apadana
great audience hall in ancient Persian palaces
arch
curved structural member spanning an opening, generally composed of voussoir that transmit downward pressure laterally
arcuated
arch-shaped
blind arcade
arcade having no actual opening, used as decoration to wall surfaces
cella
chamber at center of ancient temple; room where cult statue stood in classical temples
city-state
independent, self-governing city
conceptual representation
representation of fundamental distinguishing properties of a person or object, not the way it appears in space at a specific moment
cuneiform
Latin: wedge-shaped; system of writing used in ancient Mesopotamia; characters produced by pressing stylus into soft clay tablet, then hardened
cylinder seal
cylindrical piece of stone usually an inch or so in height, decorated with an incised design, so raised pattern left when seal rolled over soft clay; documents and important possessions signed, sealed or identified in this way in ancient Near East
foreshortening
use of perspective to represent apparent visual contraction of an object that extends back in space at an angle to the perpendicular sight, in art
frieze
part on entablature between architrave and cornice; any sculptured or painted band in a building
ground line
painted or carved baseline on which figures appear to stand, in paintings and reliefs
heraldic composition
composition symmetrical on either side of a central figure
hierarchy of scale
artistic convention relating greater size to greater importance
iwan
vaulted rectangular recess opening onto a courtyard in Islamic architecture
lamassu
Assyrian guardian in form of man-headed winged bull
pictograph
picture representing an idea, usually stylized; writing using such means; painting on rock
register
one of a series of superimposed bands or friezes in a pictorial narrative; particular levels on which motifs are placed
stamp seal
Earlier, flat form of cylinder seal used for similar purposes
stele
carved stone slab, used to mark graves or commemorate historical events
stylus
needle-like tool used in engraving and incising; ancient writing instrument used to inscribe clay or wax tablets
votive offering
gift of gratitude to a deity
ziggurat
monumental platform for a temple in ancient Mesopotamian architecture
voussoir
wedge-shaped blocks
Gilgamesh
legendary king of Uruk; slayer of monster Humarra; comparable to Homer epics
citadel
fortress commanding a city, fortified with walls
Sargon
great ruler of Akkad; name means "true king"'; first to benefit of full loyalty to kingship rather than city-state
Gudea of Lagash
ruler, portrayed through statuettes as pious and humble to gods; portraits made of diorite
Hammurabi
most powerful king of Babylon, famous for conquests and his law code
Achaemenids
Persians; founded by Cyrus and leading back to mythical King Achaemenes; led Babylon
Sasanians
descending of Sasan (direct descendent of Achaemenid kings); challenged Roman rule in Persia; ruled over 400 years starting in 224 AD
barrel vault
vault having the form of a very deep arch
capital
uppermost member of a column, serving as a transition from the shaft to the lintel
caryatid
female figure that functions as a supporting column
chamfer
surface formed by cutting off a corner of a board or post; bevel
clerestory
fenestrated part of a building that rises above the roofs of the other parts; oldest known Egyptian
In Roman basilicas and medieval churches: windows that form nave's uppermost level below the timber ceiling or the vaults
fenestrated
windowed
colonnade
series or row of columns, usually spanned by lintels
column
vertical, weight-carrying architectural member, circular in cross-section and consisting of a base (sometimes omitted), a shaft and a capital
course
in masonry construction, a horizontal row of stone blocks
demotic
late Egyptian writing
dressed masonry
stone blocks shaped to the exact dimensions required, with smooth faces for a perfect fit
engaged column
half-round column attached to a wall
facade
usually the front of a building, also the others sides when they are emphasized architecturally
fluting
vertical channeling, roughly circular in cross-section and used principally on columns and pilasters
fresco
painting on lime plaster either dry or wet; also a painting executed in either method
fresco secco
dry painting on lime fresco
hieroglyphic
system of writing using pictures or symbols
hypostyle hall
hall with a roof supported by columns
ka
in ancient Egypt, the immortal human life force
mastaba
Arabic "bench"; ancient Egyptian rectangular brick or stone structure with sloping sides erected over a subterranean tomb chamber connected with the outside by a shaft
molding
in architecture a continuous, narrow surface (projecting or recessed, plain or ornamented) designed to break up a surface, to accent, or to decorate
mummification
technique used by ancient Egyptians to preserve human bodies so that they may serve as the eternal home of the immortal ka
necropolis
Greek "city of the dead"; large burial area or cemetery
nemes
in ancient Egypt, linen headdress worn by the pharaoh, with the uraeus cobra of kingship on the front
palette
in ancient Egypt, a slate slab used for preparing makeup; colors or kinds of colors characteristically used by an artist; thin board with a thumb hole at one end on which an artist lays and mixes colors-- any surface so used
papyrus
plant native to Egypt and adjacent lands used to make paperlike writing material; the material or any writing on it
pharaoh
ancient Egyptian king
pillar
usually a weight-carrying member, such as a pier or column; sometimes an isolated, freestanding structure used for commemorative purposes
