17.1: Glossary

Example and Directions

Words (or words that have the same definition)	The definition is case sensitive	(Optional) Image to display with the definition [Not displayed in Glossary, only in pop-up on pages]	(Optional) Caption for Image	(Optional) External or Internal Link	(Optional) Source for Definition
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Glossary Entries

Word(s)	Definition	Image	Caption	Link	Source
abbess	a woman who is the head of an abbey
abbey	a religious community of monks or nuns, or the buildings that house such a community
abbot	a man who is the head of an abbey
abstraction	a style of representation that veers from naturalism, often reducing or distorting recognizable natural forms into shapes which may or may not be recognizably figurative. A means of visually representing concepts and ideas rather than replicating visual details.
acropolis	"high city," from the Greek akro-, (edge or extremity) + polis (city). Although many Greek cities had an acropolis, the most famous was in Athens, and "The Acropolis" refers to it
adlocutio	an address given by a general
aegis	shield or breastplate emblematic of majesty associated with Zeus and Athena
aesthetic	concerned with beauty and the appreciation of beauty, especially without regard for personal meaning or usefulness
agnus dei	Latin for "Lamb of God" (symbolically, Jesus Christ)
agriculture	cultivation of the soil for the growing of crops and the rearing of animals [Oxford Languages]
aisle	a passageway. In a Christian basilica, side aisles flank a large space called the nave.
alabaster	a relatively soft, easily-carvable, pale and often translucent stone
allusion	an expression designed to call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly [Oxford Languages]
ambulatory	from the Latin ambulātōrius (movable, suitable for walking), an aisle around a central space or an apse. In a pilgrimage church an ambulatory allows the faithful access to chapels and relics
amphitheater	a circular or oval performance space, from the Greek amphi (around/both/double) and theater
amphora	an ancient Greek jar or vase with a large oval body, narrow cylindrical neck, and two handles that rise almost to the level of the mouth [Merriam-Webster]
analogous colors	colors next to one another on the color wheel, which tend to blend together smoothly
angel	from the Greek angelos, "messenger," a spiritual being believed to act as an attendant, agent, or messenger of God, conventionally represented in human form with wings [Oxford Languages]
Anglo-Saxon	of or relating to the Germanic peoples who conquered England in the fifth century BCE and formed the ruling class until the Norman conquest [Merriam-Webster]
aniconic	not containing representations of humans or animals
ankh	a cross-like symbol with a looped top, the Egyptian sign of life
apadana	a massive columned hall used by Persian kings for receptions
apocalypse	the end of time and history, in Christianity often imagined as a huge battle
apostle	from Greek apostolos, "one sent, messenger," those sent by Christ to spread his teachings outside the Holy Land
apse	In architecture, a recess, usually semicircular, in the wall of a Roman basilica or at one end of a church, often the east end [Art History Glossary]
aqueduct	a raised channel for carrying water, often positioned atop an arcade
arcade	a row of arches connected side to side
arch	a true arch is a strong structural element in the shape of an inverted U, comprised of wedge-shaped blocks called voussoirs and held in place with a keystone. For a corbeled arch, see corbelling
archaeology	the study of the human past using material remains [National Geographic]
archaic smile	A curved-lip smile on statues of the Greek Archaic period, animating facial features with a degree of naturalism [Art History Glossary]
Arian	pertaining to the teachings of Arius, who held that Christ came into existence after God the Father, and is subordinate to Him.
artifact	tools, clothing, and decorations made by people [National Geographic]
ashlar masonry	stone construction in which stones are cut and placed to form a rectilinear grid with little or no mortar
aurochs	an extinct species of cattle, thought to be the wild ancestor of all later domesticated cattle
axis	line along which an artwork or structure is organized
balance	the distribution of the visual weight of objects, colors, texture, and space. [Getty]
ball court	an area, generally in the center of a Mesoamerican city, built for the ritual ballgame sport
baptism	the Christian rite of purification by water, originally involving immersion but in later versions also consisting of sprinkling or pouring water on the recipient
baptistery	a building or basin used for the Christian sacrament of baptism
barbarian	from Greek barbaros, "foreigner," probably stemming from how Greeks perceived non-Greek languages as babble; a pejorative term for a culture perceived as less civilized
barrel vault	a vault shaped like a longitudinal section of a barrel
basilica	a common Roman government building that was adapted for Christian church architecture
bay	a division of a building between vertical lines or planes, especially the entire space included between two adjacent supports, such as the columns in a church nave [Britannica]
bilateral symmetry	two-sided symmetry in which two halves of a work of art mirror each other
bilingual vase	a Greek vase painted partly in black figure and partly in red figure decoration
bitumen	a naturally-occurring tar used as an adhesive and decorative material
blind arch	an arch applied to a wall
bovid	an animal of the cattle family
bucrania	(plural: bucrania) Latin, the skull of an ox, or the representation of one
buon fresco	also known as "true fresco," the technique of painting on wet plaster, rather than dry (as is the case with "fresco secco")
buttress	in architecture, a projecting structure that reinforces or stabilizes a wall or building [James Terry]
caliph	one who claims Islamic rule as a successor to Mohammed
caliphate	the area ruled by a caliph
calligraphy	from the Greek calli- (beautiful) + graphy (writing), the art of writing
canon	1) a rule for a standard of beauty developed for artists to follow; 2) a body of works considered especially important
canopic jar	from Canopus, the name of a town in ancient Egypt, a covered urn used in ancient Egyptian burials to hold the entrails from an embalmed body [Oxford Languages]
capital	the sculpted element at the top of a column or pilaster
Carolingian Renaissance	the revival of Roman art and literature under Charlemagne
carpet page	a richly-decorated manuscript page, where the illumination, occupying all or most of the page, resembles an ornate tapestry
caryatids	weight-bearing columns sculpted in the form of women
castrum	(plural: castra) a Roman military encampment or fortress
catacomb	an underground cemetery comprising a complex of passageways, burial niches, and recessed chambers cut into the living rock. [Oxford Languages]
cathedral	the home church of a bishop
Caucasus	the mountain range between the Black and Caspian Seas. The Caucasus refers to the region in and close to the Caucasus Mountains, and Caucasian to the peoples living there.
