The Art and Architecture of ancient Greece Greek Architecture. Architecture, defined as building executed to an aesthetically considered design, was extinct in Greece from the end of the Mycenaean period (about 1200 BC) to the 7th century BC, when urban life and prosperity recovered to a point where public building could be undertaken. But since many Greek buildings in the colonization period (8th - 6th century BC), were made of wood or mud-brick or clay, nothing remains of them except for a few ground-plans, and almost no written sources on early architecture or descriptions of these embryonic buildings exist. Architectural History
Around 600 BC, the wooden columns of the old Temple of Hera at Olympia underwent a material transformation, known as "petrification", in which they were replaced by stone columns. By degrees, other parts of the temple were petrified until the entire temple was made of stone. With the spread of this process to other sanctuaries, Greek temples and significant buildings from the 6th century BC onwards were built largely from stone, and a few fortunate examples have survived through the ages. Most of our knowledge of Greek architecture comes from the late archaic period ( BC), the Periclean age ( BC), and the early to pure classical period ( BC). Greek examples are considered alongside Hellenistic and Roman periods (since Roman architecture heavily copied Greek), and late written sources such as Vitruvius (1st century). This results in a strong bias towards temples, the only buildings which survive in numbers. Structure and style of Greek temples
Greek house designs were various. In the 5th and 4th centuries BC two standard plans became commonplace. Typical houses in Olynthus during this time period and the 2nd century houses on Delos had the small rooms of the home arranged in a rectangle plan around a colonnaded interior courtyard. A second house plan was found in Priene which also focused on an interior courtyard but it had much different floorplan. Instead of a collection of small rooms, the primary living area consisted of a large rectangular hall that lead to a columed porch. Opening off the sides of the courtyard were small rooms for servants, storage, and cooking. Houses in the Hellenistic period became much more diverse. For example, houses of wealthy people might have featured marble thresholds, columns and doorways; mosaic floors depicting scenes of humans or animals; and plastered walls modeled to look much like fine stonework. Orders of Greek architecture The Tholos at Delphi. Source:Wikipedia There were two main styles (or "orders") of Greek architecture, the Doric and the Ionic. These names were used by the Greeks themselves, and reflected their belief that the styles descended from the Dorian and Ionian Greeks of the Dark Ages, but this is unlikely to be true. The Doric style was used in mainland Greece and spred from there to the Greek colonies in Italy. The Ionic style was used in the cities of Ionia (now the west coast of Turkey) and some of the Aegean islands. The Doric style was more formal and austere, the Ionic was more relaxed and decorative. The more ornate Corinthian style was a later development of the Ionic. These styles are best known through the three orders of column capitals, but there are differences in most points of design and decoration between the orders. Most surviving Greek buildings, such as the Parthenon and the Temple of Hephaestus in Athens, are Doric. The Erechtheum and the small temple of athena Nike on the Acropolis are Ionic however. The Ionic order became dominant in the Hellenistic period, since its more decorative style suited the aesthetic of the period better than the more restrained Doric. Records show that the evolution of the Ionic order was resisted by many Greek States, as they claimed it represented the dominance of Athens. Some of the best surviving Hellenistic buildings, such as the Library of Celsus, can be seen in Turkey, at cities such as Ephesus and Pergamum. But in the greatest of Hellenistic cities, Alexandria in Egypt, almost nothing survives. The Erechtheum in Athens, showing columns with Ionic capitals Source:Wikipedia The Temple of Hephaestus in Athens, showing columns with Doric capitals Source:Wikipedia The Temple of Olympian Zeus in Athens, showing columns with Corinthian capitals Source:Wikipedia Structure and style of Greek temples The standard format of Greek public buildings is known from surviving examples such as the Parthenon and the Hephaesteum at Athens. Most buildings were rectangular and made from limestone or tufa. Marble was used mainly for sculptural decoration, not structurally, except in the very grandest buildings of the Classical period such as the Parthenon. The basic rectangular plan was surrounded by a colonnaded portico of columns on all four sides (peripteral or peristyle) such as the Parthenon, and occasionally at the front and rear only (amphiprostyle) as seen in the small Temple of Athena Nike. Some buildings had projecting columns forming the entrance (prostyle), while others featured a pronaos facade of columns leading on to the cella. The Greeks roofed their buildings with timber beams covered with overlapping terra cotta or occasionally marble tiles. They understood the principles of the masonry arch but made little use of it, and did not put domes on their buildings these elaborations were left to the Romans. Pediment and Entablature.