pylon
wide entrance gateway of an Egyptian temple, characterized by its sloping walls
scarab
Egyptian gem in shape of a beetle
serdab
small concealed chamber in an Egyptian mastaba for the statue of the deceased
sphinx
mythical Egyptian beast with body of a lion and head of a human
stucco
type of plaster used as a coating on exterior and interior walls
subtractive sculpture
kind of sculpture technique in which materials are taken away from the original mass; carving
sunken relief
in sculpture, figures projecting from a background of which they are part; artist cuts the design into the surface so that the highest projecting parts of the image are no higher than the surface itself
uraeus
Egyptian cobra; one of the emblems of pharaonic kingship
ushabt
in ancient Egypt, a figurine placed in a tomb to act as a servant to the deceased in the afterlife
valley temple
temple closest to the Nile River associated with each of the Great Pyramids at Gizeh in ancient Egypt
wedjat
the eye of the Egyptian falcon-god Horus, a powerful amulet
buon fresco
pigments mixed with water and become chemically bound to the freshly laid lime plaster; true fresco
chryselephantine
fashioned of gold and ivory
corbel
projecting wall member used as a support for some element in the superstructure; courses of stone or brick in which each course projects beyond the one beneath it
corbel arch
two corbel walls meeting at the topmost course; corbeled vault
Cyclopean masonry
method of stone construction, named after the mythical Cyclopes, using massive, irregular blocks without mortar, characteristic of the Bronze Age fortifications of Tiryns and other Mycenaean sites
Cyclops
mythical Greek one-eyed giant
dome
hemispherical vault; theoretically an arch rotated on its vertical axis; in Mycenaean architecture, beehive-shaped
dromos
passage leading to a tholos tomb
faience
low-fired opaque glasslike silicate
krater
ancient Greek wide-mouthed bowl for mixing wine and water
labyrinth
maze; English word derives from mazelike plan of the Minoan palace at Knossos
megaron
large reception hall and throne room in a Mycenaean palace, fronted by an open, two-columned porch
Minotaur
mythical beast, half man and half bull, that inhabited the Minoan palace at Knossos
niello
black metallic alloy
relieving triangle
in Mycenaean architecture the triangular opening above the lintel that serves to lighten the weight to be carried by the lintel itself
repouss�
formed in relief by beating a metal plate from the back, leaving the impression of a face; metal sheet is hammered into a hollow mold of wood or some other pliable material and finished with a graver
tholos
temple with a circular plan; burial chamber of a tholos tomb
tholos tomb
in Mycenaean architecture, beehive-shaped tomb with a circular plan
abacus
uppermost portion of the capital of a column, usually a thin slab
acropolis
Greek "high city"; in ancient Greece, usually the site of the city's most important temple(s)
agora
an open square or space used for public meetings or business in ancient Greek cities
Amazonomachy
in Greek mythology, the battle between the Greeks and Amazons
amphiprostyle
classical temple plan in which the columns are placed across both the front and back, but not along the sides
amphora
ancient Greek two-handled jar used for general storage purposes, usually to hold wine or oil
antae
molded projecting ends of the walls forming the pronaos or opisthodomos of an ancient Greek temple
apse
recess, usually semicircular, in the wall of a Roman basilica or at the east end of a church
Archaic
artistic style of 800-480 BC in Greece, characterized in part by the use of the composite view for painted and relief figures and of Egyptian stances for statues
Archaic smile
smile that appears on all Archaic Greek statues from about 570 to 480 BC; sculptor's indication that the subject is still alive
architrave
lintel or lowest division of the entablature
base
in ancient Greek architecture, the molded projecting lowest part of Ionic and Corinthian columns
bilingual vases
experimental Greek vases produced for a short time in the late sixth century BC; one side featured black-figure decoration, the other red-figure
black-figure painting
in early Greek pottery, silhouetting of dark figures against a light background of natural, reddish clay, with linear details incised through the silhouettes
caduceus
in ancient Greek mythology, a magical rod entwined with serpents, the attribute of Hermes, the messenger of the Gods
canon
a rule, for example of proportion; Canon a fifth century BC treatise written by sculptor Polykleitos incorporating his formula for the perfectly proportioned statue
cavea
Latin "hollow place or cavity"; seating area in ancient Greek and Roman theatres and amphitheatres
centaur
in ancient Greek mythology, a creature with the front or top half of a human and the back or bottom half of a horse
centauromachy
in ancient Greek mythology, the battle between the Greeks and centaurs
chaplet
metal pin used in hollow-casting to connect the investment with the clay core
chiton
Greek tunic, the essential (and often only) garment of men and women, the other being the himation or mantle
cire perdue
bronze-casting method in which a figure is modeled in wax and covered with clay; the whole is fired, melting away the wax and hardening the clay, which then becomes a mold for molten metal
Classical
art and culture of ancient Greece between 480 and 323 BC
contrapposto
disposition of human figure in which one part is turned in opposition to another part (usually hips and legs one way, shoulders and chest another) creating a counterpositioning of the body about it's central axis; sometimes called "weight shift" because w
