Achaeans: also known
as the Mycenaeans. This civilization built independent
city-states in the Peloponnese that were characterized
by palaces on fortified hilltops. They wrote in
the deciphered Linear B script and many fine examples
of their gold jewelry are on display at the National
Archaeological Museum in Athens. The height
of their civilization was in 1300 BC but was in
decline by 1100 BC with the arrival of the Dorians.
Abacus
: a flat slab that sits upon the capital of a
column forming its uppermost member. Its chief
function is to provide a larger supporting surface
for the architrave or arch it has to carry.
Acropolis:
the upper part of a town. For purposes of defense
early settlers naturally chose elevated ground,
frequently a hill with precipitous sides. These
early citadels became in many parts of the world
the nuclei of large cities which grew up on the
surrounding lower ground. The most famous example
is the Acropolis of Athens which, by reason of
its historical associations and the famous buildings
erected upon it, is generally known as the
Acropolis. It was built in honor of Athena,
a Greek goddess that the city worshiped.
Agora:
a marketplace. It was the center of commercial activity of
an ancient city. The Ancient
Agora of Athens is a good example.
Adyton :
a restricted area within the cella of a Greek or Roman
temple. Its name meant "inaccessible" or "do
not enter". The adyton was frequently a small area
at the farthest end of the cella from the entrance and it would
often house the cult image of the god.
Aisle
: open area of a church parallel to the nave and separated
from it by columns or piers.
Akroterion
(Acroterion)
: an
orrnament placed on a plinth or acroter at the apex of the pediment
of a building in the Classical style. It may also be placed
at the outer angles of the pediment; such acroteria are referred
to as acroteria angularia. The acroterion may take a wide variety
of forms, such as a statue, tripod, disc, urn, palmette or some
other sculpted feature. Acroterion is found in both gothic and
classical architecture.
Amphora
:
a type of ceramic vase with two handles, used
for the transportation and storage of perishable
goods and, more rarely, as containers for the
ashes of the dead or as prize awards. Most were
produced with a pointed base to allow them to
be stacked in sand or soft ground, while those
with a ring base tended to be used for domestic
or votive purposes. The latter were often glazed
and decorated with figures, while purely functional
amphorae were plain in appearance, often distinguished
only by the stamps or signatures of their owners.
Amphorae
were invented by the ancient Greeks and adopted
by the Romans as the principal means for transporting
and storing wine, oil, olives, grain, fish, and
other commodities. They were produced on an industrial
scale from Greek times and used around the Mediterranean
until about the 16th century. They are of great
benefit to maritime archeologists, as amphoae
in a shipwreck can often indicate the age and
nationality of the wreck. They are occasionally
so well preserved that the original contents are
still present, providing invaluable information
on the eating habits and trading systems of the
ancient Mediterranean peoples.
Antefix
:
the covers at the edges of a roof on all four
sides of a building. The cover tiles are the second
layer that cover the joints of the first layer
of tiles on the roof and end in decorative relief
representations called acroterion.
Anticum
:
also called pronaos, the inner area of the portico
of an ancient Greek or Roman temple, situated
between the colonnade or walls of the portico
and the entrance to the cella.
Apex:
the highest or culminating point.
Apobate:
a fully armed warrior who, in a contest, rode in a chariot for
a while, dismounted, ran alongside the chariot and jumped back
onto the chariot.
Apse
: rounded end of a building, most often a basilica or a church,
but sometimes a private house or a Roman bath building.
Archaic
period:
also known as the Middle Ages. It dates from 800 to 480 BC and
was marked by the increase in power of the city-states. Due to
the decline of the Phoenicians, Greek colonies stretched as far
as Africa, Sicily, Italy, southern France, and southern Spain.
A Greek alphabet
derived from the Phoenician alphabet, Homeric verses, the Olympic
Games, and the defeat
of the Persians all marked this period.
Architrave
:
the beam that rest on the capitals of the columns.
As such, it is the lowest part of the entablature
consisting of architrave, frieze and cornice.
Attic
: a low wall at the top of the entablature that hides the roof.
Barrel vault or tunnel vault : the simplest form of a vault, consisting of a continuous
surface of semicircular or pointed sections. It resembles a barrel
or tunnel which has been cut in half lengthwise.