The low pitch of the gable roofs produced a squat triangular shape at each end of the building, the Pediment, which was typically filled with sculptural decoration. Between the roof and the tops of the columns a row of lintels formed the entablature, whose outward-facing surfaces also provided a space for sculptures, known as friezes The frieze consisted of alternating metopes (holding the sculpture) and triglyphs. No surviving Greek building preserves these sculptures intact, but they can be seen on some modern imitations of Greek buildings, such as the Greek National Academy building in Athens Greek Public Architecture
The temple was the most common and best-known form of Greek public architecture. The temple did not serve the same function as a modern church. For one thing, the altar stood under the open sky in the temenos or sacred fane, often directly before the temple. Temples served as storage places for the treasury associated with the cult of the god in question, as the location of a cult image sometimes of great antiquity, but from the time of Pheidias often a great work of art as well. The temple was a place for devotees of the god to leave their votive offerings, such as statues, helmets and weapons. The inner room of the temple, the cella, thus served mainly as a strongroom and storeroom. It was usually lined by another row of columns. Other architectural forms
Other architectural forms used by the Greeks were the tholos or circular temple, of which the best example is the Tholos of Theodorus at Delphi dedicated to the worship of Athena Pronaia; the propylon or porch, forming the entrance to temple sanctuaries (the best-surviving example is the Propylaea on the Acropolis of Athens); the fountain house, a building where women filled their vases with water from a public fountain; and the stoa, a long narrow hall with an open colonnade on one side, which was used to house rows of shops in the agoras (commercial centres) of Greek towns. Greek towns also needed at least one bouleuterion or council chamber, a large public building which served as a court house and as a meeting place for the town council (boule). Because the Greeks did not use arches or domes, they could not construct buildings with large interior spaces. The bouleuterion thus had rows of internal columns to hold the roof up (hypostyle). No examples of these buildings survive. City Planning and Houses
The Greeks had begun to lay out cities in a grid-like pattern before the start of the Classical period in the early 5th century BC, with streets regularly intersecting at right angles. Yet the Greeks credited the invention of the right-angled plan to Ionian architect Hippodamus. He planned new cities for Piraeus and the Athenian colony of Thuril. The late 5th century Olynthus showed his influence in the city's uniform streets and blocks. By the 4th century BC, carefully planned cities and civic spaces had become common in the Greek city states. The Theatre Finally, every Greek town had a theatre. These were used for both public meetings as well as dramatic performances. These performances originated as religious ceremonies; they went on to assume their Classical status as the highest form of Greek culture by the 6th century BC. The theatre was usually set in a hillside outside the town, and had rows of tiered seating set in a semi-circle around the central performance area, the orchestra. Behind the orchestra was a low building called the skene, which served as a store-room, a dressing-room, and also as a backdrop to the action taking place in the orchestra. A number of Greek theatres survive almost intact, the best known being at Epidaurus The reconstructed Stoa of Attalos, the Agora, Athens
During the late 5th and 4th centuries BC, town planning became an important consideration of Greek builders, with towns such asPaestumandPrienebeing laid out with a regular grid of paved streets and anagoraor central market place surrounded by a colonnade orstoa. The restored Stoa of Attalus, Athens The reconstructedStoa of Attalos, the Agora, Athens The Theatre and Temple of Apollo in mountainous country at Delphi
Every Greek town had an open-airtheatre. These were used for both public meetings as well as dramatic performances. The theatre was usually set in a hillside outside the town, and had rows of tiered seating set in a semicircle around the central performance area, theorchestra. Behind the orchestra was a low building called theskn, which served as a store-room, a dressing-room, and also as a backdrop to the action taking place in the orchestra Pebble mosaic floor of a house at Olynthus, depicting Bellerophon
Bellerophon is aheroof Greek mythology. He was "the greatest hero and slayer of monsters, alongsideCadmusandPerseus, before the days ofHeracles",whose greatest feat was killing theChimera, a monster that Homerdepicted with a lion's head, a goat's body, and a serpent's tail: "her breath came out in terrible blasts of burning flame. Somewhat similar to our own St George! Pebble mosaic floor of a house at Olynthus, depictingBellerophon Bellerophonis aheroof Greek mythology. He was "the greatest hero and slayer of monsters, alongsideCadmusand Perseus, before the days ofHeracles",[1]whose greatest feat was killing theChimera, a monsterthat Homerdepicted with a lion's head, a goat's body, and a serpent's tail: "her breath came out in terrible blasts of burning flame." The Acropolis, Athens, is high above the city on a natural prominence.
