Greek Housing Flashcards
What kind of info does domestic architecture provide?
What kinds of people built & lived in these housing and what their main concerns were
What do the construction & materials show?
They are manifestations of culturally constructed ideas of taste, wealth, & power
What do paths of access reveal?
How the builders & inhabitants viewed concepts like privacy and represent strategies of social control - restricted access to any room may indicate a desire to limit entrance to that room
What were the main concerns of the Athenians?
Privacy & security - They were deeply conscious of the bounds between public & private life
Why is the most known about the richer & upper level houses?
Poorer houses were made of perishable materials like wood & clay. The same is true for tombs
What building materials were used?
Houses were generally built with sun-dried mud bricks, supported with timbers, & set on a stone foundation
What did the interior walls look like?
Generally coated with a layer of plaster & richer homes sometimes had fresco decorations
What were the floors like?
Made of beaten earth or clay & occasionally covered with reed mats or animal skins
What were the roofs made out of?
Wooden slats covered with terracotta tiles
What was the house typically organized around?
An un-roofed courtyard
What was the courtyard in the Iron Age?
Hard to define; as it was the space directly in front of the house & could be used by several houses
What were the functions of the courtyard?
Let in light & fresh air, regulate movement within the house, & was the setting for many daily activities
What was the andronitis?
A male space within the house: Where the master receives guests & male slaves work
What was the andron?
Dining hall & heart of the home with strong social & political associations
Describe the andron
Room with an offset door, usually 7 kline, often one of the most lavish rooms, the best dishware was used (distinguishes it from other spaces)