Corinthian capital
most ornate form of capital; consists of a double row of acanthus leaves from which tendrils and flowers grow, wrapped around a bell-shaped echinus
cornice
projecting, crowning member of the entablature framing the pediment; any crowning projection
cult statue
statue of the deity that stood in the cella of an ancient temple
cuneus
in ancient Greek and Roman theatres and amphitheatres, wedge-shaped section of stone benches separated by stairs
Daedalic
Greek Orientalizing sculptural style of the seventh century BC named after the legendary Daedalus
demos
Greek "the people", from which the word democracy is derived
dipteral
In classical architecture, a double row of colonnades all around the cella and its porches
Doric
order invented in ancient Greece for articulating the three units of the elevation of a classical building (the platform, colonnade, entablature); characterized by capitals with funnel-shaped echinuses, columns without bases and a frieze of triglyphs and
drum
one of the stacked cylindrical stones that form the shaft of a column; cylindrical wall that supports a dome
echinus
convex element of a capital directly below the abacus
emblema
central framed figural panel of a mosaic floor
encaustic
painting technique in which pigment is mixed with wax and applied to the surface while hot
entablature
part of building above columns and below roof; consists of architrave, frieze and pediment
entasis
convex profile (an apparent swelling) in the shaft of a column
Geometric
style of Greek art during ninth and eighth centuries BC, characterized by abstract geometric ornament and schematic figures
gigantomachy
in ancient Greek mythology, the battle between gods and giants
glaze
vitreous coating applied to pottery to seal and decorate surface; may be colored, transparent or opaque and glossy or matte; in oil painting a thin, transparent, or semitransparent layer put over a color to alter it slightly
gorgon
in ancient Greek mythology, a hideous female demon with snake hair; Medusa
Hellenes
name the ancient Greeks called themselves as the people of Hellas
Hellenistic
art and culture of the roughly three centuries between the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and the death of Queen Cleopatra in 30 BC, when Egypt became a Roman province
herm
bust on a quadrangular pillar
himation
ancient Greek mantle worn by men and women over the chiton and draped in various ways
Hippodamian plan
city plan devised by Hippodamos of Miletos ca 466 BC, in which a strict grid was imposed on a site, regardless of the terrain, so that all streets would meet at right angles
hydria
an ancient Greek three-handled water pitcher
hypaethral
building having no pediment or roof, open to the sky
in antis
in ancient Greek architecture, between the antae
interaxial
distance between the center of the lowest drum of a column and the center of the next
investment
in hollow-casting, final clay mold applied to the exterior of the wax model
Ionic
One of two orders invented in ancient Greece for articulating the three units of the elevation of a classical building: the platform, the colonnade, and the superstructure (entablature); characterized by volutes, capitals, columns with bases and an uninte
kore
Greek "young woman"; an Archaic Greek statue of a young woman
kouros
Greek "young man"; an Archaic Greek statue of a young man
lekythos
flask containing perfumed oil; often placed in Greek graves as offerings to the deceased
lost-wax process
A bronze-casting method in which a figure is modeled in wax and covered with clay; the whole is fired, melting away the wax (French, cire perdue) and hardening the clay, which then becomes a mold for molten metal.
meander
ornament, usually in bands but also covering broad surfaces, consisting of interlocking geometric motifs; ornamental pattern of contiguous straight lines joined usually at right angles
metope
panel between the triglyphs in a Doric frieze, often sculpted in relief
minaret
tower of a mosque, from which the Islamic faithful are called to worship
monolith
column shaft that is all in one piece (not composed of drums); large, single block or piece of sone used in megalithic structures
mosaic
patterns or pictures made by embedding tesserae of stone or glass in cement on surfaces such as walls or floors; technique of making such works
naos
chamber at the center of an ancient temple; in a classical temple the room in which the cult statue usually stood
nymphs
in classical mythology, female divinities of springs, caves and woods
orchestra
Greek "dancing place"; in ancient Greek theatres the circular piece of earth with a hard and level suface on which the performance took place
order
in classical architecture, a style represented by a characteristic design of the columns and entablature
opisthodomos
in ancient Greek architecture, a porch at the rear of a temple, set against the blank back wall of the cella
Orientalizing
early phase of Archaic Greek art (seventh century BC) so named because of the adoption of forms and motifs from the ancient Near East and Egypt
orthogonal plan
imposition of a strict grid plan on a site, regardless of the terrain, so that all streets meet at a right angle
palaestra
ancient Greek and Roman exercise area, usually framed by a colonnade; in Greece an independent building; in Rome, frequently incorporated into a bathing complex
parapet
low, protective wall along the edge of a balcony, roof, or bastion
pebble mosaic
mosaic made of irregularly shaped stones of various colors
pediment
