Themes - Summary 11

Question 1

Distyle in antis

Answer 1

The ante are the protruding walls that stick out to create an antechamber. Distyle in antis means there are two columns between these walls; there can also be monostyle and tristyle (though these are less popular)

Question 2

Prostyle tetrastyle

Answer 2

Prostyle means that there are columns in front of the ante instead of in between, essentially enlarging the antechamber. Typical prostyle is the prostyle tetrastyle.

Question 3

Amphiprostyle

Answer 3

Enhancement of the prostyle -adding to the back of the temple as well via columns there. Amphi - on both sides.

Question 4

Peripteros/peripteral temple

Answer 4

The most recognizable temple form from greek antiquity. Perip - all around; teros - wing. A colonnade runs all around a temple

Question 5

Dipteros/dipteral temple

Answer 5

Enhancement of peripteros temple - two rows of columns around the temple. Born as an idea during the archaic period. Mostly found in the Eastern part of the Greek world, from a period when elites (wealthy tyrants) competed with one another to create lavish temples.

Question 6

Pseudoipteros

Answer 6

Stylistically in between the Peripteros and dipteros - looks like there should be a layer of columns between the colonnade and the wall because there is enough space for one. Yet they omit the interior, expanding the distance between the colonnade and walls of the temple.

Question 7

Monopteros

Answer 7

Small round sacred edifice with columns creating a round space that is open. No inner walls. Round temples are rarer than rectangular.

Question 8

Tholos temple

Answer 8

Round temple, with colonnades going all around, and walls creating an inner space. Round temples rarer than rectangular.

Question 9

Pteron (pl. ptera)

Answer 9

Open space between a row of columns and the main part of the temple

Question 10

Pronaos

Answer 10

Antechamber - votive offerings often placed here; also vessels with water for cleaning before entering naos

Question 11

Naos or cella

Answer 11

Main chamber of temple. Usually are where cult statue is displayed and valuable votive offerings are.

Question 12

Opisthodomos

Answer 12

Open room behind naps, without connection to the naps (must walk around from the entrance). Often used for the display of valuable votive offerings

Question 13

Adyton

Answer 13

Like the opisthodomos but connected to the naos and closed to the colonnade. Used for storing valuable cult vessels and other cult utensils.

Question 14

The two main Greek architectural orders

Answer 14

Doric and Ionic. Doric was developed and used mainly in the Peloponnese and Greek colonies in Southern Italy/Sicily. Ionic had origins probably in Asia Minor and southern Aegean islands. In Attica, both the Doric and Ionic are equally used, occasionally even within the same building.

Question 15

Main differences between Doric and Ionic

Answer 15

Ionic - has base for column
Doric - no base
Ionic - volutes; fancy tops; continuous frieze
Doric - Less elaborate decoration; metopes and triglyphs in the frieze area.

Question 16

Structure of Doric and Ionic capitals

Answer 16

Doric capital - lower part of the capital, echinus, resembles the broad part of cone. Architrave does not rest directly on the echinus, but on a rectangular “cushion” (abacus). Ionic capital is ornamental - two volutes are connected through the canalis. The center of each volute can be further enhanced through reliefs or semiprecious stones. Round abacus is almost always decorated, but not as large and emphasized as Doric abacus.

Question 17

Chronological development of Doric capital

Answer 17

Fairly clear. Transition from column to the capital becomes more organic with time. Echinus becomes less broad and rounded. More angular.

Question 18

Chronological development of Ionic capital

Answer 18

Harder to date. Generally speaking, the canalis gets flatter…however there are too many exceptions to this to call it a rule.

Question 19

Doric conflict

Answer 19

Ideally, there must be a symmetrical correlation between the central axis of a column and triglyph - column w triglyph, no column w triglyph, column w triglyph. But what happens at the end? A half metope at the end of the frieze is ugly…and if they want to close the area with a triglyph they would ave to make a broad one. So, usually starting at the center, they push the metope to be slightly larger and larger so that there can be a symmetrical metope at the end. Impression of symmetry is kept alive.

Question 20

Ionic conflict

Answer 20

At corner of the building, problem with what to do with capitals because the side of the volute is not considered the best look. So at the corners there is a corner capital which shows the volutes from both sides.

Question 21

Corinthian order

Answer 21

Towards the end of the 5th century, architects come up with Corinthian order, which is basically an Ionic with a different capital - a basket filled with acanthus leaves, volutes, floral elements. Avoids both Ionic and Doric conflicts (though not created just to solve these) as the capital can be viewed from all sides, and the frieze is continuous. Primary order in the Hellenistic.