The Acropolis' construction started in 447 BC and ended in 438 BC.The Parthenon was the temple of the Greek Goddess Athena. During the Classical Period the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, and the Temple of Nike were built over the old ruins on The Acropolis. Every Greek town had a theatre
Every Greek town had a theatre. These were used for both public meetings as well as dramatic performances. These performances originated as religious ceremonies; they went on to assume their Classical status as the highest form of Greek culture by the 6th century BC. The theatre was usually set in a hillside outside the town, and had rows of tiered seating set in a semi-circle around the central performance area, the orchestra. Behind the orchestra was a low building called the skene, which served as a store-room, a dressing-room, and also as a backdrop to the action taking place in the orchestra. A number of Greek theatres survive almost intact, the best known being at Epidaurus. The Islands of the Aegean fromCape Sounion with the Temple of Poseidon.
The temple overlooks the Aegean sea, so named because King Aegeus threw himself into the sea from this point when he thought his son was dead. The temple's location was important because every boat coming to Athens passed by this point. Delos cubic floor mosaic
A cubic floor mosaic in a house on the Greek island of Delos. Delos cubic floor mosaic A cubic floor mosaic in a house on the Greek island of Delos. Epidaurus Stadium Theasclepieionat Epidaurus was the most celebrated healing center of the Classical world, the place where ill people went in the hope of being cured. To find out the right cure for their ailments, they spent a night in theenkoimeteria, a big sleeping hall. In their dreams, the god himself would advise them what they had to do to regain their health. Found in the sanctuary, there was a guest house for 160 guestrooms. There are also mineral springs in the vicinity which may have been used in healing. Golden spiral in rectangles. Greek street III century BC.
Greek street - IV-III century BC - Porta Rosa - Velia - Italy The Porta Rosa road was the main street ofElea. It connects the northern quarter with the southern quarter, through the viaduct called Porta Rosa. The street is 5 meters wide and has an incline of 18% in the steepest part. It is paved with limestone blocks, girders cut in square blocks, and on one side a small gutter for the drainage of rain water. The building is dated during the time of the reorganization of the city during Helenistic age (IV-III century BC) The House of Masks Delos
The island ofDelos, nearMykonos, near the centre of theCycladesarchipelago, is one of the most important mythological, historical and archaeological sites inGreece. The House of Masks Delos
The island ofDelos, nearMykonos, near the centre of theCycladesarchipelago, is one of the most important mythological, historical and archaeological sites inGreece. Model of ancient Olympia
This model represents the Temple of Olympian Zeus in Athens which was one of the largest temples in ancient Greece. palaestra at Olympiais an ancient edifice inOlympia,Greece, part of the gymnasium at thesanctuary. It is a sixty-six metre square building dates to the end of the third or beginning of the 2nd century BC. A building in ancient Greece devoted to the training of wrestlers and other athletes . Palaestra at Olympiais an ancient edifice inOlympia,Greece, Part of the gymnasium at thesanctuary. It is a sixty-six metre square building dates to the end of the third or beginning of the 2nd century BC.It was a building in ancient Greece devoted to the training of wrestlers and other athletes . TheParthenon(Greek:) is atempleon theAthenian Acropolis, Greece, dedicated to the maiden goddessAthena, whom the people of Athens considered their patron deity. Its construction began in 447BC when theAthenian Empirewas at the height of its power. It was completed in 438BC, although decoration of the building continued until 432BC. It is the most important surviving building ofClassical Greece, generally considered the culmination of the development of theDoric order. Its decorative sculptures are considered some of the high points ofGreek art. The Parthenon is regarded as an enduring symbol ofAncient Greece,Athenian democracy, western civilization[3]and one of the world's greatest cultural monuments. TheGreek Ministry of Cultureis currently carrying out a program of selective restoration and reconstruction to ensure the stability of the partially ruined structure TheParthenon TheParthenonis atempleon theAthenian Acropolis, dedicated to the maiden goddessAthena, whom