in classical architecture, the triangular space (gable) at the end of the building, formed by the ends of the sloping roof above the colonnade; an ornamental feature having this shape
peplos
simple long woolen belted garment worn by ancient Greek women
peripteral
in classical architecture, a colonnade of a single row all around the cella and it's porches
peristyle
in classical architecture, a colonnade all around the cella and its porch(es)
pinakotheke
Greek "picture gallery"; ancient building for the display of paintings on wood panels
polis
independent city-state in ancient Greece
portico
roofed colonnade, also an entrance porch
pronaos
space or porch in front of the cella or naos of an ancient Greek temple
post and lintel system
system of construction in which two posts support a lintel
raking cornice
cornice on the sloping sides of a pediment
prostyle
classical temple plan in which the columns are only in front of the cella and not on the sides or back
red-figure painting
in later Greek pottery, silhouetting of red figures against a black background, with painted linear details
ridgepole
beam running the length of a building below the peak of the gabled roof
satyr
in ancient Greek mythology, creature that was part man and part goat, usually with a man's head and body, and a goat's ears, horns and legs
shaft
tall, cylindrical part of a column between the capital and base
siren
In ancient Greek mythology, creature that was part bird and part woman
skene
Greek "stage"; stage of a classical theatre
skiagraphia
Greek "shadow painting"; Greek term for shading, said to have been invented by Apollodoros, an Athenian painter of the fifth century BC
slip
mixture of fine clay and water used in ceramic decoration
stoa
In ancient Greek architecture, an open building with a roof supported by a row of columns parallel to the back wall; a covered colonnade or portico
stylobate
uppermost course of the platform of a classical temple, which supports the column
symmetria
Greek "commensurability of parts"; Polykleito's treatise on his canon of proportions incorporated this principle
symposium
an ancient Greek banquet attended solely by men (and female servants and prostitutes)
tessera
Greek "cube"; tiny stone or piece of glass cut to the desired shape and size for use in forming a mosaic
theatron
Greek "place for seeing"; in ancient Greek theatres, the slope overlooking the orchestra on which the spectators sat
treasury
In ancient Greece, a small building set up for the safe storage of votive offerings
trident
three-pronged pitchfork associated with the ancient Greek sea god Poseidon (Roman, Neptune)
triglyph
triple projecting, grooved member of a Doric frieze that alternates with metopes
tripod
ancient Greek deep bowl on a tall three-legged stand
volute
spiral, scroll-like form characteristic of the ancient Greek Ionic and the Roman Composite capital
white-ground painting
ancient Greek vase-painting technique in which pot was first covered with a slip of very fine white clay, over which black glaze was used to outline figures, and diluted brown, purple, red and white were used to color them
horror vacui
filling of all space in visual art
amalaka
in Hindu temple design, large flat disk with ribbed edges surmounting beehive-shaped tower
abhaya
right hand up, palm outward; gesture of protection or blessing; do not fear mudra
ambulatory
covered walkway, outdoors or indoors; especially passageway around the apse and the choir of a church; in Buddhist architecture, passageway leading around the stupa in a chaitya hall
apsidal
rounded; apse-shaped
asceticism
self-discipline and self-denial
avatar
manifestation of a deity incarnated in some visible form in which the deity performs a sacred function on earth; in Hinduism, an incarnation of a god
baray
one of the large reservoirs laid out around Cambodian wats that served as means of transportation as well as irrigation; network of canals connected reservoirs
bhumisparsha
right hand reaches down to ground, calling the earth to witness Buddha's enlightenment; earth-touching mudra
bodhisattva
in Buddhist thought, one of the host of divinities provided to the Buddha to help him save humanity; a potential Buddha
boss
circular knob
chaitya hall
South Asian rock-cut temple hall having a votive stupa at one end
chakra
Buddha's wheel, set in motion at Sarnath
chatra
yasti
circumambulation
in Buddhist worship, walking around the stupa in a clockwise direction
darshan
in Hindu worship, seeing images of the divinity and being seen by the divinity
dharma
in Buddhism, moral law based on the Buddha's teaching
dharmachakra
two-handed gesture with right thumb and index finger forming a circle; Wheel of the Law or teaching mudra
dhyana
right hand over left, palms upward, in the lap; meditation mudra
garbha griha
Hindi "womb chamber"; In Hindu temples the cella for the cult image or symbol
harmika
in Buddhist architecture, a stone fence or railing that encloses an area surmounting the dome of a stupa that represents one of the Buddhist heavens; from the center arises the yasti
jataka
tales of the past lives of the Buddha
karma
in Vedic regions, ethical consequences of a person's life, which determine his or her fate
lakshana
one of the distinguishing marks of the Buddha; include urna and ushnisha
linga
in Hindu art, depiction of Shiva as a phallus or cosmic pillar
mandala
sacred diagram of the universe
mandapa
pillared hall of a Hindu temple
mithuna
in South Asian art, a male-female couple embracing or engaged in sexual intercourse
moksha
nirvana
mudra
in Buddhist and Hindu iconography, stylized and symbolic hand gesture
nimbus