cavalry	soldiers mounted on horses
cella	the inner room of a temple that housed an image of the deity
Celt	a member of the Indo-European group that spread over Europe from about 700 BCE to 1 CE. The Irish, highland Scots, and Welsh speak Celtic languages.
centaur	in Greek mythology, a creature with legs and body of a horse and the torso, head, and arms of a human
central plan	in architecture, the arrangement of the structural elements around a central point, often in a circle or octagon (compare to longitudinal plan)
ceramic	made from clay transformed by heating to a minimum of 600 degrees celsius, usually much higher
Chacoan	relating to the people of Chaco Canyon, New Mexico
champlevé enamel	a technique in which enamel fills a space carved for it in a metal surface and is polished flush with the metal after firing
chapel	an often-small or private place of worship, such as a room within a church or palace
Chi Rho	the first letters of Christ in Greek, often used to abbreviate Christ in Latin manuscripts
chiaroscuro	from Italian chiaro ("light") and scuro (dark), the use of lighter and darker shades to create a sense of volume
chimera	in Greek mythology, a creature made up of parts of a lion, a goat, and a snake
choir	the space behind the altar of a church
chronology	an arrangement of events in the order in which they occured, often including dividing them into periods
city-state	a state consisting of one city, often including its immediate environs
civilization	from Latin civitas, "city," a complex human society including at least one city.			https://www.nationalgeographic.org/e...civilizations/)
classic	the period in the development of a past culture, one which has had a lasting effect upon vast numbers of people, when the particular culture reached its zenith, laying the foundation for later historical developments (for example, Classic Mayan Period, Classic Pueblo Period, Classic Ancient Greek Period).
Classical	the art and culture of ancient Greece between 480 and 323 BCE. Lowercase classical refers more generally to Greco-Roman art and culture [Gardner's]
classical orders	the styles of classical architecture, each distinguished by its proportions and characteristic profiles and details, and most readily recognizable by the type of column and capital employed; three of the five Classical orders of architecture were developed in ancient Greek periods: Doric Order, Ionic Order, Corinthian Order [Art History Glossary]
classicism	relating to the style and values of ancient Greek and Roman art
clerestory	an upper level of windows, rising above a lower roof, to admit light and sometimes air into a tall building
cloisonné	a technique in which melted glass/enamel fills partitions (cloisons, in French), formed by metal wires fused to a metal base (or in which semi-precious stones are inserted into small compartments for a similar effect)
cloister	an area within a monastery or convent to which the religious are normally restricted [Merriam-Webster], or an open area surrounded by a covered walkway
codex	(plural: codices) a manuscript book that, unlike a scroll, allows for writing on both sides of a page, either with pages folded and sewn together or, as in Mesoamerican codices, pleated like an accordion
coffered dome	a dome with inset panels used to lighten weight and/or add decoration
coffers	inset panels in a ceiling, arch, or dome, used to lighten weight and/or add decoration
coil construction	in ceramics, a technique in which forms are created by stacking and combining coils or ropes of clay
colonettes	thin columns
colonial	pertaining to a colony, often used to refer to the periods in which colonies were particularly important, as in Europe in the fifteenth through twentieth centuries
colonnade	a row of evenly-placed columns
colossus	a massive sculpture of a person
complementary colors	colors across the color wheel from each other and that both appear more bold when placed next to each other
composition	the organization of elements within a work of art
concrete	a Roman invention, a mix of lime mortar, pebbles, sand, and water, which can be poured into molds and which hardens to function like stone
conservation	a scientific discipline that seeks to preserve cultural heritage for the future and can involve cleaning and repairing; ideally repairs are visible, but not distracting to the viewer
conservators	professionals trained in the analysis and preservation or artwork
consul	in the Roman Republic, the most powerful elected office; in the Empire, an honorary position representing the emperor in the Senate and at games
content	what a work of art is about; its story
continuous narrative	a method of visual storytelling showing two consecutive scenes simultaneously
contour lines	lines that define the borders of a shape
contrapposto	a stance in which the figure bears weight on one leg, shifting the hips, chest, and shoulders into a more naturalistic, realistic pose
contrast	the amount of variation between the highest and lowest values in a work
convention	a generally accepted or traditional way of representing forms in art. Conventions are characteristic of the art produced in a particular culture, time, and/or medium. [James Terry]
corbeled arch	an arch formed by material being built up in successive layers, or courses, with each one overhanging the one below it until they meet at the top
corbeled dome	an arch formed by material being built up in successive layers, or courses, with each one overhanging the one below it until they meet in the middle, at the capstone at the top of the dome
Corinthian	one of the Greek orders, particularly recognizable by relatively ornate capitals featuring acanthus leaves
corvée labor	unpaid labor coerced by the state
cosmology	beliefs about the order and structure of the universe
cosmopolitan	from the Greek, cosmos (universe) + polis (city), having wide international sophistication [Merriam-Webster]
council	in Christianity, an official meeting of bishops whose decisions should guide the Church
craft	an activity requiring manual dexterity or artistic skill [Merriam-Webster]
cruciform	having the shape of the cross; a common layout for early and later Christian churches
Crusade	any of the military expeditions undertaken by Christian powers in the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries to win the Holy Land from the Muslims [Merriam-Webster]