the people of Athens considered their patron deity. Its construction began in 447BC. It was completed in 438BC, although decoration of the building continued until 432BC. It is the most important surviving building ofClassical Greece, Abouleuterionwas a building which housed the council of citizens (boule) inAncient Greece. There are several extant remains of Bouleuterions aroundGreeceand former Greek territories of ancient times. Theboule, a basic institution of the ancient city-state in historical times, consisted of the citizens' representatives who assembled in order to confer and decide about public affairs. The word Bouleuterion is composed from Greek 'boule' (council) and thesuffix-terion (place for doing something). Priene Bouleuterion Abouleuterionwas a building which housed the council of citizens (boule) inAncient Greece. There are several extant remains of Bouleuterions aroundGreeceand former Greek territories of ancient times. Theboule, a basic institution of the ancient city-state in historical times, consisted of the citizens' representatives who assembled in order to confer and decide about public affairs. The word Bouleuterion is composed from Greek 'boule' (council) and thesuffix-terion (place for doing something). The Altar of Hiero II at Syracuse
The altar of Zeus Eleutherios (the Liberator) was constructed by Hieron II, tyrant of Syracuse, as part of his building program in this area; it is approximately contemporaneous with the nearby theater and nymphaeum. Diodorus states that 450 oxen were able to be sacrificed simultaneously atop the altar during the annual feast of Zeus Eleutherios. Despite its enormous length (600 Doric feet; ca. 196 m), the altar was quite narrow and it stood ca. 11 m high. Narrow stairways were located at each end of the front, flanked by telamones. TheAltar ofHiero IIat Syracuse The altar of Zeus Eleutherios (the Liberator) was constructed by Hieron II, tyrant of Syracuse, as part of his building program in this area; it is approximately contemporaneous with the nearby theater and nymphaeum. Diodorus states that 450 oxen were able to be sacrificed simultaneously atop the altar during the annual feast of Zeus Eleutherios. Despite its enormous length (600 Doric feet; ca. 196 m), the altar was quite narrow and it stood ca. 11 m high. Narrow stairways were located at each end of the front, flanked by telamones. Theatre of Dionysus Eleuthereus
TheTheatre of Dionysus Eleuthereusis a major open-airtheatreand one of the earliest preserved inAthens. It was used for festivals in honor of the godDionysus. Greek theaters in antiquity were in many instances of huge proportions but, under ideal conditions of occupancy and weather, the acoustical properties approach perfection by modern test. We know that the theater of Dionysus in Athens could seat 17,000 spectators, and that the theater in Epidaurus can still accommodate 14,000.[1]It is sometimes confused with the later and better-preservedOdeon of Herodes Atticus, located nearby on the southwest slope of theAcropolis. Some believed that Dionysus himself was responsible for its construction. The South slope of the Acropolis has two theaters, the Odeion of Herodes Atticus and the Theater of Dionysos. The Theater of Dionysos is not as well preserved as the other, but it has more significance. The structure dates back to the fourth century BC but had many other later remodelings. The Athenian tradition of theatrical representations first began at the Theatre of Dionysos. Theater developed into a religious celebration, in honor of the god Dionysos. Theatrical performances were actually competitions. The winners received monuments to display the tripods they had won. The monument that displayed the winners tripod would be placed around the theater and along a street that led East; the Street of the Tripods.[2] Theatre of Dionysus Eleuthereus Greek theaters in antiquity were in many instances of huge proportions but, under ideal conditions of occupancy and weather, the acoustical properties approach perfection by modern tests. We know that the theater of Dionysus in Athens could seat 17,000 spectators TheTemple of Hephaistosin centralAthens, Greece, is the best-preserved ancient Greek temple in the world, but is far less well-known than its illustrious neighbour, theParthenon. It was dedicated toHephaestus, the god of smiths and metal-workers. It was also erroneously know as Thissio (temple of Theseus). Temple of Hephaistos It was dedicated toHephaestus, the god of smiths and metal-workers. It was also erroneously know as Thissio (temple of Theseus). It was dedicated toHephaestus, the god of smiths and metal-workers.
