Arch hist exam 4

Shikhara

A tall, curving roof, often with a parabolic profile, that rises like an artificial mountain over the garbhagriha in a northern Hindu temple

pagoda

A tower with continued eaves

horseshoe arch

An arch of more than a half-circle; typical of western Islamic architecture

Sahn

An open courtyard in a mosque

corner bridge

Arches that Cross the Corners

What is the importance of the Japanese tea ceremony? Explain the relationship between the architectural features of the tea house and the rituals of the tea ceremony.

It is a spiritual ritual symbolizing detached perfection in the Zen tradition. Rustic elements, such as wooden supports with the bark still attached or a wooden element of irregular shape, can be incorporated into the tea house as an extension of the natural world, for the tea ceremony aims at fusing the spiritual and the natural

What was the jian modular system?

It was a basic measure in construction

Throughout the Mesoamerican cultures, what was the significance of the ball court?

It was a device for public ritual, typically the loser would die as a ritual sacrifice

muqarna

a honeycomb-like decoration often applied in Islamic buildings to domes, niches, capitals, or vaults. The surface resembles intricate stalactites

chatra

a marker of the invisible line that is the center of the universe or axis mundi

minharb

a niche in the wall of a mosque at the point nearest to mecca towards which the congregation faces to pray

eave

a part of the roof that extends out

Mandala

a sacred diagram of the universe, often involving a square and a circle. The basis of the plan of hindu temples

minbar

a short flight of steps used as a platform by a preacher in a mosque.

kondo

a temple for seated meditation

Dikka

A platform in a mosque, often made of wood, that holds muezzins who chant in unison with the prayer leader.

causeway

A raised road built across water or low ground

Madrasa

A school for the study of Muslim law and religious science

Aniconic

"no images"; referring to traditions that do not encourage visual imagery in religion

Ka'ba

(cube) the stone cubical structure in the courtyard of the Great Mosque of Mecca, believed to have been built by Abraham and regarded by Muslims as the sacred center of the earth

crossed arch domes

A Hemispherical Dome Made of Corner bridges and transverse arches as a base

bay system

A bay is a space covered by four points of structure. Diagram was usually known as the jian module

Chaitya Hall

A building found in a Buddhist monastery that represents the cave.

beam and bracket construction

A construction technique that stacks beams and brackets

Parabolic Arch

A deeper arch that does not need buttresses

Minaret

A distinctive feature of mosque architecture, a tower from which the faithful are called to worship.

ablutions fountain

A fountain to purify. Located in the sahn. Must wash up in the fountain before entering the Haram.

Indian and Southeast Asian architecture made use of which architectural principles in the orientation and layout of their buildings?

Both are oriented to the cardinal directions and the layout in both is symmetrical and represents the mountains and caves in the same way.

During what period was Buddhism first developed in China? Where were early examples of artistic influence from India found in China? Which buildings were the first important religious structure for Buddhism in China?

Buddhism came to China in the 1st and 2nd century CE. Buddist and Hindu artistic influences were found such as elephants, lotus plants, scrolling vines, and acanthus leaves (Hindu). Cave temples were the first religious structure in china for Buddhism.

Stupa

Buddhist shrine that is shaped like a dome or mound

Which site in South America has possibly the world's oldest earthen pyramid?

Caral, near Lime Peru.

What principles of architectural design were fundamental in Chinese architecture?

Chinese architecture relies on an axial arrangement, formal cues, and sequencing to establish dominance,

Describe the organization and building types found in the ciudadela in the Chimor kingdom.

Ciudadelas are large palace compounds. They are often divided into three areas. A large, northern entry court with smaller adjacent courts, U-shaped audiencias, or offices, and files of small storage rooms. A burial platform adjacent to family living quarters and more multipurpose rooms. A smaller area reserved for a well and probably quarters for servants.

mosaic tilework

Islamic decorative technique in which large ceramic panels are fired, cut into smaller pieces, and set in plaster

How was Incan Cyclopean stone masonry constructed?

Each stone was dressed, then placed adjacent to its neighbors without the use of mortar. Masons then marked the outline of the new stone on those already in place, removed it, and pounded out a new profile to receive it.

In the Forbidden City, how were the spaces arranged in order to set up a hierarchy of spaces/buildings and to emphasize deference to authority?

Gates, walls, and moats around the palace and residential blocks establish barriers that clarify the internal social hierarchy

How does the Hindu temple differ in function from the Buddhist stupa?

Hindu temples act as dwellings of the gods, places of worship, and objects of worship whereas stupas are used to honor the life of one.

What were the three main religions established in India?

Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism

What role does a mihrab serve in a mosque? What space in a Christian church does it resemble? How does it differ?

Mihrabs is a prayer niche that indicates the direction of Mecca.

What types of construction were used in the later temples? (this was different than the typical post-and-lintel or corbeling techniques)

Shikhara was the technique used and it was different because it was an arch.

What is the importance of stelae in Mayan culture, for example in the city of Copan?

Stelae are upright slabs with inscriptions. They often marked significant events. In the City of Copan, the stelae were called "tree-stones" and carved with kings so that plazas filled with them both recounted the sequence of rulers and symbolized the tropical forest.

What rituals and religious symbols are expressed in the design of the stupa? How is this similar or different from Buddhist rock-cut halls?

Stupas are a symbol of a heavenly dome and are topped with chatras which represent the axis of the world. Toranas also held carved figures that showed Buddhist legends. The circumambulation paths were a method for meditation. The symbols and design in the rock-cut halls were more decorated and refined than the stupas. The porch of this structure was painted and carved with scenes from the life of buddha. The windows allowed a dim light to fill the room and highlight the importance of the stupa. The side aisles allowed for walking meditation and the main hall that led up to the stupa allowed for sitting meditation.