Bas-relief
:
a method of sculpting which entails carving or etching away the
surface of a flat piece of stone or metal. The resulting image
is raised above the background flat surface.
Boule:
a council of citizens appointed to run daily affairs
of the city. Originally a council of nobles advising
the king, boules evolved according to the constitution
of the city. In oligarchies, boule positions might
be hereditary while in democracies members were
typically chosen by lot and served for one year.
Bouzouki
:
a stringed instrument similar to a guitar or lute
that is used to play Rebetika
music.
Bouzoukia:
a nightclub that plays songs performed with a
bouzouki instrument. They are generally popular
and packed with Greeks every evening.
Bronze
Age:
from 3000 to 1800 BC there were three great civilizations, the
Cycladic, Minoan, and Mycenaean civilizations, that were inspired
by the introduction of bronze working in Greece.
Buttress
: mass of masonry built against a wall to strengthen it. It is
especially necessary when a vault or an arch places a heavy load
or thrust on one part of a wall. In the case of a wall carrying
the uniform load of a floor or roof, it is more economical to
buttress it at certain intervals than to make the entire wall
thicker.
Byzantine
period:
the Roman Emperor Constantine I, moved the capital of the Roman
Empire to present day Istanbul in 324 AD and it formally became
the Byzantine Empire at the end of the 4th century when Rome went
into decline. There were invasions of Goths, Visigoths, Vandals,
Ostrogoths, Bulgars, Huns, and Slaves in this period but Christianity,
blended with Hellenism, had taken a strong hold. Christianity
was declared the official religion in Greece in 394 AD and Greek
and Roman gods were branded as pagan and outlawed. Even classical
philosophy was forbidden in 529 AD and replaced with Christian
theology. The Byzantine Empire lasted until the fall of Constantinople
to the crusaders in 1205 AD and to the Ottomans in 1453 AD.
Caique
:
a small, wooden fishing boat often used to transport
people to beaches on the Greek islands.
Capital
:
the crowning member of the column which projects
on each side in order to support the abacus and
unite the square form of the latter with the circular
shaft. The bulk of the capital may either be convex,
as in the Doric order; concave, as in the bell
of the Corinthian order; or scrolling out, as
in the Ionic order. These form the three principal
types on which all capitals are based.
Castro
: a castle
or walled-in town.
Cavea
: the
name of the tiered seating area in an amphitheatre.
Cella
: In
ancient Greek and Roman temples, the cella is a room at the centre
of the building usually containing a statue to the particular
god respected by the temple. In addition the cella may contain
a table to receive votive offerings. The cella is typically a
simple, windowless, rectangular room with a door or open entrance
in the middle of one of the shorter walls. In larger temples,
the cella may be divided into two or three aisles by rows of columns.
They may also contain an adyton, an area restricted to access
by the high priests.
Cenotaph
: a
tomb or a monument erected in honor of a person or group of persons
whose remains are elsewhere. It can also be the initial tomb for
a person that has since been interred elsewhere. The word derives
from the Greek words kenos, meaning being "empty" and
taphos, "tomb".
Centaurs
: mythological wild creatures that were half man half horse. They
lived in the mountains of Pelion and Ossa of Thessaly.
Chiton
: a
piece of clothing made of a two sheets of light drape and worn
directly over the body. A belt, usually under the breast ("high-girded")
or around the waist ("low-girded") helped contain it.
Double-girded were also fashionable. The chiton was often worn
in combination with the heavier himation, which had the role of
a cloak. It was the outfit of Aphrodite because it was considered
very feminine & sexy. Men also wore it. Dionysus is often
drawn wearing it. Poets & male artists also wore it. When
used alone (without a himation), the chiton was called monochiton.
City-state:
a region controlled exclusively by a city. City-states
were common in the ancient period. A city state
was sovereign, although many cities were joined
in formal or informal leagues under a high king.
Many historical empires or leagues were formed
by the right of conquest or under peaceful alliances
or mutual protection.
Classical
period:
from 480 till 338 BC, the classical period is marked by the rise
in and affluence of Athens, the Peloponnesian
Wars, the falls of Athens and the eventual decline of all
of the city-states.
