WEST ASIATIC ARCHITECTURE these conditions, were aggravated during the

long summer by unhealthy, miasmic

INFLUENCES exhalations. Therefore, elevated platforms on
which to build towns & palaces were desirable.
A. Geographical Influence Assyria, nearer the mountains & farther from
The Tigris-Euphrates valley was the seat of a the river mouths than Babylonia, had a similar
civilization nearly or quite as old as that of the estimate but with fewer swamps & lesser
Nile, though inferior in its monumental art. miasma, but any climatic difference had little
West Asiatic architecture flourished & effect on architecture, as Assyrians followed the
developed in the Twin Rivers “Tigris & Babylonian style. In Persia, they had dry & hot
Euphrates”. Mesopotamia means the land climate which resulted in building open type
between two rivers, this is an ancient region in temples & open columned halls in the palaces.
western Asia between the Tigris & Euphrates
Rivers, comprising the land of Sumer & Akkad & D. Religious Influence
occupied successively by the Sumerians, Mesopotamians were superstitious, believers of
Babylonians, Assyrians & Persians (now part of symbolism & also believers of genies & demons.
Iraq). Thus, Mesopotamia refers to Assyria & The polytheism of Mesopotamians was
Babylonia in the lower plains. Persia is in the variously expressed, in the worship of heavenly
upper plains/mountain. bodies, divisions of the universe & local deities.
The priests, as depositories of wisdom,
B. Geological Influence arrogated to themselves the power of reading
Babylonia is an alluvial district of thick mud & the stars, of divination, & to interpreting the
clay deposited by the 2 rivers. Such soil, in will of the gods, & for these astrologer-priests,
which no stone was found & no trees would the towering ziggurats or temple observatories
grow, was eminently suitable for the making of were erected. The Mesopotamians were not
bricks, which thus became the usual building great tomb buildings as they had no strong
material in Babylonia. In Assyria, there was belief of the Egyptians in a future life. The
plenty of stone in the mountains to the north, religion of the Persians based on the teachings
but the Assyrian followed the Babylonia in the of Zoroaster, was a system of ethical forces,
use of brick. In Persia, there were hard, colored good & evil at war from the beginning of time,
limestones which were used in the building & with a belief in the final triumph of good. Fire
timber was used for the roofs while Persian tiles was held to be the manifestation of good, & fire
have always been famous for their beauty of worship needed no temples, but only altars for
texture & color. the sacrificial flame, & thus in Persia, it is
expected that temple remains are not evident
There was abundance of clay which when nor religion to have exercised much influence
compressed in moulds & either dried in the sun on architecture.
or kiln-fired, provided bricks for every kind of
structure. In the alluvial plains of the Tigris & E. Historical Influence
Euphrates, stone & timber suitable for building Four historical periods:
were rare or unobtainable except by 1. Babylonian Period –the great King
importation. Hammurabi established the domination
of Babylon. The Babylonian power,
C. Climate Influence however, later declined under the
Babylonia was, by reason of its situation around attacks of Hittites & Kassites, until
the river, a region of swamps & floods, besides Assyria became a separate kingdom.
which torrents of rain fell for weeks at a time &
 2. Assyrian Period – the Assyrians Babylonians among the three were considered
conquered the Babylonians & remained extraordinary because they achieved highest
the great military power of Western degree of civilization. They had an elaborate
Asia until the destruction of Nineveh. legal system, cities had rights & charters, and
Sargon, most famous of Assyrian Kings, there were feudal holdings, a system of police &
defeated the Egyptians, & like many a even a postal system. They practice “cuneiform
conqueror, he was also a great builder, system of writing” on clay tablets which have
as is testified by his magnificent palace proved more lasting than the Egyptian records
at Khorsabad; Nineveh was captured & on perishable papyrus. The Babylonians were
destroyed, & the Assyrian Empire primarily traders in origin & commercial life
divided. The new Babylonian only lasted flourished. The People were divided into nobles,
70 years. with hereditary estates, a landless class of
freemen, & lastly, slaves, a social system that is
3. Neo-Babylonian Period – Babylonian not only Medieval but almost modern in some
leader was Nabopolassar, a Chaldean. aspects.
He was succeeded by his son,
Nebuchadnezzar II of bible fame, In Assyria a military autocracy with a conscript
despoiler of Jerusalem & responsible army was the dominating class. The Assyrians
for the captivity of the children of Israel. were fighters & sportsmen rather than traders.
He is lastingly associated with the Assyrian wall sculptures form an illustrated
wonder of Babylon, its palaces, hanging history of the battles & exploits from monarchs;
gardens & towered walls. The dynasty there is little reference to religion, with its
ended with Nabonidus, defeated by sacrificial rites, on these delicately incised slabs,
Persian King Cyrus. which are devoted to war & chase, & the trail of
cruelty is over them all.
4. Persian Period – The domination of
Persia over Western Asia & her The Persian domination was due to military
struggles for a further extension of superiority to this hardy, upland race, which
power is reflected in her architecture. gradually imposed its civilization on Western
Persia conquered Greek colonists of Asia under the rule of the Satraps. They were
Asia Minor & the recurring vertical soldiers all; landowners as horsemen & people
scroll in Persian column capitals is as infantry. It is therefore not surprising that the
probably derived from Greek examples. Assyrians & Persians erected lordly palaces in
The Persian conquest extended to Egypt preference to stupendous temples & tombs.
& there seems no doubt that the
impression produced by the marvelous ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
buildings of Memphis & Thebes caused
the introduction of the column into 
Persian architecture, though in curious
& grotesque forms. The Persians under
▪ Mesopotamian: Massiveness,
Monumentality & Grandeur
Darius invaded Greek mainland but
they were defeated at Marathon & a ▪ Persian: Light & Airy
season expedition under Xerxes was Magnificence
likewise defeated. Under Alexander the  System of Construction
Great, Persia became a Greek province. ▪ Mesopotamian: Arch & Vault
▪ Persian: Columnar & Trabeated
F. Social & Political Influence
 Principal Materials
 ▪ Mesopotamian: brick - Assyrian: also made of sun-dried bricks
▪ Persian: stone (for columns), finished with polychrome, glazed tiles, or
brick (for walls) and timber (for marble slabs.
roofing) - Persian: also made of bricks & followed
 Principal Structures the Assyrian style, surface is finished with
polychrome brickwork.
▪ Mesopotamian: Temples &
Ziggurats ▪ Openings
▪ Persian: Royal Palaces - Babylonian & Assyrian doors
are usually spanned by semicircular
 Features arches guarded by sculptured monsters
▪ Assyrian & Babylonian arch’re: to protect people from unknown
arcuated type of construction; arch & elements. Assyrians introduced the use
vault & flat strip, buttresses with of pointed arch which was
glazed tile adornment. employed in the drains under the great
▪ Persian arch’re: Columnar & palace at Khorsabad; No windows due to
Trabeated with flat timber roof, climatic condition; but light was
sometimes domed. admitted through doors & probably
through pipe-holes in walls & vaults
 Comparative Analysis - Persian doors & windows are
square-headed spanned by lintels.
▪ Plan
- Mesopotamian: square/rectangle, used
tripartite plan in their temples; temples &
palaces were built on artificial platforms 30-
50 ft above the plain for defense &
protection against Malaria; Ziggurats, which
rose to tower-like in diminishing terraces to
the temple observatory at the top, had their
angles to the cardinal points
- Persian: palaces placed on platforms to
have taller or more monumental impression
for their palace
▪ Walls
- Characteristic “battlemented crestings”