halo or aureole appearing around the head of a holy figure to signify divinity
nirvana
in Buddhism and Hinduism, blissful state brought about by absorption of the individual soul or consciousness into the supreme state
parinirvana
image of the reclining Buddha, often viewed as representing his death
prasada
in Hindu worship, food that becomes sacred by first being given to a god
ratha
small, freestanding Hindu temple carved from a huge boulder
reliquary
container for keeping relics
samsara
in Hindu belief, rebirth of the soul into a succession of lives
shakti
in Hinduism, female power of the deity Devi (or Goddess,) which animates the matter of the cosmos
shikara
beehive-shaped tower of a northern style Hindu temple
stupa
large, mound-shaped Buddhist shrine
torana
gateway in the stone fence around a stupa, located at the cardinal points of the compass
trefoil
cloverlike ornament or symbol with stylized leaves in groups of three
Upanishads
South Asian religious texts of ca. 800-500 BC in which the concepts of samsara, karma, and moksha were introduced
urna
whorl of hair, represented as a dot, between the brows; one of the lakshanas of the Buddha
ushnisha
knot of hair on the top of the head; one of the lakshanas of the Buddha
Veda
Sanskrit, "knowledge"; one of four second-millennium BC South Asian compilations of religious learning
vihara
Buddhist monastery, often cut into a hill
vimana
pyramidal tower over the garbha griha of a southern style Hindu temple
wat
Buddhist monastery in Cambodia
yaksha
lesser local female Buddhist and Hindu divinity; goddesses associated with fertility and vegetation
yakshi
lesser local male Buddhist and Hindu divinity; fleshy but powerful god
Charun
an Etruscan death demon
chimera
monster of Greek invention with the head and body of a lion and the tail of a serpent; a second head of a goat grows out of one side of the body
cista
Etruscan cylindrical container made of sheet bronze with cast handles and feet, often with elaborately engraved bodies, used for women's toilet articles
fibula
decorative pin, usually used to fasten garments
granulation
decorative technique in which tiny metal balls (granules) are fused to a metal surface
pectoral
ornament worn on the chest
pilaster
flat, rectangular, vertical member projecting from a wall of which it forms a part; usually has a base and a capital and is often fluted
tumulus
burial mound; in Etruscan architecture cover one or more subterranean multichambered tombs cot out of the local tufa; characteristic of Neolithic funerary architecture and Japanese Kofun period of the third and fourth centuries
tufa
limestone
Tuscan
standard type of Etruscan column; resembles ancient Greek Doric columns, but is made of wood, unfluted, and has a base
aisle
portion of a basilica flanking the nave and separated from it by a row of columns or piers
ala
rectangular recess at back of atrium of a Roman house
amphitheatre
Greek "double theatre"; Roman building type resembling two Greek theatres put together; featured continuous elliptical cavea around a central arena
apotheosis
elevated to the rank of gods; ascent to heaven
arena
in a Roman amphitheatre, central area where bloody gladiatorial combats and other boisterous events took place
atmospheric perspective
method of presenting the illusion of a three-dimensional world on a two-dimensional surface; greater diminution of color intensity; blurring of contours as intended distance between eye and object increases
atrium
central reception room of a Roman house that is partly open to the sky; open colonnaded court in front of and attached to a Christian basilica
attic
uppermost story of a building, triumphal arch or city gate
basilica
in Roman architecture, a civic building for legal and other civic proceedings, rectangular in plan with an entrance usually on a long side; in Christian architecture, a church usually entered from one end with an apse at the other
buttress
exterior masonry structure that opposes the lateral thrust of an arch or a vault
caldarium
hot-bath section of a Roman bathing establishment
Capitolium
ancient Roman temple dedicated to the gods Jupiter, Juno and Minerva
cardo
north-south street in a Roman town, intersecting the decumanus at right angles
castrum
Roman military encampment
cestrum
small spatula used in encaustic painting
Christogram
three initial letters (chi-rho-iota) of Christ's name in Greek, which came to serve as a monogram for Christ
coffer
sunken panel, often ornamental, in a vault or ceiling
colonnette
thin column
Composite capital
capital combining Ionic volutes and Corinthian acanthus leaves, first used by the ancient Romans
concrete
building material invented by the Romans and consisting of various proportions of lime mortar, volcanic sand, water, and small stones
cross vault
masonry roof or ceiling constructed on the arch principle; formed at the point at which two barrel vaults intersect at right angles; groin vault
cubiculum
small cubicle or bedroom that opened onto the atrium of a Roman house; also a chamber in an Early Christian catacomb that served as a mortuary temple
cuirass
military leather breastplate
damnatio memoriae
Roman decree condemning those who ran afoul of the Senate
decumanus
east-west street in a Roman town, intersecting the cardo at right angles
decursio
ritual circling of a Roman funerary pyre
denarius
standard Roman silver coin from which the word penny ultimately derives
domus
Roman private house
exedra
recessed area, usually semicircular
fauce
Latin "jaw"; in a Roman house, narrow foyer leading to the atrium
fenestration
arrangement of windows of a building
First Style mural