Cloisonné
style
: walls built in sculpted stone surrounded by bricks.
Conch:
rectangular or semi-circular recess on a wall with decorative
or functional purpose. Conch is sometimes used a synonym of apses.
Corinthian
architecture
: the most
ornate of the three orders of classical Greek architecture. The
columns have bell-shaped capitals with adornments based on acanthus
leaves.
Cornice
:
the set of projecting moldings that crown an entablature.
The cornice lies above the frieze, which rests
on the architrave. The function of the projecting
cornice is to throw rainwater free of the building's
walls.
Cupola
:
a dome-shaped ornamental structure located on
top of a larger roof or dome often used as a lookout
or to admit light and remove stale air. In some
cases, the entire main roof of a tower can form
a single cupola. More frequently, however, the
cupola comprises a smaller structure which sits
on top of the main roof. If one can reach the
cupola by climbing a stairway inside the building,
one can refer to this type of accessible cupola
as a belvedere or as a widow's walk. Some cupolas,
called lanterns, have small windows which illuminate
the areas below.
Cycladic
period:
based in the Cycladic islands from 3000 till 1100 BC. A civilization
of accomplished sailors who traded all over the Mediterranean
and left behind many carved marble figurines. The period is divided
into early (3000-2000 BC), middle (2000-1500 BC), and late (1500-1100
BC) phases.
Dark Age: the period from 1200 till
800 BC is also called the Geometric period. It is named for the
demise in city-states due to the ruling and warring Doric civilization.
They created a system of aristocratic landowners and made pottery
decorated with geometric designs that is the source of the alternate
name for the period.
Deme:
(plural demi) was a subdivision of Attica, the region of Greece
surrounding Athens. Demi as simple subdivisions of land in the
countryside seem to have existed in the 6th century BC and earlier,
but did not acquire particular significance until the reforms
of Cleisthenes in 508 BC. In those reforms, enrollment in the
citizen-lists of a deme became the requirement for citizenship;
prior to that time, citizenship had been based on membership in
a phratry, or family group. At this same time, demi were established
in the city of Athens itself, where they had not previously existed;
in all, at the end of Cleisthenes' reforms, Attica was divided
into 139 demi. The establishment of demi as the fundamental units
of the state weakened the gene, or aristocratic family groups,
that had dominated the phratries.
A
deme functioned to some degree as a polis (a city of city-state)
in miniature, and indeed some demes, such as Eleusis and Acharnae,
were in fact significant towns. Each deme had a demarchos who
supervised its affairs; various other civil, religious and military
functionaries existed in various demi. Demi held their own religious
festivals and collected and spent revenue. Demes were combined
with other demes from the same area to make trittyes, larger population
groups, which in turn were combined to form the ten tribes, or
phyles of Athens. Each tribe contained one trittys from each of
three regions, the city, the coast, and the inland area.
Dentils
: an
even series of rectangles used as ornament to decorate cornices
of classical buildings. First found in Greek architecture 400
BC. Dentils can be found on almost any Classical style building.
Distyle
temple:
having two recessed columns at the front of the
temple to form a porch or entrance to the temple.
Doric
architecture:
the oldest and simplest of the three orders of classical Greek
architecture. It is characterized by a column with no base, a
fluted shaft, and a plain capital.
Doric
period:
the warrior-like Dorians conquered Greece's city-states
and created a class of land owning aristocrats
from 1100 till 800 BC. They brought with them
iron age technology but also created pottery with
geometric designs, thus giving rise to the Geometric
period also known as the Dark Age due to the Dorians
constant warring and subjugation of the population.
Ecclesia: the principal assembly of the democracy
of ancient Athens. It was the popular assembly,
opened to all male citizens over the age of 18
by Solon in 594 BC. In the 5th century BC this
amounted to about 43.000 people. However, only
those wealthy enough to spend much of their time
away from home would have been able to participate.
The assembly was responsible for declaring war,
military strategy and electing officials. It originally
met once every month, later three or four times
per month. The agenda for the ecclesia was established
by the Boule, the popular council. Votes were
taken by a show of hands.