cuirass	breastplate, sometimes elaborately decorated
cuneiform	writing system developed in ancient Sumer from the Latin for wedge (cuneus) + form (shaped)
Cyclopean masonry	a method of construction using huge, roughly shaped blocks of stone [James Terry]
cylinder seal	a small pierced object, like a long round bead, carved in reverse (intaglio) and hung on strings of fiber or leather
Daedalic	period in the seventh century; name comes from the legendary sculptor Daedalus, who was said to be from the island of Crete [Smarthistory]
damnatio memoriae	literally "damnation of memory" (Latin), the practise of destroying all references to a disgraced person
deity	a god, goddess, or other being having the power of a god
demos	from Greek demos (village), the smallest group of citizens in Athenian democracy, or Athenian citizens as a whole
demotic	language used by ordinary people, such as Demotic Egyptian or Demotic Greek
desacralized	divested of sacred status
diaspora	a population united by ties to a homeland where they no longer live
diorite	a very hard igneous rock, similar to granite though generally darker in color
diptych	an artwork consisting of two pieces, sometimes a pair of panels hinged together
disciple	from the Latin discipulus (learner); in Christianity, one of Christ's followers
Dogon	an African ethnic group from present-day Mali and Burkina Faso
dome	a hemispherical interior space, formed either by corbelling or by spinning an arch on its axis (true dome)
Doric	the Doric order uses a plain capital and a column shaft that rests directly on the stylobate of the temple without a base. The Doric entablature includes a frieze composed of triglyphs (vertical plaques with three divisions) and metopes (square spaces for either painted or sculpted decoration)
dyad	from the Greek dyo- (two), consisting of two elements; a pair
dynasty	a succession of rulers whose legitimacy derives from the normalized transfer of power
earspools	large decorations worn in pierced ears; a feature common to Mesoamerican and North American cultures
Edict of Milan	decree issued by Constantine in 313 CE which legalized Christianity
effigy	a three-dimensional model of a person
elevation	in architecture, a view of a wall or facade head-on, showing the vertical organization of its features
emphasis	drawing particular attention to one or more areas of an artwork
enamel	colored glass in powdered form that is bonded to a metal surface or plaque by firing [James Terry]
encaustic	a painting medium in which the binder for the pigments is hot wax
engaged columns	columns that are not free-standing but become part of the wall they support
entablature	in the Classical orders of architecture, the structure above the columns that supports the roof, typically comprised of, from top to bottom, a cornice, a frieze, and an architrave [Lynch]
entasis	slight adjustments in Greek architecture to account for the perception of human vision, such as slightly swelling the middle of a column so that it would not appear to taper in the middle
epic	a long poem, typically one derived from ancient oral tradition, narrating the deeds and adventures of heroic or legendary figures [Oxford Languages]
equestrian statue	a portrait of an individual mounted on horseback
etymology	the origin of a word
Eucharist	one of the rites of the Christian church, it is based on scripture that quotes Jesus at the Last Supper telling His apostles to remember Him with a ritual of eating bread—"It is my body"—and drinking wine—"It is my blood"; also known as "Holy Communion" or "The Lord's Supper" [Art History Glossary]
Eucharistic chalice	a cup for the wine served in ritual Communion, or Eucharist, in the Christian church
Eurocentric	the tendency to hold that Europe is the natural center of civilization, by which other civilizations and their products should be judged
Eurocentrism	the attitude or ideology that holds that Europe is the natural center of civilization, by which other civilizations and their products should be judged
evangelist	one of the four authors of the Gospels in the Christian New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
evangelist portrait	an author portrait depicting one of the evangelists, generally placed at the beginning of his Gospel in a manuscript
evangelist symbol	one of the four creatures of Ezekiel's tetramorph, representing or accompanying an evangelist. Usually shown with wings, these are a man or angel for Matthew, a lion for Mark, an ox or calf for Luke, and an eagle for John.
façade	the front of a building
faience	a type of ceramic with a glass-like surface
Farsi	the medieval and modern language of Persia, commonly called Persian
feminism	the advocacy of women's rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes [Oxford Languages]
fibula	a pin for holding clothing in place
filigree	a lacy, delicate style of metalwork, made with fine, twisted wires, usually of gold or silver, soldered to the surface of an object [James Terry]
findspot	the location where an artwork or object was discovered
fine arts	the visual arts historically assigned higher prestige in the early modern and modern European tradition: painting, sculpture, architecture
firmen	in Turkish and Persian, an official decree, order, license, or grant issued by a ruler [Merriam Webster]
fleur-de-lis	a symbol based on a stylized lily, often representing French royalty
fluted	having decorative grooves
flying buttress	in Gothic architecture, an exterior structural element that carries the thrust of the nave vault over to the side aisles; the buttresses (vertical supports) and the flyers (arches that connect buttresses to the wall they support) together form the components of a flying buttress [Art History Glossary]
folded-arm-figures (FAFs)	type of Cycladic sculpture featuring a full-length female form with arms crossed over her chest
folio	a sheet of parchment or paper, comprising two pages, abbreviated "fol." The front page is called the recto (abbreviated "r") and the back page is called the verso ("v")
form	actual, three-dimensional shape (or the illusion of three-dimensionality)
formal analysis	analysis of a work of art based on its formal elements rather than its subject matter or historical context
formal elements	the characteristics of a work of art that can be recognized by the eye—line, shape, color, space, texture, etc. These are separate from an artwork's content or story.
