Unit 2: Ancient Mediterranean: 3,500 BCE - 300CE Flashcards
cuneiform
wedge-shaped characters used in ancient writing systems of Mesopotamia, Persia, and Ugarit, surviving on clay tablets
ziggurat (ancient Mesopotamia)
rectangular shaped tower, often mounted by a temple
cella
inner area of an ancient temple
Anu
a supreme deity of Mesopotamia, god of the sky
Inanna
Sumerian goddess of love, beauty, sex, desire, fertility, war, combat, political power
city-state
city with surrounding territory forming an independent state
votive offering
objects displayed in a sacred place for religious purposes without intention of recovery or use
citadel
fortress on high ground, protecting/dominating a city
pharaoh
ancient Egyptian kings
palatte
thin board or slab in which colours or cosmetics are mixed
pharaonic mortuary temples
temples adjacent to royal Egyptian tombs, designed to commemorate the pharaoh and for use of the pharaoh’s cult
papyrus scroll
material made from papyrus reed used by ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans for writing/painting
papyrus reed motifs
common in Egyptian art, seen in tombs and temples
colonnade
row of columns supporting a roof, an entablature, or arcade
Lamassu
Assyrian protective deity, depicted as having human head, ox/lion body, bird’s wings
sunken reliefs
sculptural relief in which outlines are incised in a plane surface
acropolis (art)
fortified hilltop in an ancient Greek city
agora (art)
public open space in ancient Greece used for assemblies and markets
Amarna Style
art from the reign of Akhenaton with a more relaxed style
Ankh
Egyptian symbol of good luck and eternal life
amphora
ancient Greek two-handled jar used for storage purposes, usually wine or oil
apadana (art)
great audience hall in ancient Persian palaces
architrave
main beam resting on tops of columns
atrium
formal entrance of ancient Roman house, open to the sky at the centre and featuring a pool for collection of rain water
axial plane
plan in which parts of building are organized against an axis
base
lower part of column or pier
barrel vault
simplest form of vault, unbroken series of arches forming a tunnel-like shape
basilica
semicircular secular buildings used as law courts and markets, for public assemblies
bust
sculpture depicting person’s head, neck, and part of the chest
bent-axis approach
processional pathway up a temple, shape of an angular spiral, needs to turn to see the temple reliefs
coffer
sunken panel in ceilings, often square/rectangular and ornamental
capital
top part of a column
caryatid
sculpted female figure serving as building column
atlantid
building column shaped like a male figure
clerestory
row of windows in the upper part of a wall
composite figure
twist of body in representation, profile with feet, legs, hips and head turning to the side but torso forward
continuous narrative
work of art that contains several scenes of the same story painted/sculpted in single frame
contrapposto
asymmetrical arrangement of human figure where weight rests on one leg
Corinthian Order
base, fluted column, elaborate and decorated capital
cubiculum
private room in ancient Roman, high-status house
Doric Order
simplest order, unadorned columns with no base
encaustic
painting technique where pigment is mixed with was and applied to hot surface
entablature
continuous lintel on a classical building supported by columns or wall, holds the architrave, frieze, cornice
facade
front of building
foreshortening
visual effect where an objected is shortened and turned deeper to give the effect of receding
forum
public meeting place in Rome
fresco
painting done on fresh, wet plaster with water-based paints
funerary
embellishments added to resting place of the dead, meant to be seen after funeral ceremonies
groin vault
vault formed when two barrel vaults meet at right angles
ground line
painted or carved baseline in which figures seem to stand
hierarchy of scale
pictural convention where important figures are represented in a larger size
idealism
encourages art to realize a standard of perfection
Ionic Order
fluted column shaft, capitals with spiral volutes, large base
in situ
in its original place
Ka
ancient Egypt word for immortal human life force (soul)
krater
large, ancient Greek bowl used for mixing water and wine
kouros (m)/kore (f)
free-standing nude males/clothed maidens
keystone
centre stone of arch, holds others in place
lapis lazuli
bright blue rock used for colour, decoration, and jewellery
Mustaba
large rectangular structure used as tomb in ancient Egypt
metope
panel between the triglyphs, often sculpted in relief
necropolis
large, elaborate cemetery with tomb monuments
naturalism
style and theory or representation based on accurate depiction of detail
oculus
round opening at the centre of a dome
pediment
triangular upper part of the front of a Classical building
peplos
garment worn by ancient Greek women
peristyle
continuous porch formed by row of columns surrounding the perimetre of a building or courtyard
portico
entrance to a building with a covered and columned area
pylon
wide entrance of an Egyptian temple characterized by sloping wall
frieze
narrow band of sculpture that runs along the architrave of a building
register
horizontal bands that tell a narrative story
shaft
main support of a column or pier
stele
standing stone slab used in the ancient world as a grave marker, dedication, commemoration, and demarcation
stucco
fine plaster made of cement, sand, and lime for covering exterior walls of buildings
stoa
open building with roof supported by a row of columns parallel to the back wall
stylobate
uppermost course of the platform of a Greek temple
surrogate
literalist art object invokes customs of personal manners and civil reciprocity
tesserae
small piece of stone, glass, or other object pieced together with others to form a mosaic
triglyph
triple grooved member of frieze that alternates with metopes
Tuscan Order
Roman order of smooth columns that sit on simple bases with no carves on the frieze or capitals
vault
curved ceiling made of arches
verism
realistic style of Roman art that highlights imperfections of the face to emphasize old age and gravitas
volute
spiral, scroll like form characteristic of Greek Ionic and Roman Composite capital forms
wet drapery
cloth that appears to cling to the body in animated folds while revealing the contours of the form beneath