earliest style of Roman mural painting; also called the Masonry style because the aim of the artist was to imitate, using painted stucco relief, the appearance of costly marble panels
forum
public square of an ancient Roman city
Fourth Style mural
in Roman mural painting, marks a return to architectural illusionism, but the architectural vistas are irrational fantasies
freedmen/women
in ancient and medieval society, men and women who had been freed from servitude, as opposed to having been born free
frigidarium
cold-bath section of a Roman bathing establishment
gladiator
ancient Roman professional fighter, usually a slave, who competed in the amphitheatre
groin
edge formed by the intersection of two vaults
groin vault
masonry ceiling or roof constructed on the arch principle; formed at the point at which two barrel vaults intersect at right angles; cross vault
imagines
in ancient Rome, wax portraits of ancestors
imperator
Latin, "commander in chief" from which the word emperor derives
impluvium
in a Roman house, basin located in atrium that collected water
incrustation
wall decoration consisting of bright panels of different colors
insula
in Roman architecture, a multistory apartment house, usually made of brick-faced concrete; also refers to an entire city block
kline
couch or funerary bed; type of sarcophagus with a reclining portrait of the deceased on its lid
linear perspective
method of presenting an illusion of the three-dimensional world on a two-dimensional surface; all parallel lines or surface edges converge on one, two or three vanishing points located with reference to the eye level of the viewer (the horizon line of the
Masonry style
earliest style of Roman mural painting; aim of the artist was to imitate, using painted stucco relief, costly marble panels
mausoleum
monumental tomb; name derives from the mid-fourth century BC tomb of Mausolos at Halikarnassos, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world
menorah
in antiquity, Jewish sacred seven-branched candelabrum
monochromatic
one color
natatio
swimming pool in a Roman bathing establishment
nave
central area of an ancient Roman basilica or of a church, demarcated from aisles by piers or columns
oculus
Latin "eye"; round central opening of a dome; also a small round window in a Gothic cathedral
patrician
Roman freeborn landowner
perspective
method of presenting the illusion of the three-dimensional world on a two-dimensional surface
pier
vertical, freestanding masonry support
plebeian
Roman social class that included small farmers, merchants and freed slaves
pontifex maximus
often the emperor himself
pseudoperipteral
in Roman architecture, a temple with a series of engaged columns all around the sides and back of the cella to give the appearance of a peripteral colonnade
revetment
in architecture, a wall covering or facing
roundel
circular painting or relief sculpture
rusticate
to give a rustic appearance by roughening the surfaces and beveling the edges of stone blocks to emphasize the joints between them; technique employed in ancient Roman architecture, and was also popular during the Renaissance, especially for stone courses
Second Style mural
style of Roman mural painting in which the aim was to dissolve the confining walls of a room and replace them with the illusion of a three-dimensional world constructed in the artist's imagination
senate
Latin "council of elders"; legislative body in Roman constitutional government
skenographia
Greek "scene painting" or perspective painting
spandrel
roughly triangular space enclosed by the curves of adjacent arches and a horizontal member connecting their vertexes; the space enclosed by the curve of an arch and an enclosing right angle; area between the arch proper and the framing columns and entabla
still life
picture depicting an arrangement of objects
taberna
in Roman architecture, single-room shop usually covered by a barrel vault
tablinum
study or office in Roman house
tempera
technique of painting using pigment mixed with egg yolk, glue or casein; also the medium itself
tepidarium
warm-bath section of a Roman bathing establishment
tetrarch
one of four co-rulers
tetrarchy
Greek "rule by four"; type of Roman government established in the late third century AD by Diocletian in an attempt to establish order by sharing power with potential rivals
Third Style mural
in Roman mural painting, the style in which delicate linear fantasies were sketched on predominantly monochromatic backgrounds
thrust
outward force exerted by an arch or a vault that must be counterbalanced by a buttress
tondo
circular painting or relief sculpture
triclinium
dining room of a Roman house
triumphal arch
in Roman architecture, a freestanding arch commemorating an important event, such as a military victory or the opening of a new road
tunnel vault
masonry roof or ceiling constructed on the arch principle; semicylindrical in cross-section, in effect a deep arch or an uninterrupted series of arches, one behind the other, over an oblong space; barrel vault
vault
masonry roof or ceiling constructed on the arch principle
velarium
in a Roman amphitheatre, cloth awning that could be rolled down from the top of the cavea to shield spectators from sun or rain
venationes
ancient Roman wild animal hunts staged in amphitheatres
veristic
true to natural appearance; super realistic
apostle
Greek "messenger
arcade
series of arches supported by piers or columns
baldacchino
canopy on columns, frequently built over an altar
baptistery
in Christian architecture, building used for baptism, usually situated next to a church
catacombs
subterranean networks of rock-cut galleries and chambers designed as cemeteries for the burial of the dead
