Arch Study Guide
abacus - ANS-A tablet placed horizontally on top of the capital of a column as an aid in
supporting the architrave
acanthus - ANS-An ambigious flower and a style of plant used for the caps of the
corinthian columns
Acroterion or acroterium (plural = acroteria) - ANS-An upright ornament placed at the
apex and eaves of gabled roofs in Greek Architecture
Anathyrosis - ANS-Smooth dressing of the margin of ashlar stone or the drums
comprising the shaft of a classical column to ensure an accurate masonry joint
Anta (plural = antae) - ANS-slightly projecting column at the end of a wall, produced by
either a thickening of the wall or attachment of a separate strip
Architrave (or epistyle) - ANS-In Classical architecture, the bottom portion of an
entablature.
Ashlar masonry - ANS-carefully cut and regularly shaped blocks of stone used in
construction, fitted together without mortar
Capital - ANS-In Classical architecture, the termination of the column, generally given
decorative carving.
Caryatid - ANS-a pier carved in the shape of a standing woman and used in the place of
a column.
Cella (or naos) - ANS-The shrine room in the center of the temple
Choragic monument - ANS-a monument built to honor the winner of a choral contest in
ancient Greece
Chryselephantine - ANS-fashioned of gold and ivory
Clamp - ANS-Large mass of bricks or limestone arranged for burning
,Classical period (c. 480- 323 BCE) - ANS-The architectural grammar based on the
classical orders of ancient Greece and Rome
Column inclination - ANS-An element of entasis found at the Parthenon. Instead of
standing straight up, the columns lean slightly inwards.
Corinthian - ANS-A Greek column symmetrical on all four sides, with acanthus leaves
for decoration.
Cornice (or geison) - ANS-The uppermost element of an entablature, which projects
beyond the plane of the exterior wall; more generally, the overhanging molding atop any
building.
Dentils - ANS-A type of cornice molding composed of rectangular blocks set in a row
like teeth, hence the name
Doric - ANS-the Greek order that has a fluted shaft no base, and an echinus molding
supporting the abacus. Roman Doric columns have a base.
Doric frieze - ANS-A frieze containing alternating triglyphs and metopes.
Dowel - ANS-Headless peg, in, or bolt of wood used to fashion two members together
by being set into each part
Echinus - ANS-In the Doric Order, the round, cushion-like element between the top of
the shaft and the abacus. The top slopes down to the bottom.
Empolion - ANS-Vertical iron dowels for ashlar blocks, wooden empolia for column
drums
- Mason's marks
- Empolian cutting edge
• A dowel made of wood and you put it in two
columns
• Sealed core
Engaged columns - ANS-a half-round column attached to a wall
Entablature - ANS-In Classical architecture, the part of a building above the columns
and below the roof. This part of a Classical temple includes the architrave, frieze, and
cornice.
, Entasis - ANS-In classical architecture, the slight swelling or bulge in the center of a
column, which corrects the illusion of concave tapering produced by parallel or straight
lines
Epistyle (or architrave) - ANS-In Classical architecture, the bottom portion of an
entablature.
Flute - ANS-Vertical grooves incised in the shaft of a classical column
Frieze - ANS-The horizontal element above the architrave and below the cornice in an
entablature.
Geison (or cornice) - ANS-The part of the entablature that projects outward from the top
of the frieze in the Doric order and from the top of the frieze course of the Ionic and
Corinthian orders; it forms the outer edge of the roof on the sides of a structure with a
sloped roof.
Greek theater - ANS-Open-air structure in which plays were performed. The stage faced
the afternoon sunlight to illuminate the performance while allowing the audience to view
the action without squinting.
Grid plan - ANS-A plan that arranges spaces on a pre-defined, regular pattern of points
or intersecting parallel lines
Hellenistic period (c. 323-31 BCE) - ANS-- Alexander's empire is divided up by his
followers
- Fallen under political control by Rome (by 31 BCE)
Hippodamos (Hippodamus, ARCHITECT) - ANS-• (498-408 BCE)
• Born in Miletus, west coast of Asia Minor (modern Turkey) in the 5th century BCE
• Hippodemus was credited with "adding" innovative ciy design principles to the
orthogonal plan
• Space reserved for specific purposes (public, private, commercial, religious)
• Ideal composition of citizenship (Social planning related to architecture)
hypaethral - ANS-Structure without a roof, or partly open to the sky
Iktinos (Ictinus, ARCHITECT) - ANS-- Parthenon
- Temple of Apollo at Bassai
abacus - ANS-A tablet placed horizontally on top of the capital of a column as an aid in
supporting the architrave
acanthus - ANS-An ambigious flower and a style of plant used for the caps of the
corinthian columns
Acroterion or acroterium (plural = acroteria) - ANS-An upright ornament placed at the
apex and eaves of gabled roofs in Greek Architecture
Anathyrosis - ANS-Smooth dressing of the margin of ashlar stone or the drums
comprising the shaft of a classical column to ensure an accurate masonry joint
Anta (plural = antae) - ANS-slightly projecting column at the end of a wall, produced by
either a thickening of the wall or attachment of a separate strip
Architrave (or epistyle) - ANS-In Classical architecture, the bottom portion of an
entablature.