It was also erroneously know as Thissio (temple of Theseus). Temple of Hephaistos Detail of Doric column base It was dedicated toHephaestus, the god of smiths and metal-workers. It was also erroneously know as Thissio (temple of Theseus). Temple of Hephaistos Detail of Capitals
Temple of Hephaestos, fluted Doric columns with abacuses supporting double beams of the architrave Temple of Hephaistos Detail of Capitals House on the island of Delos. Typical plan
Thehouses of the island ofDelosgive an accurate picture of the private homeHellenisticone.The houses form the vast majority of buildings excavated at Delos in a good state of preservation. The Delian population had more than a thousand people, slaves and foreigners not included.At the beginning of the Hellenistic period the city is still cramped but already some "neighborhoods" specialize2.After 166, under Athenian domination,planningis particularly develops.Residential areas are increasing due to a sudden influx of traders attracted by the freedom of the port (financial privileges)3. House on the island ofDelos. Typical plan Thehouses of the island ofDelosgive an accurate picture of the private homeHellenisticone.The houses form the vast majority of buildings excavated at Delos in a good state of preservation. A recreation in modern materials of the lost colossal statue by Pheidias, Athena Parthenos byAlan LeQuire(1990) is housed in a full-scale replica of the Parthenon in Nashvilles Centennial Park. She is the largest indoor sculpture in the western world. Athena Parthenos Recreation of the colossal statue of Athena, once housed in the Parthenon, with sculptor Alan LeQuire Early wooden structures, particularly temples, were ornamented and in part protected by fired and painted clay revetments in the form of rectangular panels, and ornamental discs. Many fragments of these have outlived the buildings that they decorated and demonstrate a wealth of formal border designs of geometric scrolls, overlapping patterns and foliate motifs.[43]With the introduction of stone-built temples, the revetments no longer served a protective purpose and sculptured decoration became more common. The clay ornaments were limited to the roof of buildings, decorating the cornice, the corners and surmounting the pediment. At the corners of pediments they were calledacroteriaand along the sides of the building,antefixes. Early decorative elements were generally semi-circular, but later of roughly triangular shape with moulded ornament, often palmate.[43][44]Ionic cornices were often set with a row of lion's masks, with open mouths that ejected rainwater.[25][44]From the Late Classical period, acroteria were sometimes sculptured figures. Gargoyle The lion's head gargoyle is fixed to a revetment on which elements of a formal frieze have been painted. Black figureAmphora, Atalante painter ( BC), shows proportion and style that are hallmarks of Ancient Greek art Black figureAmphora, Atalante painter ( BC), shows proportion and style that are hallmarks of Ancient Greek art Black figureAmphora, Atalante painter ( BC), shows proportion and style that are hallmarks of Ancient Greek art Early wooden structures, particularly temples, were ornamented and in part protected by fired and painted clay revetments in the form of rectangular panels, and ornamental discs. Many fragments of these have outlived the buildings that they decorated and demonstrate a wealth of formal border designs of geometric scrolls, overlapping patterns and foliate motifs.[43]With the introduction of stone-built temples, the revetments no longer served a protective purpose and sculptured decoration became more common. The clay ornaments were limited to the roof of buildings, decorating the cornice, the corners and surmounting the pediment. At the corners of pediments they were calledacroteriaand along the sides of the building,antefixes. Early decorative elements were generally semi-circular, but later of roughly triangular shape with moulded ornament, often palmate.[43][44]Ionic cornices were often set with a row of lion's masks, with open mouths that ejected rainwater.[25][44]From the Late Classical period, acroteria were sometimes sculptured figures The lion's head gargoyle is fixed to a revetment on which elements of a formal frieze have been painted. Early wooden structures, particularly temples, were ornamented and in part protected by fired and painted clay revetments in the form of rectangular panels, and ornamental discs Doric order[edit] Main article:Doric order TheDoric orderis the oldest and simplest of the classical orders. It is composed of a verticalcylinderthat is wider at the bottom. It generally has neither a base nor a detailedcapital. It is instead often topped with an invertedfrustumof a shallow cone or a cylindrical band of carvings. It is often referred to as the masculine order because it is represented in the bottom level of theColosseumand theParthenon, and was therefore considered to be able to hold more weight. The height-to-thickness ratio is about 8:1. The shaft of a Doric Column is almost alwaysfluted. The Greek Doric, developed in the western Dorian region of Greece, is the heaviest and most massive of the orders. It rises from thestylobatewithout any base; it is from four to six times as tall as its diameter; it has twenty broad flutes; the capital consists simply of a banded necking swelling out into a smooth echinus, which carries a flat square abacus; the Doric entablature is also the heaviest, being about one-fourth the height column. The Greek Doric order was not used after c. 100 B.C. until its rediscovery in the mid-eighteenth century. Classical Orders TheDoric orderis the oldest and simplest of the classical orders. It is composed of a verticalcylinderthat is wider at the bottom. It generally has neither a base nor a detailedcapital Parts of an Ancient Greek temple of the Doric Order: 1. Tympanum, 2