forum	(plural: fora) a central public and/or market space in Roman cities
freestanding	relating to sculpture that can be observed from all sides; sculpture in the round. Compare to relief sculpture
fresco	from Italian "fresh," painting in which a water-based pigment is applied to damp plaster so that it chemically bonds as the plaster cures
frieze	in Greek temple architecture, the part of the entablature above the architrave and often bearing painted or sculpted decoration
frontal	in reference to the depiction of a person, showing both eyes, the width of the shoulders, and the knees (compare profile)
frontality	in sculpture, the quality of having a clear front designed to face the viewer
gallery	in church architecture, a walkway or balcony above the aisle, opening into the nave
geoglyphs	designs formed on the earth
geomythology	the study of stories that may have their origin in geological events
Germanic	the ancient culture and language of the peoples of northern Europe [Collins Dictionary]
gigantomachy	a scene of battle featuring giants
glaze	in ceramics, a coating that when fired melts to form a glassy surface (compare slip)
glyph	a character or figure that communicates meaning
gorget	a neck ornament, pendant, or ornamental collar
Gospels	the four books from the Christian New Testament that record the life of Jesus: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
graffiti	(singular: graffito) literally, "things written" (Italian), writing or painting done on walls, usually without formal permission.
granulation	a metalworking technique in which small balls, or granules, of metal are fused to the metal surface
Greco-Roman	having characteristics that are partly Greek and partly Roman; specifically: having the characteristics of Roman art created under strong Greek influence [Merriam-Webster]
griffin	mythical animal that combines the physical aspects of a lion and eagle
groin vault	a vault formed by the intersection of two barrel vaults
ground line	a baseline in painting or relief sculpture on which figures appear to stand
guilds	professional associations
haft-rangi	a technique for keeping differently-colored glazes separate by outlining them in wax. Also called cuerda seca ("dry cord" in Italian) for the unglazed space left where the wax had been before firing.
haggadah	(plural: haggadot)the book used to tell the story of Passover around the seder table each year
hajj	an annual pilgrimage to the Kaaba and one of the pillars of Islam
halo	a marker of holiness, often in the form of a circle around an individual's head
hatching	a shading technique made with closely-spaced parallel lines
heraldic composition	an organization of figures in which the central one is flanked symmetrically
heretic	someone who goes against the official teachings of a particular belief system
hermetic	sealed-off
hierarchical scale	scale based on relative importance; the more important a figure, the larger it appears compared to those around it. Also known as hieratic scale, hierarchy of scale.
hieratic scale	scale based on relative importance; the more important a figure, the larger it appears compared to those around it. Also known as hierarchical scale, hierarchy of scale.
hieroglyph	a symbol or picture used to confer meaning in hieroglyphic writing [Gardner's]
hieroglyphic	a system of writing using hieroglyphs [Gardner's]
Hippodamian plan	a settlement plan based on a strict grid system
historiography	the study of how and why histories (including art histories) have been written
Holy Roman Empire	an empire consisting primarily of a loose confederation of German and Italian territories under the suzerainty of an emperor and existing from the 9th or 10th century to 1806 [Merriam-Webster]
horseshoe arch	an arch shaped like a horseshoe, that is, curving wider than its vertical supports
humanities	the branches of learning (such as philosophy, arts, or languages) that investigate human constructs and concerns as opposed to natural processes (as in physics or chemistry) and social relations (as in anthropology or economics) [Merriam-Webster]
hypocaust	interior heating system, invented by Romans
hypostyle	characterized by columns of the same height. A hypostyle hall often gives the impression of a forest of columns supporting the roof.
Iberia	the peninsula in southwest Europe now comprising Spain, Portugal, and Gibraltar
icon	from the Greek eikon ("image") In Byzantine art, any image that aids in the contemplation of the divine.
iconoclasts	literally, "breakers of images," those opposed to depicting sacred imagery, considering it idolatry (worshipping inanimate objects)
iconography	from the Greek eikon ("image") + glúphō ("to carve" or "to write"), the visual images and symbols used in a work of art or the study or interpretation of these [Art History Glossary]
iconophiles	literally "lovers of images," those who argue for the value of imagery as a gateway to worship of the divine
idealization	a style of representation that perfects or makes "ideal" the subject's features, proportions, etc., in accordance with prevailing beauty standards
identity politics	politics in which groups of people having a particular racial, religious, ethnic, social, or cultural identity tend to promote their own specific interests or concerns without regard to the interests or concerns of any larger political group [Merriam-Webster]
idolatry	the worship of inanimate obects, or idols
Ilkhanate	the Middle Eastern divison of the Mongol Empire that at its greatest extent included all of modern Iran and Azerbaijan, much of Turkey and Turkmenistan, and parts of Iraq, Syria, Afhanistan, and Pakistan
illumination	a painting in a handmade book
implied lines	lines that are not actually drawn, but that allow us to "connect the dots" to create the lines in our minds
ingot	a mass of metal cast into a convenient shape for storage or transportation to be later processed [Merriam-Webster]
inlay	decoration created by embedding one material into another so that the surfaces are flush
insula	(plural: insulae) in Roman architecture, a multistory apartment house, usually made of brick-faced concrete; also refers to an entire city block [Gardner's]
intaglio	from the Latin, tagliare (to cut). May refer to carving stone or other hard material to produce a positive image when impressed upon soft material, like clay. May also refer to a printing process in which lines are cut or etched into a metal plate and which then, when inked, transfer that inked mark to paper.
interlace	intertwining linear designs, sometimes in the form of knotwork
Ionic	one of the two systems (or orders) invented in ancient Greece for articulating the three units of the elevation of a classical building: the platform, the colonnade, and the superstructure (entablature). The Ionic order is characterized by, among other features, volutes, capitals, columns with bases, and an uninterrupted frieze. [Gardner's]
Islam	from the Arabic, "submission"; a monotheistic religion that arose on the Arabian peninsula in the seventh century and whose first prophet was Muhammad.