- Babylonian: normally made of sun-dried

bricks faced with kilnburnt.
▪ Roof
- Mesopotamian: externally flat;
dome is used as roof covering in some
instances; internally is the barrel vault
- Persian: flat & made of timber
▪ Columns
- Mesopotamian: no columns
because there were no available
materials for columns due further to
climatic condition - Persian: have the flanking monster
entrance portals mural decoration
- Persian: tall, widely spaced,
by polychrome bricks of blue,
slender and finely fluted; height is 15
white, yellow & green low relief
times the diameter. Use of double bull
slabs.
“cradle capital” & “double Unicorn
capital”. Persepolitan architecture is
noted for its use of wooden columns.
Architects resorted to stone only when
the largest cedars of Lebanon or teak
trees of India did not fulfill the required
sizes. Column bases and capitals were
made of stone, even on wooden shafts,
but
- the existence of wooden
capitals is probable.
Figure 1. Lamassu: Protection to evil

SAMPLE STRUCTURES

Babylon
A. Ziggurats – or Holy Mountains, high
pyramidal staged tower, of which the
angles were oriented to cardinal points,
which formed an important element in
ancient Mesopotamian temple
▪ Mouldings complexes; chief building structure,
- Mesopotamian: did not develop square/rectangular with steeply
any type battered sides & an open flatform with
- Persian: adopted the Egyptian temple or shrine on top. They were
gorge moulding religious shrines that symbolized a
bridge between man on earth, and the
▪ Ornament
gods in heaven. The number of stages
- Mesopotamian: chiseled rises from 1 to 7.
alabaster slabs which influenced Greek Types:
bas-reliefs; these slabs form an
illustrated record of Assyrian pursuits &
- Archaic Ziggurat – usually have
one flat top rectangular mound carrying
military sporting exploits
the upper temple; ex. The E.Anna (House
of anu) / White Temple of Wharka –
believed to be the predecessor of the
ziggurat

