PPT 2 - Exam 1 Flashcards

1
Q

Prehistoric settlements and megalith constructions

A

Prehistory- the period before the appearance of written language (35,000 BC - 3,500 BC)

Note 3,500 - Sumerian written language appears

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2
Q

Ukraine (Russian plane) 14,000 BC

A

Mammoth bones and pine poles, lining of animal skins, a central hearth
The framework of the largest dome shaped hut constrained skeleton elements form approximately 100 mammoths, structure is probably used for rituals and ceremony
At Mezhirich in 1965, a farmer dig up the lower jaw bone of a mammoth while in the process of expanding his cellar, further excavations revealed the presence of four huts, made up of a total of 149 mammoth bones

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3
Q

Between Novgorod and Moscow (12,000 BC)

A

Cluster of skin covered huts
The largest hut had an irregular shape , 39 ft by 13 ft , formed by 3 interlocking cons of tree branches, opening at the top to allow smoke to escape from the 3 fireplaces

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4
Q

Jericho, Israel (ca 8,000 BC)

A

Fortified settlement
Stone wall 27 ft thick
Area = 10 acres
Earliest dwellings - circular mud huts with conical roofs

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5
Q

Catal Huyuk, Anatolia, Turkey (6,500 - 5,700 BC)

KNOW THIS

A

Densely packed rectangular dwellings, with a post and lintel timber framework
Walls made of mud-bricks with high opening for ventilation and light
The walls of the house adjoined the walls of the neighboring house, forming a perimeter twin wall
Intermingles with the houses were smaller windowless worship units (shrines) decorated with cult statues of deities and decorative motives
No streets (access through roofs)
Precursors is the urban developments establish in the Fertile Crescent 3 millenniums late around 3,000 BC in Mesopotamia

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6
Q

Western Europe - megalith constructions (mega=great, life=stone)

A

Tombs: constructed to protest the remains of the ancestors, show reverence and to mark territories were building on important, visible locations

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7
Q

Spain and France

A

< 4000 BC
chambered tombs
Dry wall masonry (stones laid without mortar) with corbelled roofs
Stabilized with an earth covering

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8
Q

Ireland

A

Has more than 500 megalith tombs
Decorated boulders around the mound
Interior stone work decorated with engraved rhombs and spirals

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9
Q

Trilithons

A

Two upright stones supporting a lintel stone

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10
Q

Tenons

A

Knobs left on the top of the upright stones of the trilithons
To fit into socket holes carved into the underside of the lintel stone

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11
Q

Mortises

A

The holes carved into the underside of the lintel stones
Trilithons are assembled through mortise and tenon joint

Stone hedge- used to establish solstices, solar eclipses and Luna eclipses

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12
Q

Significance of these settlements

A

Building and orienting megalith tombs provided the scientific knowledge and work experience to produce one of the most astonishing architectural works of all time

Stonehenge - culmination of construction skills and scientific observation of the prehistoric era
Bluestones of Wales transporter by water 190 miles and dragged over land
Sarsen stones were probably dragged from about 15 miles

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13
Q

Ancient Mesopotamia

A

In Greek means between two rivers
Meso= Middle , potamia = river

No definite boundaries
Covers nowadays Iraq, NE Syria, SE Turkey, SW Iran

Euphrates and Tigris (rivers)
Origin - Taurus mountains of eastern Turkey
Ends - Persian gulf
Euphrates more navigable with a unifying effect on the communities developed along its banks
Unite near Basra

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14
Q

More about ancient Mesopotamia

A

Use rivers for irrigation
Fertile lands and cultivated crops and created surpluses
Large urban population that specialized in different fields

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15
Q

Sumerians (4000 BC - 2350 BC)

A

Considered the worlds 1st civilization
Located in southern Mesopotamia- present day Middle East (Iran and Iraq)
Mastered irrigation using Euphrates river
Mastered the art of cultivating land (barley and wheat) and domesticated animals (sheep, goats, donkeys, and oxen)
Developed in independent urban communities city states
Biggest invention - cuneiform writing on clay tablets developed around 3500 BC to record governmental transactions and account for inventory of grain and other products
This ended the prehistoric era

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16
Q

Sumerians continued

A
Believed in gods of natural elements and in a mutual inter-dependence between people and the gods 
Anu- god of sky 
Enlil- god of earth 
Ea -god of water 
Utu- god of sun 
Nanner- god of moon 
Inanna - goddess of fertility 
Religious shrines - temples of gods and excess food storage area- were at the center of the urban communities
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17
Q

