abacus
the uppermost portion of the capital of a column, usally a thin slab
acropolis
Greek, "high city." Usually the site of the city's most important temples.
agora
an open square or space used for public meetings or business in ancient Greek cities. "gathering place
Amazonomachy
In Greek mythology, the battle between the Greeks and Amazons.
amphiprostyle
A classical temple plan in which the columns are placed across both the front and back, but not along the sides.
amphora
an ancient greek two-handled jar used for general storage purposes, usually to hold wine or oil
apotropaic
capable of warding off evil
apse
a recess, often semicircular, in the wall of a Roman basilica or at the east end of a church
Archaic
the artistic style of of 600-480bce in greece. characterized by the use of the composite view for painted and relief figures and of egyptian stances for statues
archaic smile
The smile that appears on all Archaic Greek statues from about 570 to 480 BCE. The smile is the Archaic sculptor's way of indicating that the person portrayed is alive.
augur
a roman priest who determined the will of the gods from the flight of birds and whose attribute is the lituus
bilingual vases
experimental greek vases produced for a short time in the late 6th century bce. one side had black-figure decorations while the other had red-figure.
black-figure painting
the silhouetting of dark figures against a light background of natural reddish clay, with linear details incised through the silhouette, In early Greek pottery, the silhouetting of dark figures against a light background of natural, reddish clay, with lin
caduceus
Hermes' (messenger of the gods) magical staff entwined with snakes with wings at the top. given to him by Apollo. now a symbol for the medical profession.
canon
a rule, for example, of proportion. used for making "correct" statues and buildings. Polykleitos of the 5th century BCE wrote a Canon, a treatise incorporating his formula for the perfectly proportioned statue.
caryatid
A female figure that functions as a supporting column
cavea
latin for "hollow place or cavit." the seating area in ancient greek and roman theatres
cella
The chamber at the center of an ancient temple; in a classical temple, the room (Greek, naos) in which the cult statue usually stood.
centaur
(classical mythology) a mythical being that is half man and half horse
centauromachy
In ancient Greek mythology, the battle between the Greeks and the centaurs
chiton
A Greek tunic, the essential (and often only) garment of both men and women, the other being the himation, or mantle.
cire perdue
a bronze casting method in which the figure is molded in wax, covered in clay then fired, melting the wax and hardening the clay, leaving a mold for the molten metal
colonnade
A series or row of columns, usually spanned by lintels
Classical
the art and culture of ancient greece between 480-323 BCE. when written lowercase it refers more generally to Greco-Roman art and culture
contrapposto
("counterbalance") It is the graceful arrangement of the body based on tilted shoulders and hips, one bent knee, and all the weight of the body placed on the "engaged" leg. Alternating parts of the body flexed and relaxed. It is a method developed by the
cult statue
the statue of the deity that stood in the cella of an ancient temple
Daedalic
The Greek Orientalizing sculptural style of the 7th century bce, named after the legendary Daedalus. Egyptian postres
demos
greek for "the people". from which "democracy" is derived
Doric
Along with Ionian and Corinthian; distinct style of Hellenistic architecture; the least ornate of the three styles. characterized by heavy fluted columns with plain, saucer-shaped capitals and no base.
emblema
the central framed figural panel of a mosaic floor
encaustic
a painting technique in which the pigment is mixed with hot wax, A painting technique in which pigment is mixed with melted wax and applied to the surface while the mixture is hot.
entablature
the part of a building above the columns and below the roof. the entablature has 3 parts: architrave, frieze, and pediment.
entasis
the convex profile (apparent swelling) in the shaft of a colmn
Geometric
The style of Greek art between the 9th and 8th centuries bce, characterized by abstract geometric ornament anf schematic figures. Examples being the bronze centaur sculpture and the Dipylon Krater
Dipylon Krater
Greece, Geometric period, ca. 740 BCE, features a mourning scene and procession in honor of the deceased, art of story telling is revived, effort to impose order in a chaotic world, horror vaccui (fear of empty spaces), meander pattern (key pattern), a kr
gorgon
In classical mythology: any of three sister monsters commonly represented as having snakes for hair, wings, brazen claws, and eyes that turned anyone looking in them to stone. Medusa, the only mortal Gorgon, was beheaded by Perseus; a mean, ugly or repuls
Hellenistic
(adj.) relating to the blend of Greek, Persian, Egyptian, and Indian culture that lasted from the death of Alexander the Great in 323 b.c. until Augustus became emperor in 27 b.c.
herm
a bust on a quadrangular pillar
himation
An ancient Greek mantle worn by men and women over the chiton and draped in various ways.