B. City of Babylon – contained the Tower

of Babel, the famed Hanging Garden &
the Ishtar Gate; dominated the region
in 6BC & was heavily fortified; has 250
towers & 100 Bronze Gates; was rebuilt
by Nebuchadnezzar II for it had been
thoroughly destroyed by Sennacherib;
- Multi-level/Two or more had an inner & outer part, each heavily
Stages Ziggurat – rectangular in plan, fortified; the inner town approx square
designed with several piers or stages; ex. in plan (1300m sides) containing the
The Ziggurat, Tower of Babel – square principal buildings, the Euphrates River
plan of 90m sides with 7 stages in all, the forming the west side. The few main
summit temple being faced with blue streets intersected starkly at right
glazed bricks Ziggurat at Bursippa, seven angles, terminating in tower-framed
stage pyramid dedicated to 7 heavenly bronze gates where they met the walls.
planets. Between the main streets tiered
dwellings, business houses, temples,
chapels & shrined jostled in lively
disorder.

- Seven Stages Square Base

Ziggurat – square base; ex. Palace of
Nebuchadnezzar, it has famous “Hanging
Garden of Babylon” – 275m x 183 m
II. Assyria
overall; among its maze of rooms was a
A. Palace of Sargon, Khorsabad – a
vast throne-room 52m x 17m, its long
complex of large & small courts,
façade decorated with polychrome glazed
corridors & rooms covering 23 acres;
bricks
entrance portals flanked with statues of
headed winged bulls & lions. It
contained 700 rooms. The main portal
is flanked by great towers, guarded by
Lamassus (Lamassu - monumental
stone sculptures of human-headed,
winged bulls, lions that guarded the
entrances to Mesopotamian palaces &
temples; some refer these as stone
 demons); planned in grids, with atriums • Administrative offices & service
(pockets for ventilation) & evaporating quarters on the right
pools (located at atriums) • Private & residential apartments
with the state chambers behind
B. City of Nineveh – capital of Assyrian
empire, built by Sargon’s son
Sennacherib; contained the following
structures: the Palace of Sennacherib &
the ‘Palace Without a Rival’ (the south-
west palace)

III. Persia
A. Palace of Persepolis – occupies 460m x
275m ft & elevated 15m above the
plain at the base of a rocky spur. The
buildings at Persepolis include three
general groupings:
• military quarters
• the treasury
• the reception halls and
occasional houses for the King.

Contains the ff:

o Apadana – a grand audience
hall, 76.2m square & with 3
columns within its 6m thick walls,
begun by Darius but completed by
Parts: his 2 successors.
1. Seralio – palace proper which includes o Palace of Darius – immediately
the King’s residence, halls, men’s apartment south of the Apadana, 12 columns
& reception courts. supported the roof of the central
2. Harem –private family apartment hall from which 3 small stairways
3. Khan – service chambers, Khan is the descend. Relieves on these
Moslem “Inn” Groupings: stairways depict servants coming up
• A group of 3 large & 3 small the steps carrying animals & food in
temples on the left covered dishes to be served at the
King’s table. On the eastern &
western doorjambs are relieves
showing the king in formal dress
leaving the palace, followed by 2
attendants, relieves on the
northern & southern doorways
depict the king in combat with
monsters.

o Hypostyle Hall of Xerxes -

covers 100,000 square feet—more
than double the area of the
Hypostyle Hall at Karnak.

o Tripylon – lay centrally among

the buildings & acted as a reception
chamber & guard-room for more
private quarters of the palace
group.
o Treasury – in the SE angle of o Hall of Hundred Columns – also
the site, a double-walled called Throne Hall, 68.6m square
administrative & store-house with columns 11.3m high,
building with columned halls of supporting a flat, cedar roof; used
different sizes & only a single mainly for receptions for
doorway. representatives of all the subject
o Palace of Xerxes - shows similar nations of the empire. Later, it also
decorative features on its stone served as a storehouse & above all,
doorframes & windows, except for as a place to display more
2 large Xerxes inscriptions on the adequately objects, both tribute &
eastern & western doorways. booty, from the royal treasury.
Instead of showing the king’s
combat with monsters, these
doorways depict servants with
ibexes.

o Propylaea – gatehouse made of

mud brick wall, faced with
 polychrome bricks & front & rear be the heavenly abode of the Greek gods and
portals guarded by stone bulls; the site of Zeus' throne. Many temples, such as
designed by Xerxes the Acropolis, can be found sitting atop a hill.
The rugged nature of the Greek Peninsula & its
widespread islands, made communications
difficult. It was bounded on two sides by “Black
Sea & the Mediterranean Sea”. Athens as its
center kingdom contains the upper city known
as “Citadel”. They were by geographical
situation, by character, and by circumstances,
peculiarly fitted to receive, develop, and
transmit the mingled influences of the East and
the South.

