midterm Flashcards
accession number
the number is always the year first, the [insert number] object received that year
provenance
the history of the object before it to the museum
discourse
written or spoken communication or debate
pre-history
the period before written history
paleolithic
the early phase of the Stone Age
Neolithic
the later part of the Stone Age
BCE
before common era
BC
before christ
AD
anno domini, which is latin for ‘in the year of our Lord’
Mesopotamia
the cradle of civilization; the “center of culture”; a historic region in Western Asia that is now part of Syria, part of Turkey, and most of Iraq
vernacular
that becomes the accepted representation of a place
stylized
depicted or treated in a mannered and nonrealistic style
mannered
marked by idiosyncratic mannerisms; artificial; stilted
megalithic
relating to or denoting prehistoric monuments made of or containing large stones [ex stonehenge]
monolithic
formed of a single large block of stone; large, powerful
colonnade
series of columns
allegorical
(storytelling) carvings and decorative details
acropolis
city is above; high city
high inspiration for Western culture government and architecture
Athens
ancient greek architecture
- focus of symmetry and balance
- formal characteristics in structure and decor
- parthenon was build of the doric order
doric columns
simplest type of column
volutes
are in ionic columns
ionic columns
round columns
corinthian columns
is the most elaborate column
pilaster
there is no space to walk around vs a column
pediment
the triangle on top
who designed neo-classical
Palladio
frieze
lies below the triangle pediment
can be plain, can be allegorical
what was the root of democracy
Parthenon / Athens, Greece
oculus
a round or eye-like opening or design, a round window
the original originates from the panthenon
fluted
not a smooth column
roman arch
rather than gothic or Moorish arch
half circle, almost always have a keystone
gothic arch
always comes to a slight point
citadel
city has walls, fortified structure, walled city
bodhisattva
a Buddhist deity who has attained enlightenment but chosen to delay their entry to nirvana (to help others reach enlightenment)
buddha
someone who has achieved full enlightenment
where were Mayan people located?
southern Mesoamerica, on the Yucatan peninsula
three A’s of Mayan civilization
art, astronomy, agriculture
Mayan people were known for their
hieroglyphics, calendrical system, astronomy, mathematics, etc…
the maize god
Mayan god (because of agriculture) represents cycles of death and rebirth, became one of the most honored gods
carved lintels
used as signs of power at temples
allegorical
atrium
the large open-air space surrounded by walls or a building
narthex
typical of early Christian or byzantine structures; entry or love area, usually opposite the main altar. Sometimes it is essentially the hallway