A
gang of slaves, called Scythians, carrying ropes dipped in red
paint would travel through the city on the days the Ecclesia was
to meet and would lash those citizens not in attendance with their
ropes. With garments thus stained, shamed citizens could legally
carry out no business until they visited the meeting grounds of
the Ecclesia on Pnyx
Hill.
Dromos
: in
architecture, is the name of the entr’acte passage leading
down to the beehive tombs in Greece, open to the air and enclosed
between stone walls.
Drum
: a
cylindrical wall which supports a dome.
Entablature
: the superstructure which lies horizontally above the columns,
resting on their capitals. It is commonly divided into architrave,
the part immediately above the column; frieze, the central space;
and cornice, the upper projecting moldings.
Epigram:
a short poem with a clever twist at the end or a concise and witty
statement. They are among the best examples of the power of poetry
to compress insight and wit.
Estiatorio:
literally a restaurant. They are usually more
formal and more expensive than a taverna but offer
a more formal standard of eating.
Evzones
:
named for the small village of Evzoni in northern
Greece. The
Evzones stand guard at the tomb of the unknown
soldier in front of the parliament building on
Syntagma
Square in Athens.
Exedra
: an often
semicircular portico with seats that was used in ancient Greece
and Rome as a place for discussions.
Fluted : a style of architecture where a column has vertical indentations.
Flying
buttress
: a structural feature, usually on a religious building, used
to transmit the weight of a vault across a space such as an aisle
or a chapel or to a buttress built outside. The employment of
the flying buttress means that the load bearing walls can contain
cut-outs, such as for large windows, that would otherwise seriously
weaken the vault walls.
Frappe
:
considered by some as the national drink of modern
Greece. Most Greeks drink at least one a day.
It is a cold, frothy mixture of instant coffee,
water and, optionally, milk and sugar.
Frieze
: the wide central section part of an entablature. It can be plain
or, in the Ionic or Corinthian order, decorated with bas-reliefs.
It lies upon the architrave and is capped by the moldings of the
cornice.
Geometric period:
the period from 1200 till 800 BC, also called the Dark Age. The
period is named for pottery decorated with geometric designs that
was made by the ruling and warring Doric civilization.
Gorgons
: In Greek mythology, the Gorgons ("terrible" or, according
to some, "loud-roaring") were vicious female monsters
with sharp fangs and hair of living, venomous snakes. Gorgons
are sometimes depicted as having wings of gold, brazen claws,
and the tusks of boars. They even have fire coming out of their
hands and they can steal powers from the gods. They are so strong
they can kill anyone who stands in their way. They are the Queens
of the underworld.The Gorgons can go anywhere they want and even
look like humans. There is only one male Gorgon his name is Nanas
the guard of Zeus. According to the myths, seeing the face of
a Gorgon turned the viewer to stone.
Griffins
: mythical
animals with the body of a lion and the head of an eagle. They
were mainly known in Anatolia from where they passed into the
Minoan and from there to ancient Greek mythology and art.
Hellenistic period:
from 338 till 146 BC, Greece expanded its influence
over a large area. Phillip II of Macedonia began
by taking over Greece and the city-states that
were rundown from the many wars during the classical
period. After his assassination, his son Alexander
the Great conquered Syria, Palestine, Egypt (where
he founded Alexandria), Persia, northern Afghanistan,
and northern India thus spreading Hellenism throughout
a great area. After Alexander's death his conquered
territories were divided and weakened thus ushering
in the period of Roman control.
Hexastyle
temple:
having a portico of six columns at either end.
Himation
: a
type of clothing in ancient Greece. It was usually worn over a
chiton, but was made of heavier drape and played the role of a
cloak. The himation was markedly less voluminous than the Roman
toga. When the himation was used alone (without a chiton), and
served both as a chiton and as a cloak, it was called an achiton.
Hippodamian
system:
a form of ancient city building with a grid of
parallel streets and residential blocks of the
same size, called insulae.
Hora:
the generic name for the main town on a Greek island, regardless
of the town's actual name. Therefore, nearly every island in Greece
has a town called Hora.
Hydria
: a
type of Greek pottery used for carrying water. The hydria has
three handles. The two handles on either side of the body of the
pot were used for lifting and carrying the pot. The third handle,
located in the centre of the other two handles, was used when
pouring water. This water vessel can be found in both the red
and black figure pottery styles. They often depicted scenes of
Greek mythology that reflected moral and social obligations.