Parts of an Ancient Greek temple of the Doric Order: 1.Tympanum, 2.Acroterium, 3.Sima4.Cornice5.Mutules7.Freize8.Triglyph9.Metope10.Regula11.Gutta12.Taenia13.Architrave14.Capital15.Abacus16.Echinus17.Column18.Fluting19.Stylobate Doric Order Parts of an Ancient Greek temple of the Doric Order: 14.Capital15.Abacus16.Echinus17.Column18.Fluting Pediment of the Parthenon (part)
TheParthenon Marbles, also known as theElgin Marbles(/ln/el-gin),[1]is a collection ofclassical Greekmarble sculptures(mostly byPhidiasand his assistants), inscriptions and architectural members that originally were part of theParthenonand other buildings on theAcropolis of Athens.[2][3]Thomas Bruce, the 7th Earl of Elginobtained a controversial permit from the Ottoman authorities to remove pieces from the Parthenon while serving as the British ambassador to theOttoman Empirefrom 1799 to 1803. From 1801 to 1812, Elgin's agents removed about half of the surviving sculptures of the Parthenon, as well as architectural members and sculpture from thePropylaeaandErechtheum.[4]The Marbles were transported by sea to Britain. In Britain, the acquisition of the collection was supported by some,[5]while some critics compared Elgin's actions to vandalism[6]or looting.[7][8][9][10][11] Following a public debate in Parliament and the subsequent exoneration of Elgin's actions, the marbles were purchased by the British government in 1816 and placed on display in theBritish Museum, where they stand now on view in the purpose-builtDuveen Gallery. The debate continues as to whether the Marbles should remain in the British Museum or be returned to Athens. Pediment of theParthenon (part) The left hand group of surviving figures from the East Pediment of theParthenon, exhibited as part of theElgin Marblesin theBritish Museum. Ionic Order-Erechthium
TheIonic Orderis recognised by its voluted capital, in which a curvedechinusof similar shape to that of the Doric Order, but decorated with stylised ornament, is surmounted by a horizontal band that scrolls under to either side, forming spirals orvolutessimilar to those of thenautilusshell or ram's horn. In plan, the capital is rectangular. It's designed to be viewed frontally but the capitals at the corners of buildings are modified with an additional scroll so as to appear regular on two adjoining faces. In the Hellenistic period, four-fronted Ionic capitals became common Ionic Order-Erechthium Corner capital with a diagonal volute, showing also details of the fluting separated by fillets. The architrave of the Ionic Order is sometimes undecorated, but more often rises in three outwardly-stepped bands like overlapping timber planks. The frieze, which runs in a continuous band, is separated from the other members by rows of small projecting blocks. They are referred to asdentils, meaning "teeth", but their origin is clearly in narrow wooden slats which supported the roof of a timber structure.[40]The Ionic Order is altogether lighter in appearance than the Doric, with the columns, including base and capital, having a 9:1 ratio with the diameter, while the whole entablature was also much narrower and less heavy than the Doric entablature. There was some variation in the distribution of decoration. Formalised bands of motifs such as alternating forms known as "egg and dart" were a feature of the Ionic entablatures, along with the bands ofdentils. The external frieze often contained a continuous band of figurative sculpture or ornament, but this was not always the case. Sometimes a decorative frieze occurred around the upper part of thenaosrather than on the exterior of the building. These Ionic-style friezes around thenaosare sometimes found on Doric buildings, notably the Parthenon. Some temples, like the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, had friezes of figures around the lower drum of each column, separated from the fluted section by a bold moulding Frieze Frieze of stylised alternating palms and reeds, and a cornice decorated with "egg and dart" moulding. Some of the earliest known examples were found in thetreasuries of Delphi, dating to about the 6th century BC, but their use as supports in the form of women can be traced back even earlier, to ritual basins, ivory mirror handles fromPhoenicia, and draped figures from archaic Greece. The best-known and most-copied examples are those of the six figures of the CaryatidPorchof theErechtheionon theAcropolisat Athens. One of those original six figures, removed byLord Elginin the early 19th century, is now in theBritish Museumin London. TheAcropolis Museumholds the other five figures, which are replaced onsite by replicas. The five originals that are in Athens are now being exhibited in the newAcropolis Museum, on a special balcony that allows visitors to view them from all sides. The pedestal for the Caryatid removed to London remains empty. Caryatids Acaryatid is a sculpted female figure serving as an architectural support taking the place of acolumnor a pillar supporting anentablatureon her head. TheGreektermkaryatidesliterally means "maidens ofKaryai", an ancient town ofPeloponnese. Karyai had a famous temple dedicated to the goddessArtemisin her aspect of Artemis Karyatis: "AsKaryatisshe rejoiced in the dances of the nut-tree village of Karyai, those Karyatides, who in their ecstatic round-dance carried on their heads baskets of live reeds, as if they were dancing plants" (Kerenyi 1980 p 149). The Erectheum The Porch of the Caryatids[edit]