Ancient Greece, however, extended

geographically far beyond the mainland &
adjacent islands, & thus ruins of Greek buildings
are found in the Dorian colonies of Sicily &
South Italy & in the Ionian colonies of Asia
Minor.

B. Geological Influence
The chief mineral wealth of Greece was in her
unrivalled marble, the most beautiful &
monumental of all building materials, & one
which facilitates exactness of line & refinement
of detail. This marble is found in abundance,
notably in the mountains of Hymettus &
Pentelicus near Athens, & in the islands of Paros
& Naxos. The Greeks attached so much
importance to the quality of fine-grained
marble for producing exact outlines & smooth
surfaces that they even coated coarse-grained
limestone with a layer of marble “stucco” in
order to secure this effect, which is the great
characteristic of their architecture. Although
marble is the chief building material; they also
had ample supplies of building stones.
C. Climate Influence
GREEK ARCHITECTURE
Climate was intermediate between “cold &
INFLUENCES hot”, which favored an outdoor life, &
consequently the administration of justice,
A. Geographical Influence dramatic presentations, & most public
Most of Greece is made up of mountainous ceremonies took place in an open air, even in
terrain. Mount Olympus is the highest mountain religious rites, & this is largely due the limited
in Greece reaching its peak elevation at about variety of public buildings other than temples.
9,570 feet. Mount Olympus is also regarded to The hot sun & sudden showers were probably
Greek Attributes Roman Greeks: The Greek religion was in the main a
Deities Deities worship of natural phenomena, of which Gods
Aphrodite Goddess of Venus were personifications, & each town or district
commerce, love & had its own divinities,
beauty ceremonies & traditions. There are also traces
Apollo Son of Zeus, God of Apollo of other primitive forms of religion, such as the
law & reason, art, worship of ancestors & deified heroes. They
music & poetry represent their deities by large statues. The
Ares God of war Mars priests who carried out the appointed rites, in
which both men & women officiated, were not
Artemis Goddess of chastity Diana
an exclusive class, & often served for a period
Athena Goddess of learning Minerva only, retiring afterwards into private life.
& wisdom
Demeter Goddess of earth & Ceres
agriculture E. Historical Influence
Dionysus God of wine, feasting Bacchus Periods of Development:
& revelry ➢ Early Period (3000BC-700BC) – Aegeans,
Hephaestus God of fire, flame & Vulcan Minoans & Myceneans were the only people in
forgery Greece.
Hera Wife of Zeus, goddess Juno • Mycenaean architecture – the architecture of
of marriage the Aegean civilization that spread its influence
Heracles Son of Zeus, mythical Hercules from Mycenae in southern Greece to many
half god & man, god parts of the Mediterranean region;
of strength & power characterized by:
Hermes Messenger of the Mercury • Shaftt graves – a tomb consisting of
gods with winged deep rectangular cut into clopping rock
feet, therefore god of & a roof timber or stone.
eloquence • Monumental beehives/ beehive tombs
Hestia Goddess of hearth Vesta – a stone built subterranean tomb of
(sacred fire) & home the Mycenaean civilization of a circular
Nike Goddess of victory Victoria chamber covered by a corbelled dome
Pan God of flock Pan & entered by a walled passage through
Poseidon God of sea Neptune a hillside.
Zeus Supreme god, ruler of Jupiter • palaces fortified with cyclopean walls.
the sky, chief god • Minoan Architecture – the architecture of the
Bronze Age civilization that flourished on Crete;
answerable for the porticoes & colonnades
named after the legendary King Minos of
which were such important features.
Knossos; characterized by the elaborate palaces
at Knossos & Phaetus
D. Religious Influence
Greeks were devoted to religion and held many - Great buildings with porches provide
religious festivals. access to unfortified compounds
- Foundation walls, piers & lintels were of
Aegeans: Worship “nature”, priestesses rather stone with upper walls framed in timber
than priests conducted the - Rubble masonry was faced with stucco
religious rites. & decorated with wall frescoes
 - Ceilings were wood, as were the many 3. Polygonal – many-sided
columns with balloon capitals, & featuring blocks, accurately worked so as to fit
a distinct downward tapering shaft together, examples of which are found at
• Minoan & Mycenaean architecture, also Mycenae, in the Acropolis wall at Athens,
known as Pelasgic or Primitive, are rough & & at Cnidos. Various other features, such
massive in character, although it is evident from as corbels, inclined blocks & arches,
recent excavations in Crete that the builders of characterize the work of this period. A
this time had considerable knowledge & skill in water-channel or drain at Athens, which
domestic architecture. The character of the crosses the town from east to west, is
architecture is now chiefly known from the partly arcuated & partly roofed with
walls, which are of 3 kinds of masonry: projecting corbels. The barrel vault occurs
1. Cyclopean – masses of large rough in subterranean funeral chambers in
stones one on another, with small pieces Macedonia, in the vaulted passages at the
in the interstices; & the whole bound theatre at Sicyon, in the tunnel leading to
together with clay mortar; of this are the Stadion at Olympia & in other places.
examples at Argos, Tiryns, Mycenae,
Knossos in Crete & Athens;