ivory	material from the tusk of an elephant or walrus
iwan	a vaulted space fully open on one side, known especially in the four-iwan mosque
Iyoba	Benin queen mother
jade	a hard green semiprecious gemstone
jamb	an upright post forming the side of an opening, such as a door frame or window frame [James Terry]
ka	in Egyptian belief, the immortal spirit which would leave the physical body at death
keystone	the stone at the top of a true arch that holds all the other voussoirs (wedge-shaped blocks) in place
kiva	a Hopi word used to refer to specialized round and rectangular rooms in modern Pueblos. Modern kivas are used by men's ceremonial associations. Archeologists assume that ancient kivas served similar functions.[National Parks Service]
kore	Greek, "young woman;" a sculpture of a female youth
kouros	Greek, "young man;" a sculpture of a male youth
krater	large, open-mouthed vessel for mixing water and wine
Kufic	an angular Arabic script frequently used in Qur'ans, named for the town where it was developed
labrys	the double-headed axe that features frequently in Minoan art
labyrinth	in Greek mythology, the intricate maze King Minos built to confine youths intended for sacrifice; in general use, an intricate maze
lamassu	human-headed winged lion figures, often carved in stone as guardian figures of Assyrian palace entrances
lancet windows	narrow, pointed windows
land acknowledgement	a statement or process recognizing the original Indigenous inhabitants and stewards of the land
landscape	an artwork focusing on natural scenery
libation	a liquid poured out as an offering to a deity
linear perspective	a system for depicting space that is based on the optical illusion that parallel lines seem to converge as they recede into the distance
liturgy	the official ritual of public worship [Gardner's]
LM II	Sir Arthur Evans, the archaeologist who first uncovered the palace at Knossos, divided Minoan chronology into many different periods with distinct abbreviations. LM II stands for the second part of the Late Minoan period.
logographic	characterizing a writing system which uses a sign (picture, symbol, or letter) to communicate a symbol or word
longitudinal	in architecture, describes a plan arranged along a single central axis, culminating at the altar
lost-wax casting	a sculpture technique in which a clay mold is coated in wax, covered in plaster, and then heated, causing the wax to run out. Molten metal is then poured into the resulting channels, allowed to cool, and the mold broken so that the sculpture can be removed and polished.
lunette	from the French (“little moon”), a semicircular architectural space that can be filled with a painting, a mosaic, relief sculpture or a window. [James Terry]
lusterware	a technique of decorating ceramics that results in a shiny, metallic surface that imitates metalware
lux nova	Latin for "new light," referring to the heavenly aura created in Gothic churches by the proliferation of windows, particularly with stained glass
madrassa	an Islamic school, or the building housing one
magus	(plural: magi) a wise man from the east, specifically one of the three who visited the baby Jesus
majuscule	a large, uppercase letter; a style of writing in which all letters have the same height (prior to Charlemagne's introduction of minuscules, or lowercase letters)
Mamluk	Arabic for "owned." Turkic slaves who served as soldiers to the Ayyubid sultanate before revolting and rising to power.
mandala	from the Sanskrit, "circle," a diagram of the sacred universe in Buddhism and Hinduism
mandorla	from the Latin, "almond," a full-body halo in the shape of an almond
mantle	an often-heavy robe or cloak
manuscript	from the Latin manus (hand) + scriptus (written), a document written, and often lavishly decorated, by hand
maqsura	a private space in a mosque intended for the use of the ruler, often indicated by an enclosure and/or by a dome
martyrs	those killed for their beliefs; often with religious connotations
mausoleum	a building meant to house a tomb
meander	a decorative pattern constructed from a continuous line that takes repeated right-angled turns. The term derives from the twisting course of the Maeander River in Asia Minor. [James Terry]
medium	the material(s) from which a work of art is made
megalith	from the Greek mega- (big) + lith- (stone), a massive rock
megaron	a rectangular hall, fronted by an open, two-columned porch. It contained a more or less central open hearth, which was vented through an oculus in the roof above it and surrounded by four columns. The architectural plan of the megaron became the basic shape of Greek temples, demonstrating the cultural shift as the gods of ancient Greece took the place of the Mycenaean rulers.
Mesoamerica	the region that comprises Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, and the Pacific coast of El Salvador [Gardner's]
Mesolithic	the "middle" Stone Age, between the Paleolithic and the Neolithic ages [Gardner's]
Mesopotamia	from Greek, "place between rivers," the area between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers
messianic religions	religions that include a messiah figure who is promised to save believers
metopes	rectangular spaces between the triglyphs of a Doric entablature, originally featuring painting or sculpture
mihrab	a niche or small room in the qibla wall
minaret	a tower adjacent or attached to a mosque, from which the call to prayer is announced
minbar	a platform reached by a flight of steps used for preaching in a mosque [James Terry]
mint	to produce a coin
mithraeum	an underground room simulating a cave used for mithraic rites (as initiations) [Merriam-Webster]
Mithraism	an eastern mystery cult focusing on the worship of Mithras
Mixtec	from Nahuatl mixtēcatl, mix- (cloud) + -tēcatl (person), literally, inhabitant of Mixtlan (mountainous area of western Oaxaca) [Merriam-Webster]
moai	monolithic figural sculpture carved by Rapanui people on Rapa Nui (Easter Island) in Polynesia. Also spelled moʻai.