central plan
horizontal arrangement of the parts of a building or of the buildings and streets of a city or town, or a drawing or diagram showing such an arrangement; parts of the structure are of equal or almost equal dimensions around the center
chancel arch
arch separating the chancel or the transept from the nave of a church
codex
separate pages of vellum or parchment bound together at one side; predecessor of the modern book; superseded the rotulus; in Mesoamerica a painted and inscribed long book on long sheets of bark paper or deerskin coated with fine white pilaster and folded
confraternity
in late antiquity, an association of Christian families pooling funds to purchase property for burial; in late medieval Europe, an organization founded by laypersons who dedicated themselves to strict religious obesrvances
crossing
space in a cruciform church formed by the intersection of the nave and the transept
crossing tower
tower of the crossing of a church
cruciform
cross shaped
diptych
two-paneled painting or altarpiece; also an ancient Roman, Early Christian or Byzantine hinged writing tablet, often of ivory and carved on the external sides
Eucharist
in Christianity the partaking of the bread and wine which believers hold to be either Christ himself or symbolic of him
folio
page of a manuscript or book
illuminated manuscript
decorations
illumination
decoration (usually in gold, silver and bright colors) especially of medieval manuscript pages
liturgy
official ritual of public worship
loculi
openings in the walls of catacombs to receive the dead
lunette
semicircular area (with the flat side down) in a wall over a door, niche or window; also a painting or relief with a semicircular frame
magi
three wise men from the East who presented gifts to the infant Jesus
martyr
person who chooses to die rather than deny his or her religious beliefs
Mass
Catholic and Orthodox ritual in which believers understand that Christ's redeeming sacrifice on the cross is repeated when the priest consecrates the bread and wine in the Eucharist
Messiah
savior of the Jews prophesied in the Old Testament
narthex
porch or vestibule of a church, generally colonnade or arcaded and preceding the nave
orant
in Early Christian art, a figure with both arms raised in the ancient gesture of prayer
parchment
lambskin prepared as a surface for painting or writing
Pentateuch
first five books of the Hebrew Scriptures
Piet�
painted or sculpted representation of the Virgin Mary mourning over the body of the dead Christ
plan
horizontal arrangement of the parts of a building or of the buildings and streets of a city or town, or a drawing or diagram showing such an arrangement
prefiguration
in Early Christian art, depiction of Old Testament persons and events as prophetic forerunners of Christ and New Testament events
relics
body parts, clothing, or objects associated with a holy figure, such as the Buddha or Christ or a Christian saint
rotulus
manuscript scroll used by Egyptians, Greeks, Etruscans and Romans; predecessor of the codex
saint
from Latin word sanctus meaning "made holy by God"; person who suffered and died for their Christian faith or who merited reverence for their Christian devotion while alive; in the Roman Catholic Church, a worthy deceased Catholic who is canonized by the
Theotokos
Greek "bearer of God"; Virgin Mary
Torah
Hebrew scroll containing the Pentateuch
transept
part of a church with an axis that crosses the nave at a right angle
typology
in Christian theology, recognition of concordances between events, especially between episodes in the New and Old Testaments
vellum
calfskin prepared as a surface for writing or painting
chancel
arch or choir of a church
choir
space reserved for the clergy and singers in the church
cloissonn�
process of enameling employing cloisons
Greek cross
cross with four arms of equal length
icon
portrait or image regarded as an object of veneration
iconoclasm
destruction of images
iconoclast
destroyer of images
iconophile
person who opposed iconoclasm
iconostasis
screen or partition with doors and many tiers of icons, separating the sanctuary from the main body of the church
mandorla
almond-shaped nimbus surrounding the figure of Christ or other sacred figure
martyrium
martyr's shrine
monastery
group of buildings in which monks live together, set apart from the secular community of a town
monastic
relating to life in a monastery
muqarna
stucco decoration of Islamic buildings in which stalactite-like forms break a structure's solidity
oratory
church of a Christian monastery
Pantokrator
Greek "ruler of all"; Christ as ruler and judge of heaven and earth
parekklesion
side chapel in a Byzantine church
paten
large shallow bowl or plate for the bread used in Eucharist
pendentive
concave, triangular section of a hemisphere, four of which provide the transition from a square area to the circular base of a covering dome; support the dome
refectory
dining hall of a Christian monastery
solidus
Byzantine gold coin
squinch
architectural device used as a transition from a square to a polygonal or circular base for a dome
templon
columnar screen separating the sanctuary from the main body of a Byzantine church
triptych
three-paneled painting, ivory plaque or altarpiece; small, portable shrine with hinged wings used for private devotion
caliph
Islamic ruler, regarded as a successor of Muhammad
calligraphy
Greek "beautiful writing"; handwriting or penmanship, especially elegant writing as a decorative art
congregational mosque
city's main mosque, designed to accommodate a community's entire Muslim population for the Friday noon prayer
Friday mosque