Hyperoon
:
the area above the side nave of a temple. In the
Hellenistic basilica, the hyperoon was above the
side nave and the narthex from where the women
watched the service, giving this area the name
gynaikonite or women's nave.
Hypocausts
: installations
under the floors for heating the rooms in ancient bathhouses.
Icon
:
a religious picture painted in oil on a small
wooden panel. They are respected in the Greek
Orthodox religion.
Iconostasi
:
an altar screen embellished with icons running
across an entire end of a church. At first, an
iconostasis was just a small wall that served
as a symbolic marker of the division between the
sanctuary and the nave (or between heaven and
earth). Icons were placed on the small wall and
eventually several rows were permanently installed
thus creating the altar wall seen today.
Ionic
architecture
: one of the
three orders of classical Greek architecture that was neither
simple nor ornate.
Kafeneio(n):
coffee house where men spend the day playing cards,
backgammon, smoking, and drinking coffee. Kafeneia
are for men only.
Kafeteria:
cafe or coffee
shop that rarely serves food. Greeks spend several
hours at drinking coffee, chatting with friends
and people watching.
Katholikon:
the main church of a monastery.
Kleroterion :
a simple lottery device used by Athenians during the period of
their democracy to randomly choose citizens for public posts.
It consisted of a flat surface incised with many slots into which
the citizens' tokens would be placed, as well as a tube that
was to be filled with different-colored balls that, when cranked
out, determined which slots would be chosen.
Kore
:
female statue of the archaic period. The male versions are called
Kouros.
Kouros
:
statues of the archaic period that were symmetrical stiff standing
males, the female representations are called Kore
Kufic
: decorative
elements that immitate the old Arabic writing in which the Koran
was first written in the city of Kufa, in present-day Iraq.
Lekythos
: a type of Greek pottery used for storing oil, especially
olive oil. It has a narrow body and one handle attached to the
neck of the vessel. The lekythos was used for anointing dead bodies
and many lekythos are found in tombs. The images on lekythi were
often depictions of daily activities or rituals. Because they
are so often used in funerary situations, they may also depict
funerary rights, a scene of loss or a sense of departure. These
drawings are usually outline drawings that are quite expressionless
and sombre in appearance.
The
decoration of these ceramic vessels consists of a dull red and
black paint. These colours may have been derived from the Bronze
Age but were not used until 530 BC in Athens. Many artists of
these vessels attempt to add more colours to the figures but end
up abandoning the idea as to leave more of a contrast. These vessels
were very popular circa the 5th century BC. However, there are
many that have been found dating all the way back to 700 BC.
Linear
A :
a script from the ancient Minoans that is similar to Egyptian
hieroglyphics but that has not been deciphered.
Linear
B
: a script
from the ancient Mycenaean civilization that has been translated.
Loutrophoros
: a
distinctive type of Greek pottery characterized by its elongated
neck. The loutrophoros was used to hold water during marriage
and funerary rituals, and was placed in the tombs of unmarried
women.
Meltemi: a strong
wind that blows throughout the Aegean Sea in July
and August. It regularly disrupts ferry schedules
and sends beach equipment flying.
Metope
:
a slab of stone sculpted with reliefs that on
a Doric frieze alternate with triglyphs.
Meze
or Mezedes
:
appetizers.
Moni:
monastery.
Minoan
period:
this period (3000 till 1100 BC) is named after
the great Minoan civilization on Crete. Influenced
by the Mesopotamians and Egyptians, the Minoans
were a maritime power that had their own script
similar to Egyptian hieroglyphics and later a
script called Linear A that has not been translated.
Their pottery, metalwork and cities are well preserved.
It is generally accepted that the civilization
declined after an enormous volcanic eruption on
Santorini. The period is divided into early (3000-2100
BC), middle (2100-1500 BC) and late (1500-1100
BC) phases.