Ashlar masonry - ANS-carefully cut and regularly shaped blocks of stone used in
construction, fitted together without mortar
Capital - ANS-In Classical architecture, the termination of the column, generally given
decorative carving.
Caryatid - ANS-a pier carved in the shape of a standing woman and used in the place of
a column.
Cella (or naos) - ANS-The shrine room in the center of the temple
Choragic monument - ANS-a monument built to honor the winner of a choral contest in
ancient Greece
Chryselephantine - ANS-fashioned of gold and ivory
Clamp - ANS-Large mass of bricks or limestone arranged for burning
,Classical period (c. 480- 323 BCE) - ANS-The architectural grammar based on the
classical orders of ancient Greece and Rome
Column inclination - ANS-An element of entasis found at the Parthenon. Instead of
standing straight up, the columns lean slightly inwards.
Corinthian - ANS-A Greek column symmetrical on all four sides, with acanthus leaves
for decoration.
Cornice (or geison) - ANS-The uppermost element of an entablature, which projects
beyond the plane of the exterior wall; more generally, the overhanging molding atop any
building.
Dentils - ANS-A type of cornice molding composed of rectangular blocks set in a row
like teeth, hence the name
Doric - ANS-the Greek order that has a fluted shaft no base, and an echinus molding
supporting the abacus. Roman Doric columns have a base.
Doric frieze - ANS-A frieze containing alternating triglyphs and metopes.
Dowel - ANS-Headless peg, in, or bolt of wood used to fashion two members together
by being set into each part
Echinus - ANS-In the Doric Order, the round, cushion-like element between the top of
the shaft and the abacus. The top slopes down to the bottom.
Empolion - ANS-Vertical iron dowels for ashlar blocks, wooden empolia for column
drums
- Mason's marks
- Empolian cutting edge
• A dowel made of wood and you put it in two
columns
• Sealed core
Engaged columns - ANS-a half-round column attached to a wall
Entablature - ANS-In Classical architecture, the part of a building above the columns
and below the roof. This part of a Classical temple includes the architrave, frieze, and
cornice.
, Entasis - ANS-In classical architecture, the slight swelling or bulge in the center of a
column, which corrects the illusion of concave tapering produced by parallel or straight
lines
Epistyle (or architrave) - ANS-In Classical architecture, the bottom portion of an
entablature.
Flute - ANS-Vertical grooves incised in the shaft of a classical column
Frieze - ANS-The horizontal element above the architrave and below the cornice in an
entablature.
Geison (or cornice) - ANS-The part of the entablature that projects outward from the top
of the frieze in the Doric order and from the top of the frieze course of the Ionic and
Corinthian orders; it forms the outer edge of the roof on the sides of a structure with a
sloped roof.
Greek theater - ANS-Open-air structure in which plays were performed. The stage faced
the afternoon sunlight to illuminate the performance while allowing the audience to view
the action without squinting.
Grid plan - ANS-A plan that arranges spaces on a pre-defined, regular pattern of points
or intersecting parallel lines
Hellenistic period (c. 323-31 BCE) - ANS-- Alexander's empire is divided up by his
followers
- Fallen under political control by Rome (by 31 BCE)
Hippodamos (Hippodamus, ARCHITECT) - ANS-• (498-408 BCE)
• Born in Miletus, west coast of Asia Minor (modern Turkey) in the 5th century BCE
• Hippodemus was credited with "adding" innovative ciy design principles to the
orthogonal plan
• Space reserved for specific purposes (public, private, commercial, religious)
• Ideal composition of citizenship (Social planning related to architecture)
hypaethral - ANS-Structure without a roof, or partly open to the sky
Iktinos (Ictinus, ARCHITECT) - ANS-- Parthenon
- Temple of Apollo at Bassai