Hellenic Period (800-323BC) – the

2. Rectangular – carefully hewn recognized Greek type of architecture,
rectangular blocks in regular courses, but mostly of religious character; which was
the joints between stones in the same essentially Columnar & Trabeated, & this
courses are not always vertical; there are gave it that simple, straight-forward
examples in the entrances & towers at character in which the constructive system
Mycenae, & in the entrance passages in is self-evident, uncomplicated by such
the “tholos” or beehive tombs;rectangular devices as are involved in arch, vault &
blocks in regular courses, but the joints dome.
between stones in the same courses are Acropolis or the “upper city” was crowned by
not always vertical; there are examples in “Parthenon”. By the 6th century, Parthenon
the entrances & towers at Mycenae, & in was converted into a Christian church.
the entrance passages in the “tholos” or Hellenistic Period (323-30BC) –
beehive tombs; provided much of the decorative
inspiration to the Romans; Corinthian
gained popularity in expense
of the Doric; development of civic design, town
planning (buildings laid out on symmetrical lines
in orderly schemes).

F. Social & Political Influence

Chief diversions were music, dancing, wrestling,
boxing, gymnastics & bull-fighting often with
religious connection. Women took part in
hunting & more strenuous games, as well as in
craftwork. Tyrannic, aristocratic & democratic
were the forms of government. Pericles – one
of the democratic leaders in Athens.

The people of the various Greek states were

united by devotion to their religion, & by
religious festivals, as well as by their love of
music, the drama & the fine arts, & also by  Comparative Analysis
national games & by emulation in those manly ▪ Plan – rectangular; entrances
sports & contests for which they were so face east; light enters through temple
distinguished. door, clear storey (clerestory) &
through roof (made of marble slab); use
The Greeks were great colonists, & emigration, of oil lamp to light statue during the
especially to Asia Minor, South Italy, Sicily & the night.
coasts of the Mediterranean, was directed by ▪ Walls – made of solidly
government as early as 700BC, not to develop constructed blocks of stone/marble.
trade but also to provide an outlet for the ▪ Openings – square-headed,
superfluous population, & so reduce internal temples are windowless
party trouble.
▪ Roof – supported by sloping
rafter & externally covered by thin
ARCHITECTURAL CHARATER
marble slab; roof pitches were always
low, usually about 13-17o
▪ Simplicity & harmony
▪ Purity of line
▪ Perfection of proportions
▪ Refinement of detail
 System of Construction
▪ Columnar & Trabeated
 Principal Materials
▪ Marble
 Principal Structures ▪ Columns - built from separate
▪ Temples drums dowelled together; surfaces
 Features were left rough to avoid damage in
▪ Lacunaria – coffered ceilings transit. 3 orders:
▪ Mural paintings or sculptures 1. Doric Order – 1st & most
on the walls of temples were highly popular, expresses character of
developed. Greek people; fluted without base;
shaft usually divided into 20 shallow
flutes separated by arrises
(sometimes 12, 16, 18, 24); general
rule: Doric friezes must end with a
triglyph; used in Parthenon
Temple.
o Parts: (refer to the drawing) o Column = 4-6.5
x the diameter o Entablature = ¼ height of the
order

3. Corinthian Order – 3rd, most

elaborated & most elegant of all
capitals introduced; looks like an
“inverted bell”; mostly used in
interior of buildings o Parts: (refer
2. Ionic Order – 2nd & more to the drawing) o Column = 10 x the
sophisticated order; less heavy than diameter
Doric; 24 flutes separated by o Entablature = 1/5 height of the
flattened arrises with different order
forms of base; Ionic friezes are
plain; used in “Erechtheion, Athens”
also of “Artemis, Ephesus.”
o Parts: (refer to the drawing) o Column = 9 x
the diameter o Entablature = 1/5 height of the
order
o Figures used as vertical support:
a. Male – Atlas/Atlantes &
Telamon/Telamones
b. Female – Caryatids &
Canephorae
o Rules followed in
placing columns:
a. number of columns in front:

