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Early Christian / Byzantine Vocab Flashcards

1
Q

Catacombs

A

a subterranean burial ground consisting of tunnels on different levels, having niches for urns and sarcophagi and incorporating cubiculi

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2
Q

Cathedra

A

chair or throne of the bishop

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3
Q

Iconography

A

imaging representing a sacred figures and believed to deliver messages to god

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4
Q

Necropolis

A

“city of the dead”; burial area

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5
Q

Personification

A

attribution of human characteristics in inanimate objects

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6
Q

Sarcophagus

A

stone coffin decorated with relief

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7
Q

Syncretism

A

in religion or philosophy, the union of different ideas or principles

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8
Q

Cherub/Cherubim

A

in christian art, a round, winged boy (cupid)

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9
Q

Codex

A

a book or group of manuscript pages (folios) bound together

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10
Q

Lunette

A

a semicircular wall area, framed by an arch over a door or window; can be plain or decorated

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11
Q

Manuscript

A

a handwritten book or document

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12
Q

Medallion

A

any round ornament or decoration

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13
Q

Miniatures

A

illustrations within albums or manuscripts or intimate portraits

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14
Q

Mosaic

A

images formed by small colored stone/glass pieces (tesserae) affixed to a hard surface

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15
Q

Orant figure

A

representation of a standing figure praying with outstretched and upraised arms

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16
Q

Parchment

A

writing surface made from treated skins of animals; fine parchment: vellum

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17
Q

Putto/Putti

A

a plump, naked little boy, often winged in classical art called a cupid, Christian art called a cherub

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18
Q

Quire

A

a collection of leaves of parchment

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19
Q

Scroll

A

rolled paper with hard support on each end

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20
Q

Tesserae

A

small pieces used for mosaic

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21
Q

Vellum

A

thin parchment

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22
Q

Aisle

A

passage or open corridor that parallels main space of building on both sides

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23
Q

Ambulatory

A

the walkway passage around the apse in a basilican church or around the central space in a central plan building

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24
Q

Apse

A

large semicircular niche jutting out of a building; in christian church, it contains the altar

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25
Arcade
a series of arches carried by columns and supporting a common wall or lintel
26
Arcosolium
an arched recess area used as a place of entombment
27
Atrium
unroofed, interior courtyard or in front of a christian church
28
Baptistry
separate, centrally planned structure surrounding the baptismal font
29
Basilica
large rectangular building with clerestory, side aisles separated from the center nave by colonnades, and an apse at the east end
30
Blind Arcade
arcade style with no actual openings; engaged for decoration
31
Buttress
added support from adjacent masonry elements
32
Ciborium
pavilion-like structure supported on four columns
33
Clerestory
topmost zone of a wall with windows in a basilica extending above the aisle roofs
34
Colonnade
row of columns that support straight lintel or series of arches
35
Crypt
underground vault
36
Cruciform
cross-shaped (building)
37
Cubiculum
small rooms for sarcophagi; painted with imagery related to their owners’ religious beliefs
38
Dome
round vault, usually over circular space; two types: pendentive, squinch
39
Loculi
long, rectangular niches in the walls that held 2-3 bodies
40
Mausoleum
building used as a tomb
41
Naos
principal room in a temple or church (nave and sanctuary)
42
Narthex
entrance porch (vestibule) of a church
43
Nave
central space of a basilica, usually flanked by aisles
44
Portal
grand entrance, door, or gate to an important building; often decorated with sculpture
45
Sanctuary
sacred/holy enclosure used for worship
46
Spandrel
area between two arches, as in an arcade
47
Spolia
materials used from previous buildings
48
Tau Plan
building in the shape of the Tau cross
49
Tholos
small, round building; sometimes built underground
50
Tondo
circular painting or relief sculpture
51
Transept
arm of a cruciform church, perpendicular to nave
52
Citron (etrog)
Sukkot emblem symbolizing bounty of earth and unity of all Jews
53
Cross
primary Christian emblem representing Jesus Christ and Christian religion as a whole; symbolizes suffering and triumph of Jesus’ Crucifixion and Resurrection
54
Dove
purity; represents peace when shown with olive branch
55
Fish
Jesus Christ; first letters of “Jesus Christ”, “Son of God”, “Savior” spelled out fish in Greek
56
Lamb
Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross; flock represents disciples cared for by Good Shepherd “Jesus Christ”
57
Lion
St. Mark the Evangelist; imperial figure
58
Lulav
sheaf of palm
59
Palm Trees
symbolizes the bounty of the earth and unity of all Jews
60
Shofar
ram’s horn blown on ceremonial occasions
61
Willow branches
Sukkot emblem that symbolizes bounty of earth and unity of all Jews
62
XP
(Chi rho) First two letters of the word Christos
63
Deésis
“entreaty” Important theme in art consisting of Christ flanked by Mary and Saint John the Baptist
64
Fibulae
a brooch used to fasten cloak
65
Icon
image representing a sacred figure
66
Iconoclasm
banning or destruction of icons and religious art
67
Iconostasis
partition screen in church between sanctuary and body of church and displays icon
68
Pantokrator
“Ruler of all” Status of Jesus Christ
69
Tablion
decorative rectangular panel on clothing
70
Theotokos
“God bearer” Status of Mary, can also be interpreted as Christian community on earth
71
Apsidial Chapel
rounded space off the ambulatory; circular rooms that flank the apse
72
Buttress
supports for walls of the building
73
Drum
wall that supports dome
74
Exedra
semicircular niche
75
Gallery
story found above side aisles of church, usually open to and overlooking the nave
76
Pendentive
concave triangular section of vault that forms transition between square or polygonal space and circular base of dome
77
Oculus
circular opening at apex of dome
78
Quincunx
building in which five domed bays are arranged within a square, with a central unit and four corner units
79
Squinch
arch or lintel built across upper corners of a square space
80
Cloisonné
enamel technique in which metal wire or strips are affixed to the surface to form the design. The resulting areas (cloisons) are filled with enamel (colored glass)
81
Diptych
two decorated panels of equal size hinged together
82
Mandorla
almond-shaped area of light encircling the entire figure of a sacred person
83
Scriptoria
a room in a monastery for writing or copying manuscripts
84
Triptych
artwork of three panels that are hinged together so that side segments fold over central area
85
Reverse Perspective
orthogonals or rays of sight do not converge on a vanishing point, but are thought to originate in the viewer’s eye in front of the picture. Image is constructed with orthogonal that diverge, giving slightly tipped aspect to objects
86
Opus sectile
technique where materials were cut and inlaid into walls
87
Opus tessellatum
technique using small tesserae to make mosaics
88
Tromp l’oeil
manner of representation where appearance of natural space and objects is re-created with intention of fooling the eye of viewer, who may be convinced that subject is actually three dimensional
89
Pendentive
spherical triangles between arches that rise to form openings where dome rests
90
Squinch
Lintels placed across upper corner of wall and supported by arch or corbelled arches. Provides solid base drum for dome.
91
Matthew
Human
92
Mark
Lion
93
Luke
Ox
94
John
Eagle
95
Latin Cross
cross with longer descending arm, most common (the regular one)
96
Greek Cross
all arms of cross are equal length
97
Russian Cross
contains three bars rather than one
98
Tau Cross
Looks like a T
99
Saint Peter's Cross
Upside down regular cross
100
Alpha and Omega
I and X / A and 3 on side

► Art History (41 decks)

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