What is the typical orientation of the Hindu temple and how are numbers and geometry applied?

Temples are oriented to the cardinal points which represent the 4 corners of the earth. Geometry is incorporated by a subdivided square, or a mandala is used for proportions. Numbers associated with gods were also used in determining the proportions of the mandala and structures

What are the four design strategies used for the ornamentation of mosques?

The 4 design strategies are the repetition of an architectural element, like an arch, geometric manipulations, like rotated and interlocking polygons, organic growth in the form of plantlike foliation, and calligraphy

What two structures were built by Moche craftsman at the Capital of Cerro Blanca?

The Huaca del Sol (Pyramid of the Sun) and the smaller Huaca de la Luna (Pyramid of the Moon)

What was the function of the Ise Shrine and what culture did it originate from?

The Ise Shrine is a shrine and union to the goddess of agriculture and earth (outer shrine) and goddess of the sun (inner shrine). This kept harmony and balance and is used to promote agricultural prosperity. It originated in Japan

What function does the mosque serve? How is a mosque oriented? The mosque is organized in a specific way; describe this organization

The Mosque is the primary place of worship and is oriented towards Mecca. The organization of a mosque begins with the Sahn, an arcaded court. Next, is the covered prayer hall called the haram, a maqsura is placed inside as a special processional area. The wall opposite the sahn is the qibla, prayer wall, that has mihrabs.

Describe the Tecotihuacan people's advanced understanding of geometry and spatial order, as seen in the plan of the Palace of Ateltelco in figure 10.16.

The Palace of Ateltelco has several different level changes to break up space. This helps distinguish the interlocking of squares and proportion space. Notable are the cross-axial organization, the column screens, and the resulting rich sequence of spaces.

What was the basic organization for buildings and open spaces in the ceremonial centers of most South American sites?

The U-Shaped was used for ceremonial spaces and buildings. It was a sunken court flanked by low buildings and establishing an axis uniting a series of terraces.

roof comb

The elaborately sculpted vertical projection surmounting a maya temple pyramid.

Gavaksha

The idea of light incorporated into a structure with the use of arches and entrances.

What is the importance of the minarets on each corner of the mosque?

The minarets were a platform for a caller (muezzin) to summon the faithful to prayer and it served to identify the mosque in the landscape.

What building type did the Islamic designers derive the prototype for the mosque from? List the new structures based on Mohammad's teachings.

The mosque evolved from several sources. These included the House of the Prophet at Medina, Christian churches, and perhaps the audience halls of Persian kings

What was the purpose of the Chinese pagoda and where might the idea for this tower-like structure come from?

The pagoda was inspired by the parasol-like finials atop northern Indian stupas and by multi-storied watchtowers from Chinese military construction. The pagoda's original purpose, to house relics and sacred writings, was expanded to make the structure into a vertical marker in the landscape

What were the fundamental characteristics of the design of an Indian stupa? Compare these features to the Buddhist cave-temples.

The stupa is a giant dome topped with a chatra surrounded by a hand railing (harmica). Circumambulation paths surround the base of the dome. A verdica ( fence) surrounds the whole structure and on all four sides are Torana (gates). Buddhist cave temples held a stupa at the end of a rectangular hall with halls on each end.

How were the Nazca glyphs made and what basic forms did they take?

They were made by removing upper desert strata of rusted metallic particles, this exposed the lighter color sediment underneath. Some giant glyphs depict humans, llamas, and other animals like a monkey and a spider. On flat terrain, the glyph's lines appear to have been used as ritual pathways

How do the Islamic domes differ from Roman domes?

They were made of wood and the roman domes were not.

Why was the Olmec civilization important for later Mesoamerican cultures?

They were the progenitors of Mesoamerican culture.

What are three regional mosque types and where are they located?

columnar or hypostyle mosques favored in Arabia, North Africa, and Spain. Iwan mosques popular in Iran and Central Asia, which consist of a rectangular court flanked by large, often vaulted spaces, or iwans. Centrally organized, domed-space mosques found in Turkey.

Haram

covered prayer hall

torana

exterior stone gates that mark the cardinal points

What are the names of the structures used in the first three levels of worship and what purpose do they serve?

for the first level of worship, individual daily prayer, the structure used is the Masjid. The next level, neighborhood congregation, is the congressional or Friday mosque. The 3rd level, the entire populace of a small city, is held in an Idgab.

Garbhagriha

from the sanskrit word meaning "womb chamber" a small room or shrine in a hindu temple containing a holy image

Half-timber construction

half of the building was constructed of timber and the other half was of other materials

four-iwan mosque

mosque arranged around an open courtyard with a vaulted hall (iwan) on each side

Vimana

pyramidal tower over the garbha griha of a southern style Hindu temple

cuerda seca

technique used when applying coloured glazes to ceramic surfaces

Qibla

the important stone within the Ka'ba

ridgepole

the long beam that goes all the way down the top of the structure

circumambulation path

the path on the edges to walk around the stupa

plinth

the platform that hindu temples are built on

Maqsura

the rulers private prayer space

What is the function of the Horyu-ji Temple and each of its buildings? What is a reliquary?

the temple is a monastery. The pagoda contains symbolic relics and the golden hall is the repository for religious images. The Kodo is an assembly hall or lecture hall. Each wing contains the living quarters. sutra repository and belfry contain the sutras (sacred texts) and a bell.

Qibla wall

the wall of a mosque that faces Mecca; the wall Muslims face when praying

bracket sets

two brackets, a block of wood set on top of a column to spread out the weight of a beam, that intersect eachother