The Erectheum was associated with some of the most ancient and holy relics of the Athenians: thePalladion, which was axoanon(defined as a wooden effigy fallen from heaven - not man-made) ofAthena Polias(Protectress of the City); the marks ofPoseidon'stridentand the salt water well (the "salt sea") that resulted from Poseidon's strike; the sacred olive tree that sprouted whenAthenastruck the rock with herspearin her successful rivalry with Poseidon for the city; the supposed burial places of the mythical kingsCecropsandErechtheus; the sacred precincts of Cecrops' three daughters,Herse,PandrosusandAglaurus; and those of the tribal heroesPandionandBoutes. The eastern part of the building was dedicated to Athena Polias, while the western part served the cult of Poseidon-Erechtheus and held the altars of Hephaistus and Voutos, brother of Erechtheus.[6][7]According to the myth, Athena's sacred snake lived there.[8]The snake was fed honey-cakes byCanephorae, the priestesses of AthenaPolias, by custom the women of the ancient family ofEteoboutadae, the supposed descendants of the hero Boutes. The snake's occasional refusal to eat the cakes was thought a disastrousomen The Erectheum The Porch of the Caryatids[edit] On the north side, there is another large porch with six Ionic columns, and on the south, the famous "Porch of the Maidens", with six draped female figures (caryatids) as supporting columns. The porch was built to conceal the giant 15-ft beam needed to support the southwest corner over themetropolis, after the building was drastically reduced in size and budget following the onset of thePeloponnesian war. Erechtheion Erechtheion: masonry, door, stone lintels, coffered ceiling panels Corinthian Order[edit]
The Corinthian Order does not have its origin in wooden architecture. It grew directly out of the Ionic in the mid 5th century BC, and was initially of much the same style and proportion, but distinguished by its more ornate capitals.[42]The capital was very much deeper than either the Doric or the Ionic capital, being shaped like a largekrater, a bell-shaped mixing bowl, and being ornamented with a double row ofacanthusleaves above which rose voluted tendrils, supporting the corners of the abacus, which, no longer perfectly square, splayed above them. According toVitruvius, the capital was invented by a bronze founder, Callimarchus of Corinth, who took his inspiration from a basket of offerings that had been placed on a grave, with a flat tile on top to protect the goods. The basket had been placed on the root of an acanthus plant which had grown up around it.[42]The ratio of the column height to diameter is generally 10:1, with the capital taking up more than 1/10 of the height. The ratio of capital height to diameter is generally about 1.16:1.[42] The Corinthian Order was initially used internally, as at the Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Basae (c BC). In 334 BC it appeared as an external feature on theChoragic Monument of Lysicratesin Athens, and then on a huge scale at the Temple of Zeus Olympia in Athens, (174 BC - AD 132).[42]It was popularised by the Romans, who added a number of refinements and decorative details. During the Hellenistic period, Corinthian columns were sometimes built without fluting Corinthian Order Thecapital combines both semi-naturalistic leaves and highly stylised tendrils forming volutes. The Temple of Hephaestus and Athena was begun in449 BC, just two years before theParthenon. The project was sponsored by the Athenian politician Pericles and designed by an unknown architect whose handiwork can be seen throughout Attica. This temple was the first in Athens to be made of marble. The temple has sometimes been called theTheseumdue to a belief that it was a hero shrine dedicated to Theseus. This was based on the depictions of Theseus that occupy the metopes, but cult statues of Athena and Hephaestus (carved BC) discovered in the temple have shown the designation to be incorrect. In the 7th century, the temple was converted to theChurch of St. George Akamas. The east end was given a semi-circular apse and walled in to form a modest square building. In the early 19th century, this temple-turned-church became a burial place for many Protestants and those who died in the Greek War of Independence in 1821. The church remained in use through 1834, then became a museum until the 1930s. It has since been restored to its original Greek appearance. Temple of Hephaestos The Temple of Hephaestos, Athens, is a well-preserved temple ofperipteral hexastyleplan. Capital of the Ionic Order
TheIonic Orderis recognised by its voluted capital, in which a curvedechinusof similar shape to that of the Doric Order, but decorated with stylised ornament, is surmounted by a horizontal band that scrolls under to either side, forming spirals orvolutessimilar to those of thenautilusshell or ram's horn. In plan, the capital is rectangular. It's designed to be viewed frontally but the capitals at the corners of buildings are modified with an additional scroll so as to appear regular on two adjoining faces. In the Hellenistic period, four-fronted Ionic capitals became common Capital of the Ionic Order Capital of the Ionic Order showing volutes and ornamented echinus The Corinthian Order does not have its origin in wooden architecture