Eridu

A

The earliest settlement in the region, founded close to the Persian gulf, near the mouth of the Euphrates river
Originally had a small shrine with a brick alter and a small niche (wall recess) surrounded by dwelling houses
Successive improvements to the original shrine ended in a temple enclosed in buttressed walls built on a plant form

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18
Q

Buttress

A

Masonry reinforcement applied to walls to provide additional strength

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19
Q

Sumerian cities

A

Tepe Gawra- a city 500 miles north of eridu

Had an acropolis = the location of most important temples and religious shrines
2 temples, one shrine, and family dwellings
Facades reinforced with buttressing pilasters

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20
Q

Facade

A

The front exterior of a building

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21
Q

Pilaster

A

Rectangular column, enhanced in a wall, which is sometimes articulated as an order

22
Q

Sumerian cities continued

A

Uruk - the largest settlement in southern Mesopotamia, if not the world

White temple (3500-3000 BC) 
Built on a 40 ft high platform 
Rubble of previous buildings 
Earth and sun dried bricks 
Covered with water resistant white wash 

Temple had a sanctuary flanked by additional side rooms build on each side of a hall

23
Q

Sumerian cities continued

A

Eanna- two groups of temples flanking a courtyard
Decorated with a mosaic of small terra-cotta cones
Base dipped in black, white, and red glaze
Tip inserted into the clay of the wall
Developed an alternating pattern of circular elements

24
Q

Mosaic

A

A floor, wall, ceiling decoration composed of small pieces of colored glass or stone that form designs

25
Q

Terracotta

A

Unglazed fired clay, often used for ornamental purposes

26
Q

Akkadians

A

2,350 BC akkadians (Semitic people) took over the Sumerian civilization

Sipar and Akkad cities with centralized government led by priests and a warrior king

27
Q

Neo-Sumerians

A

2150 BC the Akkadian empire was conquered by the Guti tribes

Their military power was short lived

Reminiscence of the Sumerian political supporters started the so called neo-Sumerian period (2150-2000 BC)

Urban communities continued to develop around temples elevated on tiered artificial mounds called ziggurats

28
Q

Ziggurat

A

A stepped pyramid form used in ancient Mesopotamia as the platform for religious buildings

Construction process: a series of stepped platforms with inward-sloping walls
Made of sun dried bricks
Bounded together with bitumen, reed matting, or rope for stability
Protected by a weather resistant kilnfired brick exterior layer for durability

29
Q

Role of ziggurats

A

To elevate the temples to the god
Facilitate a more direct communication between priests and gods
To recreate the mountain environment they came from
Protect the sacred temple from flood waters
Provide visual prominence

Only the base survived in time of the three tiers toped by a temple dedicated to the moon god, nanna

30
Q

Babylonians, Hittites, Assyrians

A

1,800 BC city of Babylon dominated Mesopotamia
1830 BC info-European hittites overrun Babylonians and took over norther Mesopotamia
Further south Semitic Assyrians took control of the area
They building strongly fortified successive capitals along Tigris river at:
-calah (present day Iraq)
-dur-sharrukin (khorsabad)
-nineveh (kuyunjik)

Khorsabad- royal city built by Sargon 11, CA 720 BC - illustrates the main characteristic of their architecture and planning

31
Q

The Persians

A

539-331 BC the expansion of the Persian empire

Palace complex of Persepolis
-city founded in 518 BC by Darius
-ceremonial capital (along with susu - administrative capitol and pasargadae - court life capitol)
-architectural influence from: Egyptians, hittities, Assyrians
Main characteristics
-built on a stone platform of 1500 x 900 ft
-beautiful carved sumptuous stairways
-fabulous hall of 100 columns -thrown room

32
Q

Ancient Egypt

A

Ca 3000 BC

Another center of civilization emerged in Northern Africa along the nile river

33
Q

Ben-Ben stone

A

Was a sacred stone in the solar temple of Heliopolis

34
Q

Symbolism

A

Obelisks and pyramids symbolize the connection between the ruler and the sun god

35
Q

Obelisk

A

A stone monolith, square in plan, with sides tapering toward a pyramidal top

36
Q

Mastaba

A

Egyptian tomb with a flat top an sloping sides
Built over a grave shaft

Characteristics
Similar to the dwellings of the living
Used materials durable in time : mud bricks or stone
2 chambers:
-a small offering chapel
-one hidden chamber for the body and a statue of the deceased
A deep shaft was to added with an early revision and the burial chamber was moved underground at the base of the shaft

37
Q

First pyramids

A

The step pyramid, saqqara, ca. 2630 BC

Designed by Imhotep- architect, engineer, sage, doctor, astronomer, and high priest