Mycenaean
period:
the decline of the Minoans led to the rise of the Mycenaeans from
1900 till 1100 BC. Their independent city-states in Peloponnesos
were characterized by palaces on fortified hilltops, they wrote
in the deciphered Linear B script and many fine examples of their
gold jewelry are on display at the National
Archaeological Museum in Athens. Also called Achaeans, the
height of their civilization was in 1300 BC but was in decline
by 1100 BC with the arrival of the Dorians.
Narthex: a vestibule
leading to the nave. Also the portico at the west
end of an early Christian basilica or church.
Nave:
the areas into which the interior of a building
is separated by the columns.
Necropolis
:
an ancient cemetery.
Neolithic
period:
the period from 7000 till 3000 BC affected mainly the central
landmass of Greece in the region known as Thessaly. The people
grew crops and raised animals and by 3000 BC they were living
in settlements with streets and houses. The most complete Neolithic
settlements in Greece are found near the present city of Volos.
Odeion or Odeon
:
ancient Greek theater.
Odos:
street.
Omphalos
:
stone in Delfi that Greeks believed marked the
center of the world.
Opisthodomos
:
or Opisthodome, also called Posticum. A small room at the rear
of a classical temple used as a treasury. By balancing
the pronaos at the front of the temple, the addition of an opistodomeos
could create a symmetrical design.
Ottoman
period:
for nearly 400 years (1453-1829 AD) the Ottoman
Empire controlled Greece although they continually
struggled with Venice for control. In the beginning,
the Greeks preferred the rule of the Ottomans
to the Venetians who were ruthless subjugators
but eventually they resented the rule of the Ottomans
as well. It was in 1627 during a battle with the
Venetians that a shell struck a gunpowder storage
in the Parthenon
on the Acropolis in
Athens and blew it up. In the late 1700's the
Russians came to Greece in an effort to expand
their power base. On 25 March 1821 the Greeks
began their War of Independence and the Ottoman
Empire finally fell in 1829.
Ouzeri:
a restaurant that serves ouzo and light snacks.
Recently they started serving a wider variety
of food and are more similar to a taverna.
Ouzo
:
a hard liquor unique to Greece that tastes like anise seed or
black licorice. When diluted with water, ouzo
changes from clear to cloudy.
Palladium: according
to the myth, when the goddess Athena was still
a young girl, she was brought up in the house
of the god Triton whose daughter, Pallas, was
as equally talented as Athena in the art of war.
During a fight between the two girls, Athena killed
Pallas by accident in front of Zeus. The goddess,
suffering the loss of her friend, used her considerable
technical ability to build the famous Palladium
(a wooden statue) in the likeness of her friend.
She put it under her aegis (armor plate) and described
its divine honors. In art it is normally noted
as a statuette depicting the goddess Athena.
Panathenaic
games:
a set of games held every four years in Athens
in ancient Greece.
Pantheon:
a temple to all the gods.
Parapet : a dwarf wall
along the edge of a roof, or round a lead flat, terrace walk,
etc., to prevent people from falling over, and as a protection
to the defenders in case of a siege.
Pediment
:
a classical architectural element consisting of
a triangular section found above the horizontal
entablature which lies immediately upon the columns.
Peribolos:
enclosed court surrounding a temple.
Periptero
:
a street kiosk.
They are found in every city in Greece and they
sell everything from candy bars, newspapers, cigarettes,
telephone cards to stamps.
Peristyle :
columns surrounding a building or enclosing a
courtyard.
Pithos
:
Minoan jars or vases, sometimes taller than a
person, that were used for storage.
Plateia
:
square.
Poros
stone
: soft stone with porous composition used widely in ancient Greek
architecture and sculpture.
Portico
:
a porch or walkway with a roof supported by columns,
often leading to the entrance of a building.
Posticum
: also called opisthodomos. A small room in the
cella of a classical temple used as a treasury.
Pronaos
:
also called Anticum. An open vestibule before
the cella in a classical temple.
Propylon
:
an enormous entrance built to protect the main
artery in and out of an ancient city or sanctuary.
Psarotaverna:
a taverna specializing
in fish and seafood usually found on or near the
beach.
Psistaria:
a taverna specializing
in meats grilled on a spit. Make sure you find out the price per
kilo before you order as it is not always displayed and can sometimes
be quite expensive.
