| Terms |
Definitions |
|
vellum
|
calfskin, type of paper
|
|
qibla wall
|
the wall of a mosque that faces Mecca; the wall Muslims face when praying
|
|
Archivolt
|
the continuous, arch-shaped molding, often in concentric bands, following the contour of a Romanesque or Gothic arch
|
|
tetrarchy
|
rule by four; the system of government established by Diocletian (284-305) in which the Roman Empire was divided into two parts, each ruled by an "Augustus" assisted by a "Caesar."
|
|
Trumeau
|
in church architecture, the pillar or center post supporting the lintel in the middle of the doorway.
|
|
chevet
|
the east or apsidal, end of a Gothic church, including the choir, ambulatory and radiating chapels.
|
|
parchment
|
lambskin, type of paper
|
|
diptych
|
a painting or carving (especially an altarpiece) on two panels (usually hinged like a book)
|
|
cubiculum
|
room, bedroom
|
|
Diocletian
|
Roman emperor who was faced with military problems, when that happend he decided to divide the empire between himself in the east and maximian in the west. he did the last persecution of the Christians
|
|
mihrab
|
(Islam) a niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the direction of Mecca
|
|
duomo
|
the dome designed for the cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence (span 150ft, height 308) built by Filippo Brunelleschi
|
|
hijra
|
The Migration of Muhammad from Mecca to Medina in A.D. 622, marking the founding of Islam
|
|
mosque
|
(Islam) a Muslim place of worship
|
|
muqarnas
|
stucco decorations of Islamic buildings in which stalactite-like forms break a structure's solidity
|
|
ribbed vault
|
vault that resembles a groined vault but has ribbed arches
|
|
imam
|
(Islam) the man who leads prayers in a mosque
|
|
arcade
|
a structure composed of a series of arches supported by columns
|
|
jihad
|
a holy struggle or striving by a Muslim for a moral or spiritual or political goal
|
|
bay
|
a small recess opening off a larger room
|
|
pendentive
|
An inverted, concave, triangular piece of masonry serving as the transition from a square support system to the circular base of a dome.
|
|
Tympanum
|
the surface enclosed by the arch and lintel of an arched doorway, frequently carved with relief sculptures.
|
|
tempera
|
method of painting in which the colors are mixed with egg yolk or other substances, instead of oil
|
|
compound pier
|
a pier with a group, or cluster, of attached shafts, especially characteristic of Gothic architecture
|
|
chancel
|
area around the altar of a church for the clergy and choir
|
|
corbel
|
(architecture) a triangular bracket of brick or stone (usually of slight extent)
|
|
pier buttress
|
a solid mass of exterior masonry that opposes the lateral thrust of an arch or a vault
|
|
rose window
|
A large round window on the west façade or transept, containing tracery that became more elaborate as the Gothic era progressed
|
|
altarpiece
|
picture or relief representing a religious subject and suspended in a frame behind the altar of a church. The altarpiece is often made up of two or more separate panels created using a technique known as panel painting.
|
|
Koran
|
the sacred writings of Islam revealed by God to the prophet Muhammad during his life at Mecca and Medina
|
|
lancet window
|
a tall, narrow window crowned by a sharply pointed arch
|
|
minaret
|
the tower attached to a mosque from which the muezzin, or crier, calls the faithful to prayer five times a day
|
|
iwan
|
in Islamic architecture, a vaulted rectangular recess opening onto a courtyard
|
|
mandorla
|
Almond-shaped body halo that acts like an orb to separate Christ from human realm.
|
|
corbel table
|
A row or course of corbels used for decoration or to provide support, as for a parapet.
|
|
flying buttress
|
A free-standing support attached to the main vessel (nave, choir, or transept wall) by an arch or half-arch which transmits the thrust of the vault to the support attached tot he outer wall of the aisle.
|
|
megalographia
|
term for any art representation that is life sized. ex. Villa of the Mysteries
|
|
minbar
|
is a pulpit in the mosque where the Imam (leader of prayer) stands to deliver sermons
|
|
iconoclasm
|
a challenge to or overturning of traditional beliefs, customs, and values, any movement against the religious use of images
|
|
codex
|
an unbound manuscript of some ancient classic (as distinguished from a scroll)
|
|
sahn
|
Open courtyard where you prepare to worship before entering mosque
|
|
principate
|
the system of rule established by Augustus; established constitutional monarchy- "ruler by law"
|
|
Jamb
|
the side of a doorway or window frame. The jambs of the portals of Romanesque and Gothic churches are frequently decorated with figure sculpture.
|
|
clerestory
|
The fenestrated part of a building that rises above the roofs of the other parts. In Roman basilicas and medieval churches, the windows that form the nave's uppermost level below the timber ceiling or the vaults.
|
|
Lintel
|
horizontal beam above the doorway
|
|
triforium
|
In a Gothic cathedral, the blind arcade gallery below the clerestory; occasionally, the arcades are filled with stained glass
|
|
kaaba
|
(Islam) a black stone building in Mecca that is shaped like a cube and that is the most sacred Muslim pilgrim shrine
|
|
sinopia
|
is a reddish-brown ocher-like earth color pigment used in traditional oil painting. It is used for the cartoon or underpainting for a fresco. It is composed of iron oxides, from a kind of clay or quartz called sinople.
|
|
gesso
|
white coating made of substances such as chalk, plaster, and size that is spread over a surface to make it more receptive to paint
|
|
fresco
|
a durable method of painting on a wall by using watercolors on wet plaster
|
|
maqsura
|
in some mosques, a screened area in front of the minrab reserved for a ruler
|
|
tracery
|
ornamental stonework holding stained glass in place, characteristic of Gothic cathedrals
|
|
muezzin
|
the Muslim official of a mosque who summons the faithful to prayer from a minaret five times a day
|
|
aqueduct
|
artificial channel for conducting water over a distance
|