The Corinthian Order does not have its origin in wooden architecture. It grew directly out of the Ionic in the mid 5th century BC, and was initially of much the same style and proportion, but distinguished by its more ornate capitals.[42]The capital was very much deeper than either the Doric or the Ionic capital, being shaped like a largekrater, a bell-shaped mixing bowl, and being ornamented with a double row ofacanthusleaves above which rose voluted tendrils, supporting the corners of the abacus, which, no longer perfectly square, splayed above them. According toVitruvius, the capital was invented by a bronze founder, Callimarchus of Corinth, who took his inspiration from a basket of offerings that had been placed on a grave, with a flat tile on top to protect the goods. The basket had been placed on the root of an acanthus plant which had grown up around it.[42]The ratio of the column height to diameter is generally 10:1, with the capital taking up more than 1/10 of the height. The ratio of capital height to diameter is generally about 1.16:1.[42] The Corinthian Order was initially used internally, as at the Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Basae (c BC). In 334 BC it appeared as an external feature on theChoragic Monument of Lysicratesin Athens, and then on a huge scale at the Temple of Zeus Olympia in Athens, (174 BC - AD 132).[42]It was popularised by the Romans, who added a number of refinements and decorative details. During the Hellenistic period, Corinthian columns were sometimes built without fluting.[42] Corinthian Order Capital of the Corinthian Order showing foliate decoration and vertical volutes. heParthenon(Greek:) is atempleon theAthenian Acropolis, Greece, dedicated to the maidengoddessAthena, whom the people of Athens considered their patron deity. Its construction began in 447BC when theAthenian Empirewas at the height of its power. It was completed in 438BC, although decoration of the building continued until 432BC. It is the most important surviving building ofClassical Greece, generally considered the culmination of the development of theDoric order. Its decorative sculptures are considered some of the high points ofGreek art. The Parthenon is regarded as an enduring symbol ofAncient Greece,Athenian democracy, western civilization[3]and one of the world's greatest cultural monuments. TheGreek Ministry of Cultureis currently carrying out a program of selective restoration and reconstruction to ensure the stability of the partially ruined structure.[4] The Parthenon itself replaced an older temple of Athena, which historians call the Pre-Parthenon orOlder Parthenon, that was destroyed in thePersian invasionof 480BC. The temple isarchaeoastronomicallyaligned to theHyades.[5]Like most Greek temples, the Parthenon was used as atreasury. For a time, it also served as the treasury of theDelian League, which later became theAthenian Empire. In the 5th century AD, the Parthenon was converted into aChristianchurch dedicated to theVirgin Mary. After theOttoman conquest, it was turned into a mosque in the early 1460s. On 26 September 1687, an Ottoman ammunition dump inside the building was ignited byVenetianbombardment. The resulting explosion severely damaged the Parthenon and its sculptures. In 1806,Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elginremoved some of the surviving sculptures, with the permission of the Ottoman Empire. These sculptures, now known as theElgin Marblesor the Parthenon Marbles, were sold in 1816 to theBritish Museumin London, where they are now displayed. Since 1983 (on the initiative of Culture MinisterMelina Mercouri), the Greek government has been committed to the return of the sculptures to Greece TheParthenon TheParthenon, shows the common structural features of Ancient Greek architecture:crepidoma, columns, entablature, pediment. The Temple of Zeus Olympia, Athens.
The temple stood in the most famous sanctuary of Greece, which had been dedicated to local and Pan-Hellenic deities and had probably been established towards the end of theMycenaean period. TheAltis, the enclosure with itssacred grove, open-air altars and thetumulusofPelops, was first formed during the tenth and ninth centuries BC[2]Greece's "Dark Age", when the cult of Zeus was joined to the already established cult of Hera.[3] It housed the renownedstatue of Zeus, which was one of theSeven Wonders of the Ancient World. TheChryselephantinestatue was approximately 13m (43ft) high and was made by the sculptorPhidiasin his workshop on the site at Olympia. He took about twelve years to complete it. On his head was a sculpted wreath of olive sprays. In his right hand he held a figure ofNike, the goddess of victory, also made from ivory and gold, and in his left hand, a scepter made with many kinds of metal, with an eagle perched on the top. His sandals were made of gold and so was his robe. His garments were carved with animals and with lilies. The throne was decorated with gold, precious stones, ebony, and ivory. The statue was the most famous artistic work in Greece. The Temple of Zeus Olympia, Athens. TheTemple of Zeus at Olympiawas an ancientGreek templeinOlympia, Greece, dedicated to the chief of the gods,Zeus. The temple, built between 472 and 456 BC, was the very model of the fully developed classical Greek temple of theDoric order.[1] At theTemple of Aphaiathe hypostyle columns rise in two tiers, to a height greater than the walls, to support a roof without struts. Temple of Aphaia At theTemple of Aphaiathe hypostyle columns rise in two tiers, to a height greater than the walls, to support a roof without struts.