congregational mosque
great mosque
congregational mosque
cuerda seca
type of polychrome tilework used in decorating Islamic buildings
enamel
decorative coating, usually colored, fused onto the surface of metal, glass or ceramics
finial
crowning ornament
Hijra
flight of Muhammad from Mecca to Medina in 622, the year from which Islam dates its beginnings
imam
in Islam, the leader of collective worship
iwan
in Islamic architecture, a vaulted rectangular recess opening onto a courtyard
Kaaba
Arabic "cube"; small cubical building in Mecca, Islamic world's symbolic center
Koran
Islam sacred book, composed of surahs divided into verses
Kufic
early form of Arabic script, characterized by angularity, with the uprights forming almost right angles with the baseline
madrasa
Islamic theological college adjoining and often containing a mosque
maqsura
in some mosques, a screened area in front of the mihrab reserved for a ruler
mihrab
semicircular niche set into the qibla wall of a mosque
minbar
in a mosque, the pulpit on which the imam stands
mosaic tilework
Islamic decorative technique in which large ceramic panels are fired, cut into smaller pieces, and set in plaster
mosque
Islamic building for collective worship; from Arabic word masjid meaning "place for bowing down
Muhaqqaq
cursive style of Islamic calligraphy
qibla
direction (toward Mecca) Muslims face when praying
sultan
Muslim ruler
Sunnah
collection of the Prophet Muhammad's moral sayings and descriptions of his deeds
surah
chapter of the Koran, divided into verses
bhakti
in Buddhist thought, the adoration of a personalized deity as a means of achieving unity with it; love felt by the devotee for the deity; in Hinduism the devout, selfless direction of all tasks and activities of life to the service of one god
chakravartin
in India, the ideal king, the Universal Lord who ruled through goodness
gopuras
massive, ornamented entrance gateway towers of South Indian temple compounds
miniature
small individual Indian painting intended to be held in the hand and viewed by one or two individuals at one time
Mughal
descended from the Mongols
Muslim
believer in Islam
pagoda
East Asian tower, usually associated with a Buddhist temple, having a multiplicity of winged eaves
pouncing
method of transferring a sketch onto paper or a wall by tracing, using thin paper or transparent gazelle skin placed on top of the sketch, pricking the contours of the design with a pin, placing the skin or paper on the surface to be painted, and forcing
shaykh
Islamic mystic saint
stained glass
in Gothic architecture, colored glass used for windows
taj
Arabic and Persian "crown
underglaze
in porcelain decoration, technique of applying mineral colors to the surface before the main firing, followed by an application of clear glaze
Amarna style
art created during reign of Akhenaton, features a more relaxed figure style than in Old and New Kingdom art
in situ
Latin; something in it's original location
sarcophagus
stone coffin
Shiva
Hindu god of creation and destruction
terra-cotta
hard ceramic clay used for building or making pottery
Basilican plan
axial/longitudinal plan; church with long nave whose focus is the apse; designed along an axis
nave
main aisle of church
cathedral
church where a bishop sits
psalter
book of Psalms
Mecca
birthplace of Muhammad; city Muslims face while praying
Medina
place Muhammad was first accepted as the Prophet; place of Muhammad's tomb
scriptorium
place in monastery where monks wrote manuscripts
cloister
rectangular open-air monastery courtyard with a covered arcade surrounding it
bay
space between two columns
campanile
bell tower of church; usually freestanding
archivolt
continuous molding framing an arch; one of a series of concentric bands framing tympanum of Romanesque or Gothic architecture
jamb
side post of a doorway
tympanum
space enclosed by a lintel and an arch over a doorway
triforium
blind arcaded gallery below clerestory in Gothic cathedral
trumeau
pillar or central post supporting lintel in middle of doorway in a church
ogee arch
arch formed by two S-shaped curves that meet at the top
pinnacle
sharply pointed ornament capping piers or flying buttresses of Gothic churches
International Gothic Style
style of fourteenth and fifteenth century painting begun by Simone Martini; characterized by elegant and intricate interpretations of naturalistic subjects and minute detailing and patterning in drapery and color; aristocratic taste
Maest�
painting of Mary as Queen of Heaven surrounded by angels and saints
predella
base of altarpiece
maniera greca
Italian "Greek manner"; Italo-Byzantine style of 13th century painting
polyptych
many-paneled altarpiece
grisaille
painting done in neutral shades of grey to simulate look of sculpture
humanism
intellectual movement in Renaissance that emphasized secular over religious; attracted to classical past;
orthogonal
line that appears to recede toward a vanishing point in a painting with linear perspective
trompe l'oeil
French "fools the eye"; form of illusionist painting that aims to deceive viewer into believing representations are real objects
genre painting
painting in which scenes of everyday life are depicted
still life
painting of a group of inanimate objects
villa
chateau; large country estate; manor house
anamorphic image
distorted image that must be viewed by some special means to be recognized
woodcut
wooden block on surface of which parts not intended to print are cut away to a slight depth, leaving the design raised; printed impression made by such a block
f�te galante
French "amorous festival"; type of Rococo painting depicting outdoor amusements of French upper-class