Henostyle One column

Distyle Two columns
Tristyle Three columns
Tetrastyle Four columns
Pentastyle Five columns
Hexastyle Six columns
Heptastyle Seven columns
Octastyle Eight columns
Enneastyle Nine columns
Decastyle Ten columns
Dodecastyle Twelve columns
b. arrangement of exterior
columns of the temple in relation to
the naos:
In-antis Have from 1-4
Monop- For Circular
columns between anta
teral temples
at the front. Two is
usual.

c. Intercolumniations:
Amphi- Have from 1-4
antis columns between anta Pycnostyle 1 ½
at the front & rear. diameter
Two is usual. Systyle 2 diameter
Eustyle 2¼
diameter
Diastyle 3 diameter
Prostyle Have portico of Araeostyle 3 ½
columns at the front, diameter
not between the anta.

Amphi- Have portico of

prostyle columns at the front &
rear, not between the
anta.

Peripteral Have single line of

columns surrounding
the naos.

Pseudo- Have flank of columns o Mouldings

peripteral attached to the naos  Cyma Recta - moulding having an
wall. upper concave curve and a lower
convex curve

Dipteral Have a double line of

columns surrounding
the naos.

Pseudo- Like dipteral but inner

dipteral range of columns is
omitted on the flanks
of the naos.
 Cyma Reversa (Ogee) - moulding having
an upper convex curve and a lower
concave curve

 Fillet - narrow band with a vertical face;

often interposed between curved
mouldings

 Corona - component of the cornice that

has a vertical face and horizontal soffit

 Scotia / trochilus - concave moulding

between two fillets
 Ovolo - convex moulding, among
woodworkers it is referred to as a
"quarter round"

 Cavetto - concave, quarter-round

moulding

 Astragal (Bead) - small convex molding

usually semi-circular in section

 Bird’s Beak & Hawk’s Beak - moulding

shaped into a beak-like form

 Torus - semi-circular, convex moulding

 Greek ornament
o Palmette – a stylized palm leaf shape
used as a decorative element in
classical art & architecture
o Water leaf & Tongue – molding
having pendant, tongue-like elements

o Fret / Key Pattern – decorative design

contained within a band or border,
consisting of repeated, often
geometric figures

o Egg & Dart / Egg & Tongue – consist

of a closely set alternating series of
ova & pointed forms

o Beads & Reels – convex molding

▪ Ornament having the form of disks alternating
with spherical or elongated beads
o Anthemion – an ornament of
honeysuckle or palm leaves in a o Guilloche – border formed of 2 or
radiating cluster; also called more interlaced bands around a
honeysuckle ornament; favorite series of circular voids
 1. Megaron – domestic unit of Aegean
civilization, houses with the following areas:
▪ enclosed porch
▪ Living apartment or megaron
proper
▪ “thalamus” or sleeping room

o Acanthus leaf & Acanthus scroll –

patterned after the large, toothed
leaves of a Mediterranean plant of
the same name; important Greek
ornament

2. Gate of Lions, Mycenae – most ancient

stone sculpture in Europe; topped by a 4.9 m
high lintel, a horizontal covering an opening;
a relief showing two lions separated by a
column stands on top of the lintel
3. Palaces – used by kings or local
chieftain; ex.; the Palace, Tiryns; The Palace,
Mycenae & Palace of King Minos, Knossos –
this was the largest & most complex of the
Minoan palaces; was built over a long period
& rooms seem to have been added as
needed; the rooms were grouped around a
central courtyard; beautiful wall painting
called frescoes decorated many of these
rooms; the palace of Minos had a plumbing
system & a flushing laboratory; many rooms
▪ Sculptures: Classifications:
in the palace open to courtyards that are
1. architectural sculpture – found
surrounded by columns of cypress wood.
in the frieze, tympanum, acroterion (base
& top of pediment) & metope
2. sculptured reliefs – placed on
the wall of temples
3. free-standing statuary –
consisted of single/group figures of
2horse chariots (bigas) & 4-horse chariots
(quadrigas)

