Greek Vocab Flashcards by Teresa Shyr

Abacus

Flat slab on top of capital

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Acropolis

Ancient citadel at highest place

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Acroteria

Ornament at corner or peak of roof

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Adyton

Back room of Greek temple

Very private space/room

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Agora

Open space in town used as central gathering place or market

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Amphora

Jar used for storing oil/wine

Egg shaped body and 2 curves handles

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Amphiprostyle

A building (temple) with porticoes at each end but without columns along other 2 sides

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Architrave

Bottom element of entablature, beneath frieze and cornice

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Astragal

Thin convex decorative molding

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Black figure

Pottery technique where black figures are painted in red clay background

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Capital

Top block

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Caryatid

Sculpture of draped female figures as column supporting entablature

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Cella

Principal interior room at center

Aka naos

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Contrapposto

Used to describe twisted pose resulting from parts of body set in opposition to each other around central axis

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Cornice

Uppermost section of entablature

Horizontally projecting element found on top of building

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Echinus

Cushionlike circular element below abacus of Doric element

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Entablature

Horizontal element above columns and capitals

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Entasis

Slight swelling of shaft of column

Makes it appear straight from afar

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Facade

Face or front wall of building

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Fillet

Flat ridge between carved out flute of column shaft

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Foreshortening

Illusion created on flat surface when figures appear to recede or project sharply into space

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Frieze

Middle element of entablature

Usually decorated with sculpture

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In antis

Term used to describe position of columns set between 2 walls

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Kore

Archaic Greek statue of young woman

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Kouros

Archaic Greek statue of young man or boy

Krater

Vessel used for mixing water and wine

Kylix

Vessel/cup used for drinking | Wide mouth and small handles near rim

Peristyle

Surrounded by columns

Pillar

Large, freestanding vertical element

Portico

Projecting roof or porch supported by columns

Pronaos

Enclosed vestibule of temple, found in front of cella and marked by row of columns at entrance

Red figure

Technique of red clay-colored figures on black blackground

Sanctuaries

Sacred or holy enclosure used for worship

Slip

mixture of water and clay applied to ceramic object as final decorative coat

Stele

large stone slab

Stereobate

Foundation that temple stands on

Stoa

Long roofed walkway having columns on one long side and wall on other

Stylobate

Stone foundation that colonnade stands on

Stylus

Instrument with pointed end

Terra-cotta

Medium made from clay fired over low heat and sometimes left unglazed

Tholos

Small, round building

Triglyph

Rectangular block between metopes of Doric frieze

White ground

Background color of object painted with slip that turns white during firing

Volute

Spiral scroll (Ionic capital)

Lekythos

Slim oil vase with one handle and narrow mouth

Metope

Carved or painted rectangular panel between triglyphs of Doric frieze

Naos

BASICALLY A CELLA

Olpe

Any vase/jug without a spout

Pediment

Triangular gable on entablature

Peripteral

Any building/room surrounded by columns

Acanthus

One of the most common plant forms to make foliage ornament and decoration

Anta

Posts/pillars on either side of doorway or entrance of Greek temple

Corinthian

Most ornate of the 3 Greek orders | Has acanthus and small volute, fluted

Doric

Most simple of the 3 Greek orders | No base, fluted

Ionic

The middle between the 3 Greek orders | Fluted, has volute

Fluted necking

Curved indentations on a column

Polis

City

Propylon

Any monumental gateway | based on entrance to Acropolis on Athens

S-curve

Where figure's body and posture is depicted like the letter "S"

Stadium

Venue for outdoor events

Treasuries

Place where currency or special items were stored, usually built inside temples

Lost wax process

A method of casting metal by a process in which a wax mold is covered with clay and plaster, then fired, melting the wax and leaving a hollow form. Molten metal is then poured into the hollow space and slowly cooled. When the hardened clay and plaster exterior shell is removed, a solid metal form remains

Oinochoe

Wine jug with curved handle and round mouth

Opisthodomos

Small room in the cella of a temple

Orthogonal city plan

Plan for a building or city that is based on right angles

Aphrodite

Goddess of love

Poseidon

God of the sea, holding 3-pronged spear

Demeter

Goddess of grain and agriculture

Zeus

Supreme God, holds scepter and lightning bolt

Dionysos

God of wine, grape harvest, inspiration

Athena

Goddess of wisdom, war, virginity, victory

Persephone

Goddess of fertility, queen of the underworld

Apollo

God of sun, light, truth, and music

Eros

Young child or infant of god of love

Greek Vocab Flashcards

(74 cards)