Mogollon	a cultural group named for the Mogollon mountains in New Mexico and spanning parts of what is today northern Mexico, Arizona, and New Mexico
monastery	an often remote, self-sufficient community of the faithful (monks) who have committed themselves to a life of religious devotion
monolithic	consisting of a single stone, usually a very large one
monotheistic	characterized by a belief in one god
monumental	huge; referring to, or acting as, a monument
mortise and tenon	joints formed by inserting a projecting point on one piece of wood (tenon) into a hole (mortise) in another piece
mosaic	a technique in which an image is formed using small pieces (tesserae) of hard material, such as stone, glass, and/or metal
mosque	a building intended for Muslim prayer. A congregational mosque is large enough to accommodate all the men of a community for Friday prayer. An oratory mosque is smaller.
movement	a sense of motion as the eye is guided through a work of art--or the physical motion of kinetic artworks
mummification	the ancient Egyptian process of preserving a corpse so that it could serve as a home for the ka
municipium	Latin, town or city
muqarnas	a decorative system that breaks the surface of a vault into small squinches, often referred to as resembling honeycomb. Generally ornamental rather than structural.
mural	a painting or other work of art executed directly on a wall [James Terry]
Muslim	an adherent of Islam
naos	the inner sanctuary of a Greek temple
narthex	(plural: narthices) a portico or vestibule at the entrance of a church
nativity	the Christian scene of Jesus' birth
naturalism	a style of representation that seeks to recreate the appearance of the visible world or nature
nave	from the Latin for "ship," the long central aisle of a basilica or cathedral
necropolis	from Greek, “city of the dead, ”a cemetery located outside a city [James Terry]
necropolis	a large, ancient cemetary [Smarthistory]
negative space	the area around and between the figure and ground
nemes	striped linen headcloth worn by ancient Egyptian kings
Neolithic	from the Greek, "old stone," the last section of the Stone Age, in which people had adopted agriculture
neolithic revolution	the profound social changes that occured when people moved from hunting and gathering to agriculture
Neopalatial period	Sir Arthur Evans, the archaeologist who first uncovered the palace at Knossos, divided Minoan chronology into many different periods, including the Neopalatial period, sometimes abbreviated as MM III.
niello	any of several black enamel-like alloys usually of sulfur with silver, copper, and lead [Merriam-Webster]
Nike	a winged personification of victory; Greek goddess of victory
nome	a geographic designation, similar to the modern idea of a region, district, or county
non-representational	not depicting recognizable objects; non-representational art is sometimes described as pure abstraction
obsidian	naturally occurring black stone/glass formed by lava
oculus	Latin, "eye," an opening at the top of a dome or a circular window
opus caementicium	Roman concrete
oral history	information and traditions passed down through spoken word, stories, and songs rather than through written records
orant	a standing figure with hands raised in prayer [James Terry]
orant	a figure with arms outstretched in a gesture of prayer
orator	a person giving a speech
oratorical gesture	an address given by a general
organic	in art, defining lines or shapes that are loose and curving like those found in nature
Orientalism	the fascination by Europeans with so-called "Oriental" cultures, imagined as mysterious, decadent, and violent, often with pejorative connotations.
orthogonals	the lines used in the technique of linear perspective that converge at the vanishing point to suggest the illusion of depth
outline	a heavy, often black, contour line
palatine	of or relating to a palace
Paleolithic	from Greek "old stone," the oldest section of the Stone Age and the beginning of human cultures
palette	surface used for grinding and/or mixing pigments
Pan-Africanism	unifying political and cultural movements bringing together African nations and people of African descent
Panhellenic	all people of Greek ancestry or origin
pantheon	from the Greek pan- (all) + theos (gods), the collected deities of a particular group or region
Pantocrator	from the Greek, pan- (all) + kratōr (to rule), Christ as the almighty ruler
papyrus	a reed-like plant or the paper-like material created by overlapping layers of its pith, pressing them and polishing them
parchment	a paper-like material made from very thinly stretched and scraped animal skin, treated to receive ink or paint
paterfamilias	Latin for "father of the family," the oldest man in a Roman family (who often lived in multigenerational households), who held rights to all its property and made decisions about marriages
patriarch	in the Greek Church and related churches, the highest clerical rank (compare pope)
patricians	members of the Roman land-owning class
patron	a person who pays for or otherwise orders art
Pax Romana	era of peace in the Roman Empire, initiated by Augustus, the first Roman Emperor, and persisting roughly 200 years until the death of Marcus Aurelius
pectoral	pertaining to the chest; often refers to an ornament worn on the chest
pediment	the triangular space forming the gable of a pitched roof in classical architecture [Art History Glossary]
pendentive	from the Latin pendēre (to hang), a curved triangular shape between a circular dome and a straight supporting pier
perspective	a technique for representing three-dimensional space on a flat surface. May refer to linear perspective, a scientific approach utilizing orthogonals that meet at a vanishing point; atmospheric perspective, where objects farther away appear bluer or foggier; or intuitive perspective, which often features the farther objects at the top of the image.
pharaoh	a king of ancient Egypt
phonetic	representing the sounds of speech [Merriam-Webster]
photograph	from Greek, "drawing with light," an image produced by registering light. Many images in this book are photographs, but most of the objects depicted are not.