SAMPLE STRUCTURES

Aegean/Early Period
4. Tombs – types:
a. Tholos – a subterranean stone- b. Rock-cut/Chamber Tombs –
vault construction, circular in plan, rectangular chamber cut within the
consist of a long passage known as slope hillside approached by dromos.
“Dromos leading to the domed
chamber; ex. “Treasury of Atreus” &
“Tomb of Agamemnon” – finest
example II. Greek/Hellenic Period
1. Temenos – “sacred enclosure”, also
known as citadel or acropolis or
upper city.
o Important structures found in
Acropolis:
a. Propylea (gateway)
b. Principal Temple
c. Pinacotheca (picture gallery)
d. Glyptotheca (sculpture gallery)
e. Statue of Athena
f. The Erechtheion
g. Old Temple of Athena
h. The Parthenon
i. Theater of Dionysos
j. Stoa of Eumenes
k. Odeion of Herodes Atticus
l. Temple of Nike Apteros
m. Chalkotheke (armoury)*
n. Sanctuary of Artemis*
2. Temples –were the chief class of
buildings; usually rectangular in plan. o
Parts:
1. Naos – principal chamber
containing the statue of the god or
goddess, with porticoes & colonnades.
2. Pronaos – the inner portico in
front of the naos, or “cella” of the
naos.
3. Epinaos – or “opisthodomus”,
posticum which serves as the treasury
chamber o Examples:
• The Parthenon, Athens (Doric,
Peripteral, Octastyle) dedicated
to the goddess Athena, largest
Greek temple; contains the gold
& ivory statue of Athena
Parthenos.
Architect: Ictinus & Callicrates
Master Sculptor: Phidias
(“Sculptor of the Gods”)
 • Temple of Nike Apteros,
• The temple of Zeus Olympus, Athens (Ionic, Amphi-prostyle,
Agrigentum (Doric, Pseudo- tetrastyle) dedicated to the
peripteral, Heptastyle) 2nd largest “wingless victory”, smallest
Greek temple, uses “atlantes”. temple, 23ft high from ground to
Unusual temple having 3 naos. the apex of pediment.
Architect: Theron Architect: Callicrates

• The Erechtheion, Athens (Ionic,

Irregular plan, no side
colonnades) forms the imposing
entrance to the Acropolis. Main
feature is the “caryatid porch”;
uses “egg & tongue” of “egg &
dart” ornament.
• Temple of Apollo Epicurius, Architect: Mnesicles
Bassae (Doric, Ionic, Corinthian,
Peripteral, Hexastyle)
Architect: Ictinus

• The temple of Artemis,

Ephesus (Hellenistic temple, Ionic,
Dipteral, Octastyle) one of the
seven wonders of the world,
center of Pan-ionic festival of the
Asiatic colonies.
Architect: Deinocrates, under the
time of Alexander the Great
Master Sculptor: Scopas

• The Choragic Monument of

Lysicrates, Athens (Corinthian) – a
type of monument erected to
support a Tripod, as a prize for
athletic exercises or musical
competitions in Greek festivals.

3. Propylea – entrance gateways which

marked the approach to the sacred
enclosures in many cities; literally, a plural
term indicating that it is more than a simple
proplylon entrance.
Ex. Propylea of Athens – (Doric,
Hexastyle-Prostyle) forms the
imposing entrance to Acropolis;
primarily made of marble with some
• The Olympeion, Athens limestone as contracting elements;
(Corinthian, Dipteral, Octastyle) Erected by
Architect: Cossotius Pericles/ Architect: Mnesicles
Builder: Antiochus Epiphanes Propylea, Epidauros
Propylea, Priene
• Tower of the Winds, Athens Propylea, Eleusis
(Octagonal structure) known as
the Horologium of Andronikos
Cyrrhestes, Clepsydra or water-
clock internally, sundial
externally.
 a. Orchestra – stage; a complete
circle
b. Auditorium / Cavea – seats
encircling about 2/3 of the orchestra
c. Skene / Scene / logeion –
stage; where performances were given
d. Proscenium – speaking place of
orators; front of stage
e. Parascenium – dressing room;
apartments for actors
f. Diazoma – wide horizontal
walkway between the upper & lower
auditorium seats, communicating with
the radial aisles
g. Episcenium – raised
background to the proscenium
h. Parodos – passageways
between the stage & the auditorium,
through which the chorus entered the
orchestra
i. Stoae- columnated portico o
Examples:
4. Theater – an open-air structure, which
consisted of orchestra, auditorium or cavea • Theater, Epidauros – most
scene, stage, parascenia, stoae & diazoma. beautiful & well-preserved building;
The building was generally hollowed out of Architect: Polycleitus
the slope of a hillside, in or near a city. o
Parts:

• The Theater of Dionysos,

Athens – where famous choragic
competitions took place during the
Panathenaic festivals, prototype of
all Greek theaters, accommodated
30,000 spectators.
 echo Collonade or Stoa Poikile,
Olympia; Stoa of Attalos 11, Athens

o Prytaneion – a senate house for the

chief dignitaries of the city.
Ex. Prytaneion, Olympia; Prytaneion,
Athens; Prytaneion, Priene

5. Public Buildings – restoration of

Athens, Olympia, Delphi & Epidauros gave
an idea of the distribution of buildings on
this famous sites.

