Art History Vocabulary
Mrs. Henderson-Hunsucker’s Art History Class

Fall 2007

Chapter 1 – Key Terms

sculpture in the round relief sculpture abstraction forms
ow-relief sculpture attributes geometric grids

Post-and-lintel construction graffiti ceramics corbelling
passage graves dolmen capstones cairn

linear henge incised x-ray style

desert varnish anthromorph

Chapter 2 – Key Terms

pictograph hieroglyphic cuneiform stylus

hieratic ziggurat votive incised

cylinder seals iconography stele (stelae) hieratic scale

palettes mastaba necropolis veneer

cartouche hypostyle hall pylons clerestory

sarcophagus enamelwork lamassu

Chapter 3– Key Terms

stylization stupas relics axis mundi

toranas murals lotus chakra

bodhisattvas taotie mudra yaksha

mandala stylized mausoleum Daoism

inlay bracketing glazes bay

module pagoda calligraphy seals

lacquer haniwa Kofun kami

Chapter 4– Key Terms

sculpture in the round facades granulation niello

cyclopean construction beehive tomb corbeled vault courses

dressed stone (ashlar) vault capstone megaron

relieving arch acropolis naos pronaos

peristyle stylobate architectural orders columns

entablatures Doric order capitals echinus

abacus entasis architrave frieze

cornice pediments metopes triglyphs

volumetric kore kouros amphora

black-figure slip red-figure kylix

palmettes bell krater naturalism Ionic order

volute Corinthian order caryatid contraposto

Chapter 5– Key Terms

Hellenistic mosaic foreshortening modeling

shading tesserae orkhestra skene

proskenion undercutting crenellated gold leaf

kiln atrium stucco sarcophagi

Chapter 6– Key Terms

illusionistic forums basilicas aqueduct

pier jamb bay spandrel

arch vault buttressing groin vault

arcade voussoir keystone apotheosis

atrium peristyle intuitive perspective pilasters

attic story concrete atmospheric perspective Tuscan order

aisles Pantheon rotunda drum

roundels drillwork tondo stylus

Chapter 7– Key Terms

cherubim catacombs menorahs house-synagogue

representational medallions cubiculum transept

nave nave arcade nave colonnade triforium

basilica-plan narthex apse central-plan

Greek-cross plan lunette conches naos

galleries piers exedrae pendentive

manuscripts parchment folio codex

icons iconoclasm enamels repoussé

cloisonné cloison crossing mandorla

Chapter 8– Key Terms

Islam arabesques calligraphy kufic script

mosque ambulatories qibla mihrab

minaret madrasas iwan muqarnas

bird’s eye-view atelier tugras interlace