Rebetika: Rebetika
music is a type of music that is distinctly
Greek yet no one knows quite where it came from.
Its earliest forms could not have been sung before
about 1850 but it was the refugees from Asia Minor
in the 1920's who popularized it. To this day,
you will see young and old people alike singing
or mouthing the words to these songs when they
are played in restaurants, clubs, and cafes. The
word also refers to restaurants
that serve traditional Greek food and have live
rebetika bands.
Retsina
: a cheap Greek wine made with tree resin. Retsina
is pretty popular in Greece.
Roman
period:
the Romans ruled Greece from 146 BC till 324 AD when they defeated
the Achaean League, a remnant of Alexander the Great's conquered
territories. Mark Anthony was the first ruler and Greece flourished
under Rome's influence.
Rombus
: a
four sided shape with all four sides equal, two opposite angles
being greater than a right angle and two smaller. Also a diamond
shape or diamond shaped object.
Sima
: this was usually only on the sides of the temple and
had two main functions: it was there to hold the rainwater and
it served as a decorative crowning to the building. In many temples
it was also there to catch the run-off from the roof. For this
purpose, it had equally spaced pipes or lion-head water spouts.
On temples of the 4th century BC, the sima had relief decorations
of plants.
Sobriquet:
a nickname or a fancy name, usually a familiar name given by others
as distinct from a pseudonym assumed as a disguise but a nickname
which is familiar enough such that it can be used in place of
a real name without the need of explanation. This salient characteristic,
that is, of sufficient familiarity, is most easily noted in cases
where the sobriquet becomes more familiar than the original name
for which it was formed as an alternative.
Stele
:
vertically standing gravestones.
Stylobate
: also know as stereobate, the immediate foundation
of a row of classical columns.
Stoa
: a long, columned
building used as a meeting place and shelter in ancient Greece
that was usually in an agora.
Taverna:
a small restaurant
serving traditional
Greek food that is generally less expensive
and more authentic than a restaurant.
Telchines:
according to mythology, Telchines were born of
the sea and were the first ones to inhabit Rhodes.
They are particularly known as metallurgists and
inventive craftsmen. It is said that they were
the first ones to finely work iron and bronze
and made many wonderful works such as Cronus'
sickle and Poseidon's trident.
Tetrastyle
temple:
having a portico of four columns at either end.
Tholos
:
beehive tombs developed from Mycenaean shaft tombs,
which first appeared around 1600 BC. After about
1500 BC, beehive tombs became more widespread.
They were built as corbelled arches, layers of
stone and dirt placed closer together as the arch
tapers toward the top of the tomb. This style
is probably an influence from Minoan tombs. Each
tomb usually contains more than one person, in
various places in the tomb, and with various grave
goods. After a burial, the beehive tomb was covered
with dirt, leaving a small mound with most of
the tomb underground. They were connected to the
surface by a long tunnel, leading to a door consisting
of a set of monoliths. Because there are hundreds
of such tombs, with more than one associated with
each Mycenaean settlement, they were probably
not burial places for the aristocracy alone, although
the larger tombs, ranging from about 10 meters
to about 15 meters in diameter, were likely used
for royal burials. The larger tombs presumably
contained aristocratic grave goods, but the tombs
were pillaged in ancient times.
Triglyph
: a decorative element of the Doric frieze that alternates with
the metopes and is formed by three grooves, or glyphs.
Vault
: an arched structure, usually of masonry or concrete, serving
to cover a space.
War of Independence: On 25 March
1821, the Greeks began their War of Independence from the Venetians,
Russians, and primarily from the Ottomans. They proclaimed independence
in 1822 but spent several years in a civil war and eventually
reached peace in 1827. Greece's first elected president, Ioannis
Kapodistrias, was assassinated and in the ensuing power vacuum
Britain, France, and Russia stepped in and declared the new country
a monarchy and placed 17 year old Price Otto of Bavaria on the
throne. In modern Greece, the War of Independence is still fresh
in the collective mind and serves as the base for several national
holidays
Zaharoplasteio:
a shop that sells sweets, desserts, chocolate,
and cakes. A bakery is not an accurate description
as they do not sell things like croissants or
bread. Some have seating areas where you can buy
drinks and eat your desserts.