Egypt’s 1st monumental construction in stone
The 1st step pyramid for pharaoh djosers (3rd dynasty) funerary complex at saqqara
Comprised of 6 traditional mastabas each smaller than the previous one piled on top of each other
Provides the pharaohs way to Ra after death
One single true entrance and many false ones
Dummy buildings similar to the ones at djosers palace
Pyramid was faced with white limestone, the rest of the complex and all the decorative details made of stone

38
Q

First pyramids

A

Meidum sneferu’s pyramid (onion)

Built at Meidum, 6 miles south of Saqqara
Might have been started by Huni - the last pharaoh of the 3rd dynasty
Finished by Huni’s son, Sneferu (2613-2589 BC) - the first pharaoh of the 4th dynasty, who became the greatest pyramid builder in Egyptian history by completing 3 of them
7 stage stepped pyramid core
Transformed to a true pyramid by adding 2 layers of outer casings
With the addition of the 3rd outer layer of limestone, the top part collapsed
Burial chamber - the first Egyptian stone corbelled construction

39
Q

Dahshur sneferu’s south pyramid (bent)

A

Built at dahshur, 28 miles south of Meidum

Starts out at one angle and then the inclination angle changes

Stabilizing factors

  • firm limestone foundation
  • solid core
  • reduced inclination angle
40
Q

Dahshur sneferu’s north pyramid (red)

A

Last pyramid built by sneferu, ca 1.5 miles north of the bent pyramid
Oldest true pyramid in Egypt
Red from the oxidation of the core limestone exposed
Constant angle

41
Q

The great pyramids at Giza

2550-2460 BC

A

During the 4th dynasty
Work of sneferu’s descendents

Son, grandson, and great grandson worked on one of the three
Refer to picture

42
Q

Great pyramid of Khufu (2551-2528 BC)

A

3 chambers

Saddle roof

Ascending passage
Grand gallery
Both kings and queens chambers have a pair of ventilation shafts pointing to the North Pole Star and Orion

43
Q

Pyramid of Khafre (2520-2494 BC)

A

Second largest pyramid complex

Stands on higher ground than Khufu’s - makes it seem taller

One burial chamber made of granite at ground level close to the middle of the pyramid

Distinguished by: the original limestone casing preserved at the top of the pyramid, the adjacent Sphinx temple and countless statues throughout the area

44
Q

Pyramid of Menkaure (2490-2472 BC)

A

Smallest of the 3 pyramids

Limestone and granite

Sarcophagus made of basalt

45
Q

Tomb of Mentuhotep II, at Dier-el-Bahari (ca. 2061-2010 BC)

A

Hypostyle Hall- large hall composed of many columns placed together to support a roof

Nowadays is a ruin
Axial route from the Nile
T shaped, 2 level colonnaded terrace built around a massive flat-roofed Hall
Coaxial followed a courtyard, a hypostyle Hall, and the burial vault carved in the mountain

46
Q

Beni Hasan

Ca. 2000-1900 BC

A

Cemetery site located in the middle Egypt region
More typical of Middle Kingdom tombs
-rock cut tombs
-with sheltering porticoes
-interior decorations replicate the interior of ordinary houses

47
Q

Portico

A

Colonnaded porch

48
Q

Queen Hatshepsut Mortuary Temple, Deir-el-Bahari

Ca. 1473-1458 BC

A

Hatshepsut - first important female ruler known to history
Buried in the valley of the kings

One of the most impressive temples, dedicated to God Amun (sun)

Senmut- the architect, designed and built the temple with some of the aspects on Mentuhotep’s neighboring temple, but on a grander scale

Ramps (key difference from other temple in the mountain-side) led to 3 broad terraces, defined by colonnaded supporting the next level
Processional way ends at a false door painted on the rock wall
Columns in the northern part of the 2nd terrace resemble the Doric style
Sanctuaries are decorated with relief carvings and wall paintings depicting scenes from her life

49
Q

The great temple of Amun, Karnak

Ca. 1550-323 BC

A

Constructed in stages, with often improved and renovated

Buildings are arranged along the processional route from the Nile to the nearby temple site of Luxor

Pylons (massive entrance with sloping walls and central opening) represent:

  • the entrance through which the sun was reborn daily
  • the gates to the underworld, through which the eternal spirit must pass
50
Q

Newgrange

A

Marks a significant spot
Aligned with cosmic events
Involves a path (from profane to sacred space)
Includes ornament

51
Q

Ziggurats, pyramids, obelisks, Egyptian temples

A

Exploited open terrain
Manmade vertical fouls for the natural horizon
Axial movement toward a terminal point, providing a rhythm and signaling change
Columns important for structure and architectural features