pictograph	a picture, usually stylized, that represents an idea; also, writing using such means; also, painting on a rock. [Gardner's]
picture plane	the conceptual surface of a work of art, which can act like a transparent window, opening onto what feels like deep, three-dimensional space, or—especially in modern painting—may emphasize its own flatness as a surface for paint
pier	a heavy stone or concrete support, often larger than a column, with a wider base, and squared edges
pigment	a material, often in powdered form, that is applied directly to a surface or mixed with liquid, such as oil or water, to create paint
pilasters	architectural elements similar to engaged columns, but flat rather than rounded
pilgrimage	a journey undertaken for spiritual purposes, including the answer to a prayer, forgiveness for a sin, or healing for oneself or another
pilgrims	individuals undertaking a spiritual journey, or pilgrimage
plebeian	the class of Romans that included merchants, small farmers, and freed slaves
plebian	in ancient Rome, a merchant, small farmer, or freed slave
pointed arch	an arch that is pointed rather than rounded to allow for the more efficient distribution of weight; characteristic of Gothic architecture and introduced to Europe from the Middle East; sometimes called an ogival arch or a "Gothic" arch [Art History Glossary]
poleis	Greek for "city"
polychrome	consisting of more than one color, from the Greek poly (many) + chroma (color)
polytheism	belief in multiple gods
pope	in the Middle Ages, the head of the Latin Church
porcelain	an extremely fine, hard, translucent, white ceramic invented in China in the 8th century CE [James Terry]
portal	an entrance, especially the large central doorway of a church
portico	a structure consisting of a roof supported by columns at regular intervals, usually attached to a building as a porch [James Terry]
portrait	a representation of an actual person (as opposed to an image of a deity, for example)
post-and-lintel	a simple architectural technique of enclosing space using upright supports (posts) topped by a crosspiece (lintel)
Pre-Columbian	the period in the Americas before the arrival of Columbus; a problematic term as it both collapses many different cultures and foregrounds the name of a violent European invader
prefiguration	a story or symbol from the Jewish Bible that is seen to prefigure, or predict, an event in the life of Christ
prehistoric	referring to a period before written history
primary colors	the colors red, yellow, and blue, from which the rest of the colors can be formed
profile	the view of a person or animal as seen from the side, rather than the front
pronaos	entranceway of a Greek temple, behind a portico and flanked by walls
proportion	size relationship of parts of a body or form to one another and of the parts to the whole
Proto-Archaic	the period between Geometric and Archaic in Greek and Etruscan art, sometimes formerly called Orientalizing
provenance	the story of an artwork's discovery, findspot, and its various owners through history
psalter	a book containing the Psalms from the Hebrew Bible, used in Christian liturgy
pseudoperipteral	a Roman temple arrangement in which the front columns are free-standing but the columns on the back and sides are engaged
purgatory	in Roman Catholic doctrine, a space of suffering after death through which an individual may atone for sins in order to eventually be admitted to heaven
pylon	a monumental gateway of an ancient Egyptian temple, consisting of two tapering towers flanking the entrance [James Terry]
qibla	the direction of Mecca; in a mosque, a qibla wall often indicates this direction
Qur’an	the holy book of Muslims, who believe that it records the word of God as recited by Mohammed, in Arabic. Also spelled Koran.
radial symmetry	symmetry around a central point or axis, like a sunflower viewed head-on
radiocarbon dating	a method for determining the age of organic materials based on the decay of the carbon isotope carbon-14 [James Terry]
register	a horizontal band containing decorative or narrative imagery. The term is normally used when a work of art is organized in multiple horizontal bands [James Terry]
relic	a piece of material or body part associated with a sacred event or person, and believed to have miraculous powers
relief	sculpture that, unlike free-standing or in-the-round sculpture, does not detach entirely from its background. High-relief sculpture projects far from the background, whereas low-relief, or bas-relief sculpture is relatively shallow. In sunken relief, the imagery is carved into the surface instead of projecting from it.
relief sculpture	unlike sculptures in the round, relief sculptures do not detach entirely from their background. A sculpture may be in high relief, with greater projection from the background, or in low (bas) relief, where there is little projection. In ancient Egypt, we see sunken relief, where instead of projecting from the surface, the figures are delineated by carved-in contour lines.
reliquary	an often-elaborate container for a relic
repatriation	the return of something to its homeland, used in reference to art being returned to where it was made (compare restitution)
replica	an exact copy
repoussé	a metalworking technique in which the decoration is hammered into relief from the back of a thin sheet of metal. From the French "pousser," to push.
representational	depicting recognizable objects or scenes
restitution	the return of a work of art to its rightful owner (compare repatriation)
restoration	restoration generally involves returning a site (or objects) to an earlier state, often through the use of non-original material. Ideally, all added material is detectable and treatments are reversible.
revetment	a decorative covering for a wall, usually of stone
revetment	a decorative covering of stone
rhyton	(pl. rhyta) a ritual vessel used for pouring liquids, often in the form of an animal or animal's head
ribbed vaulting	vaulting with projecting stone "ribs," usually diagonal and transverse, which serve both decorative and supporting functions
rondel	a round decorative element
saint	a particularly holy person
sarcophagus	from the Greek sarkophagos ("limestone"), from sark ("flesh") + phage ("eat"), a coffin, often stone and often decorated
saturation	how bright or dull a color is; also referred to as intensity
Saxon	a Germanic people that inhabited parts of central and northern Germany from Roman times, many of whom conquered and settled in southern England in the 5th–6th centuries. [Oxford Languages] The term can refer to people in England or what is now Germany.
