abbot Suger, who believed architecture could lift the soul toward God through physical beauty.
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Term: Pointed arch
Definition: A key Gothic structural innovation that directs weight more vertically downwards than a round arch, allowing for taller structures and lighter walls.
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Term: Ribbed cross vault
Definition: A Gothic vaulting technique where stone ribs form a skeletal framework, reducing the weight of the vault and allowing lighter materials to fill the spaces between.
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Term: Slender columns
Definition: A Gothic innovation where massive Romanesque piers are replaced by more delicate columns, directing weight vertically and contributing to a sense of openness.
Flashcard #110
Term: Flying buttresses
Definition: Exterior skeletal supports, characteristic of Gothic architecture, that transfer the outward thrust of the nave vaults across the side aisles to piers, allowing for thinner walls and larger windows.
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Term: Tripartite Nave Elevation
Definition: The three-story vertical division of the Gothic nave interior, consisting of the nave arcade, triforium, and clerestory.
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Term: Nave arcade
Definition: The lowest level of the Gothic nave elevation, composed of a series of arches supported by columns or piers separating the nave from the side aisles.
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Term: Triforium
Definition: The middle level of the Gothic nave elevation, often a narrow passageway or decorative arcade below the clerestory.
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Term: Clerestory
Definition: The uppermost level of the Gothic nave elevation, featuring large stained-glass windows that flood the interior with light.
Flashcard #115
Term: Chartres Cathedral
Definition: A prominent High Gothic cathedral in France, largely rebuilt after a fire in 1194, known for its unified design, extensive stained glass (including rose and lancet windows), and preservation of the Virgin Mary's tunic.
Flashcard #116
Term: Sainte-Chapelle
Definition: A royal chapel in Paris, considered the ultimate realization of the Gothic Lux Nova concept, with walls almost entirely composed of stained glass, creating an overwhelming ethereal light.
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Term: 3rd–4th century CE
Definition: Development of early Christian art.
Flashcard #118
Term: 270 CE
Definition: Date of the Santa Maria Antiqua sarcophagus.
Flashcard #119
Term: 70 CE
Definition: Destruction of the Jewish Temple by the Romans, leading to the split of Judaism and the emergence of Christianity.
Flashcard #120
Term: 571–632 CE
Definition: Life of Muhammad, the prophet of Islam.
Flashcard #121
Term: 622 CE
Definition: The Hijra, when Muhammad fled Mecca to Medina, marking the beginning of the Islamic calendar.
Flashcard #122
Term: 687–692 CE
Definition: Construction period of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem.
Flashcard #123
Term: 5th century BCE
Definition: Approximate time when Siddhartha Gautama founded Buddhism.
Flashcard #124
Term: 250 BCE
Definition: Approximate date of the Great Stupa at Sanchi, built by Emperor Ashoka.
Flashcard #125
Term: c. 950–1050 CE
Definition: The Ottonian Period in European art and architecture.
Flashcard #126
Term: 476 CE
Definition: Traditional date for the Fall of the Western Roman Empire.
Flashcard #127
Term: c. 500–900 CE
Definition: The Early Middle Ages.
Flashcard #128
Term: c. 500–700 CE
Definition: The Migration Period (formerly 'Dark Ages').
Flashcard #129
Term: 742 CE
Definition: Birth of Charlemagne.
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Term: 800 CE
Definition: Charlemagne crowned Holy Roman Emperor.
Flashcard #131
Term: c. 1050–1200 CE
Definition: The Romanesque Period.
Flashcard #132
Term: 1096–1204 CE
Definition: The period encompassing the Four Official Crusades.
Flashcard #133
Term: c. 1070–1120 CE
Definition: Construction period of the Church of Saint-Sernin in Toulouse.
Flashcard #134
Term: c. 1140–1400 CE
Definition: The period of Gothic Art & Architecture.
Flashcard #135
Term: 1194 CE
Definition: Date of the devastating fire at Chartres Cathedral, which led to its High Gothic rebuilding.
Flashcard #136
Term: 532–537 CE
Definition: Construction period of Hagia Sophia under Emperor Justinian.
Flashcard #137
Term: 527–565 CE
Definition: Reign of Emperor Justinian I.
Flashcard #138
Term: 312–337 CE
Definition: Reign of Emperor Constantine, during which Christianity was legalized
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