Hippodamian plan
A city plan devised by Hippodamos of Miletos ca. 466 BCE, in which a strict grid was imposed on a site, regardless of the terrain, so that all streets would meet at right angles.
hydria
a jug used for gathering water. Two handles were used for carrying and the third for pouring
hypaethral
A building having no pediment or roof, open to the sky.
investment
in hollow-casting, the final clay mold applied to the wax model.
Ionic
one of the 2 systems (or 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). The Ionic style is characterized by volutes, capitals
kore (pl korai)
young woman" archaic greek statue
kourus (pl kouroi)
young man" archaic Greek statue
lekythos
a flask containing perfumed oil. Lekythoi were often placed in greek graves as offerings.
meander
an ornament, usually in bands but also covering broad surfaces, consisting of interlocking geometric motifs. an ornamental pattern consisting of contiguous straight lines joined at right angles
monolith
a column shaft that is all in one piece (not composed of drums)A large single block or piece of stone use in megalithic strctures.
naos
the chamber at the center of an ancient temple. where the cult statue stood.
nymphs
in mythology, female divinities of springs, caves, and woods.
opisthodomos
the porch at the rear of a temple, set against the blank back wall of the cella.
Oracle
a prophetic message
Orientalizing
the early stage of Archaic Greek art (7th century bce) named because of the adoption of forms and motifs from the ancient near east and Egypt
orthogonal plan
the imposition of a strict grid plan on a site, regardless of the terrain, the that all streets met at right angles. See also Hippodamian Plan
palaestra
and ancient greek and roman exercise area, usually framed by a colonnade
peplos
a simple long woolen garment worn by women
peripteral
a colonnade all around the cella and its porches. a single row colonnade on all sides, as opposed to dipteral which is double
pinakotheke
picture gallery" building for the display of paintings on wood panels
polis (pl poleis)
an independent city-state in ancient Grece
portico
a roofed colonnade, also an entry porch
post and lintel system
construction where 2 posts support a lintel
prostyle
a temple that only has colmns in front, not the side or back
red-figure painting
later greek pottery style where red figures were on a black background. opposite of black figure. If one pot had both, it was bilingual
ridgepole
the beam running the length of a building under the peak of a gabled roof
satyr
A character from Greek mythology with the torso and head of a man but the ears, legs, and horns of a goat, known for enjoying self-indulgent celebrations
siren
in greek mythology half woman half bird
skene
stage of a classical theater
skiagraphia
shadow painting" Greek term for shading, said to have been invented by Apollodoros, and Athenian painter in 5th century bce
slip
a mixture of fine clay and water used in ceramic decoration
stoa
an open building with a roof supported by a colonnade
symmetria
commensurability of parts", an Ancient Greek term that was used by Polykleitos to describe the harmonious relationship of parts to the whole.
symposium
an ancient Greek banquet for the citizens (aka no women or slaves or foreigners) but women were there as servants and prostitutes.
tessera
the small piece of stone, glass, or other object that is pieced together with many others to create a mosaic
theatron
place for seeing" the slope overlooking the orchestra where the spectators sat.
treasury
small building set up for the safe storage of votive offerings
tripod
deep bowl on three-legged stand
volute
a spiral, scroll-like form characteristic of the ancient greek Ionic , A spiral, scroll-like form characteristic of the ancient Greek Ionic and the Roman Composite capital.
white ground painting
an ancient greek vase-painting technique in which the 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