scale	an object's size relative to its surroundings
school	a group of artists or architects sharing close connections, sometimes to a particular artist, building, or architect
scriptorium	center for copying and illuminating manuscripts
sculpture in the round	a sculpture that can be observed from all sides, unlike a relief sculpture that does not fully detach from its background
secondary colors	colors formed by mixing two primary colors
senate	from the Latin senatus, "council of elders," the main body in Roman constitutional government
senator	from Latin senex, "old man," a member of the Roman Senate
shabti	Egyptian funerary sculptures, buried with the deceased to serve as "answerers" in the next life
shading	the use of darker colors to create the illusion of shadows
Shahnama	book of kings, an epic poem describing the stories of pre-Islamic Persian kings
shape	the property of a two-dimensional form, usually defined by a line around it or a change in color
Shedu	in Assyrian mythology, a winged lion with a man's head, also called Lammasu
shendjet	Egyptian traditional short pleated skirt
slip	in ceramics, a coating consisting of very fine particles of clay suspended in water, which can be burnished before firing to create a shiny surface (compare glaze)
sphinx	an Egyptian figure of a lion with a human head; in Greek mythology, a creature with the body of a lion, the wings of an eagle, and the head of a woman
spolia	architectural and decorative elements removed from one monument for use on another
squinch	a vault connecting the drum of a dome to the corner of a polygonal support (compare pendentive)
stained glass	decorative glass consisting of colored pieces fastened together, usually with strips of lead, to form an image or design [James Terry]
stave church	in Norway, a timber, post-and-lintel church
stele	a vertical stone monument or marker often inscribed with text or relief carving
stucco	a type of plaster that could be easily molded or carved to form decorative elements
style	characteristic visual properties of works made by an individual artist or by artists working in the same time and place
stylization	an artistic approach that conforms to particular conventions, or systems, rather than faithfully representing the natural world
stylized	conforming to particular conventions rather than recording a strict observation of the natural world
sultan	a term for a Muslim ruler, implying the ruler has been appointed by the caliph
symmetry	a formal type of balance consisting of a mirroring of portions of an image
synagogue	a Jewish house of worship
syncretism	the amalgamation of different religions, cultures, or schools of thought [Oxford Languages]
talud-tablero	a construction style that characterizes Mesoamerican pyramids, comprising a sloping base (talud) supporting a vertical tablero (decorated entablature)
tapestry	a textile with imagery woven directly into the cloth. The famous Bayeux "Tapestry" is actually an embroidery.
tempera	traditionally, a painting medium in which the binder for the pigments is egg yolk
terracotta	from the Italian, terra ("earth") + cotta ("baked"), a reddish-brown fired natural clay
tertiary colors	colors formed by mixing a primary color with a secondary color
tessera	(plural: tesserae) a small, roughly cubic piece of cut stone or glass used in making mosaics [James Terry]
tetramorph	a creature combining four others. From the tetramorph in the Book of Ezekiel, later Christians derived symbols for the four Gospel writers or evangelists.
textile	from the Latin textilis, "woven fabric,” any cloth
texture	the real or simulated surface quality (roughness or smoothness) of an object
therianthrope	a mythical being or deity which is part human and part animal
tholos	a circular tomb or temple
topography	the natural forms and features of a land’s surface
Torah	the most holy text of Judaism, consisting of the first five books of the Bible, usually in the form of a scroll
tracery	the stonework supporting stained glass windows
transept	in church architecture, the arm that crosses the nave to produce a cruciform layout
translation	the attempt to render the meaning of a text in one language into another language
transliteration	the attempt to render the sound of words from one writing system (such as an alphabet) into another writing system (such as another alphabet)
trilithon	from the Latin tri- ("three") + Greek: litho- ("stone"), a grouping of three massive stones
triptych	an artwork consisting of three pieces, usually two wings flanking a central panel
trompe l'oeil	from French, "fools the eye," an artwork that gives the illusion of actual three-dimensional objects
trumeau	a post dividing a doorway and supporting a lintel
tumulus	a burial mound
twisted perspective	a style of representation in which figures are depicted with combination frontal and profile views, also known as composite view
tympanum	from the Greek tympanon ("drum"), a flat, semicircular area above the lintel of a door
Upper Paleolithic	the period between approximately 40,000 and 10,000 years ago; "Upper" is the most recent of three subdivisions of the Paleolithic period of the Stone Age (Lower, Middle, and Upper)
uraeus	the upright cobra commonly shown on the headdress of the Egyptian pharaoh, denoting divine leadership and protection
value	the degree of lightness or darkness of a color
vanishing point	in linear perspective, the point at which the orthogonals converge
vault	a masonry roof or ceiling constructed on the arch principle, or a concrete roof of the same shape [Gardner's]
vellum	a paper-like material made from very thinly stretched and scraped skin of a young animal, treated to receive ink or pain
Venus pudica	Venus or Aphrodite depicted nude, standing with her hand in front of or covering her genitalia and her other arms across her breast
verism	from the Latin vērus ("true"), an artistic style that hyperrealistically exaggerates naturally occurring features, especially those demonstrating age
veristic	hyperrealistic convention of portraying age and natural likeness
Viking	a Norse people who spread by conquest and trade out of Scandinavia starting in the 8th century CE; later identified by other names, such as Norman
Visigoth	the western branch of the Goths, who ruled much of Spain until 711
volutes	ornaments, shaped like scrolls or cinnamon rolls, that are notable features of Ionic capitals
votive offering	a gift of gratitude to a deity [Gardner's]
voussoirs	the wedge-shaped blocks used to construct a true arch
warp	the vertical threads of a loom or cloth [Gardner's]
westwork	the façade and towers at the western entrance of a medieval church
wet drapery	in sculpture, the look of sheer, almost transparent cloth—called "drapery" in art—that appears to cling to the body, exposing the form beneath; introduced in the Greek High Classical period before sculpture depicting the fully-nude female figure was acceptable; the sculptor Phidias is credited with introducing this style [Art History Glossary]
ziggurat	in ancient Mesopotamia, a stepped tower of earthen materials, often supporting a temple or shrine [James Terry]
zoomorphic	in the form of an animal
Zoroastrianism	the state religion of Persia from about 600 BCE until the Muslim conquest, when most adherents fled to India

Notes

Thanks to the following sources (cited in the definitions, where applicable) that provided content:

• Art History Glossary, compiled by Sheila Lynch
• Gardner's Art Through the Ages: A Global History, 15th Edition. Fred S. Kleiner, Editor. 2016
• James Terry, Art History Glossary
• Merriam-Webster Dictionary
• National Geographic