o Agora – or town square, an open air o Bouleuterion – or council house,

meeting place for the transaction of covered meeting place of the
business, also marketplace; democratically elected councils. Ex.
Bouleuterion, Milletus – largest
accommodation of 1,200 people

o Civic Square – “city market or market

place”, the focus of Greek’s political
business & economic life. ex. Civic
o Ekklesiasterion – religious assembly
hall. Ex. Thersillion, Megapolis;
Square @ Miletus, Civic Square @
Ekklesiaterion, Priene
Ephesus, Civic Square @ Priene, Agora,
Athens
o Stoa – a long colonnaded building
which serves to connect public
monuments; used for seating & for
shelter. Ex. Stoas of Eumenes, Athens;
o Odeion – open-air theater used mainly o Palaestra – a wrestling school
by musicians in the presentation of
their works for competition & for public
approval.
Ex. Odeion of Periscles, Athens; Odeion
of Herodes Atticus, Athens

o Naval Buildings – includes ship-sh

eds & stores. Ex. Sanctuary of the Bulls,
Delos
o Gymnasium – a place for physical
exercise, both palaestra & gymnasium were
prototype of Roman Thermae; Parts:
o Stadium/Stadion – foot racecourse & a. Courts for athletes
also used for other athletic performances. b. Tanks for bathers
Ex. The Stadium, Athens – up to 50,000 c. Dressing rooms & toilets
spectators; d. Exedrae & other seats for
Architect: Herodes Atticus; expectators
e. Stores, places for rest &
conversation
f. Ephebium or club – for lectures
Ex: Gymnasia, Olympia; Gymnasia, Ephesus;
Gymnasia, Pergamon

o Hippodrome – plan similar to stadium

though longer, for horse & chariot
racing, prototype of Roman Circus.
6. Domestic Buildings or Greek Houses –
usually one storey with rooms built around an
internal court or peristyle with porticoes on
three sides & chambers grouped around;
resembled the palaces in general arrangement.
Ex. House # 33, Priene – planned similar to 2. Ancon / Console – scrolled bracket
Aegean Megaron & considered to be the best which supports a cornice or entablature over
example of a Greek house; Maison De La a door or a window
Colline, Delos

3. Andron / Andronitis – the part of a

building used by men especially the banquet
7. Tombs – “mausoleum” or monumental
room
tombs, one of the most famous of all tombs &
one of the seven wonders of the world was
4. Apotheca – store room, wine storage
erected to “King Mausolos by his widow,
5. Arcade – a line of counterthrusting
Artemesia & from it derived the term
arches raised on columns or piers
Mausoleum” applied to monumental tombs.
Ex. The Mausoleum, Halicarnassos – elevated
with podium (Architect: Pythius & Satyrus;
Master Sculptor: Scopas); Tomb of Annia
Regillia;

6. Architrave – the beam that spans from

column to column, resting directly upon their
capitals
7. Arris – a sharp edge or ridge formed by
two surfaces meeting at an exterior angle,
also called piend
8. Attic base – base to a classical column,
consisting of an upper & a lower torus
TERMINOLOGIES separated by a scotia between two fillets
9. Columniation – the use & arrangement
1. Abacus – the flat square slab on top of of columns in a structure
a capital; uppermost member of a capital 10. Cyclostyle – a circular colonnade
11. Cyma – a projecting molding having the
profile of double curve formed by the union
of a convex & concave line
12. Cyrtostyle – a circular projecting portico 17. Fluting – a shallow, concave grooves
13. Dentils – a small square block used in running vertically on the shaft of a column,
series in Ionic, Corinthian, Composite & rarely pilaster or other surfaces.
in Doric cornices

18. Hecatompedon – a building 100 ft in

length or width; especially the cella of
14. Dromos – the long deep passageway to Parthenon
an ancient Egyptian tomb 19. Intercolumniation – the clear space
15. Drum – any of several cylindrical stones between two adjacent columns usually
laid one above the other to form a column or measured at the lower parts of the shafts
pier 20. Konistra – in ancient Greek theater, it
16. Entasis – a slight convex curve used on was the Orchestra
Greek columns (vertical & horizontal) to 21. Loggia – an arcaded or colonnaded
correct the “optical illusion” which gives a porch or gallery attached to a larger structure
shaft bounded by straight line appearance of
curving inwards.
Kinds:
a. Single
b. Double

22. Modillion – a console on the other

sides of a doorway supporting a cornice
23. Plinth – the lowest square member of
the base of the column, pier or pedestal
24. Pteroma – space between wall &
column
25. Quadriga / Triga – a chariot drawn by 4
horses
26. Superimposition/Supercolumniation –
the placing of one order after another or
above another.

27. Thesaurus – in ancient Greece it is the

treasury house
28. Volute – a spiral scroll in an Ionic
capital, smaller versions appear on Corinthian
& Composite capitals
29. Zophorus – a frieze bearing carved
figures of people or animals, also, zoophorus.