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a bibliography || oral presentation ideas || the guilds || glossary
Glossary of Art and Architecture Terms
Church furnishings:
- Antependium
- the front of an altar usually made of precious metal or fabric
- Baptismal Font
- a large tub in which a person would sit, usually octagon shaped,
while they were receiving the baptismal rite
- Ciborium
- A canopy over the altar of a church usually supported by
columns and of a domical form
- Pulpit
- a semi-octagonal or hexagonal podium that holds the liturgical
books, from which a priest reads
- Reliquary
- a vessel or larger architectonic container that held relics of Saints
or other holy persons or items such as bones, hair, or clothing
Architecture:
Apse
a semicircular or polygonal vaulted or semi-domed space,
usually at the east end of a church in the sanctuary
Campanile
Italian bell tower, usually separate from the building with which
it is associated
Chancel
usually in the eastern part of church that is reserved for the
clergy and holds the choir and the Sanctuary
Clerestory
a row of windows in a wall that is above the roof line of the
aisles that flank it, especially in a church, and allows light into the center.
Duomo
a cathedral or other major church
Narthex
a single storey porch or room leading into the main body of a
church
Nave
the western part of a church between the sanctuary and the
narthex, if there is one. It sometimes has aisles
Sanctuary
the area of the chancel where the altar is protected
Transept
an extension or part of a building, particularly a church, which
lies across the main axis of the building
Other Terms:
- Codex
- a book made of separate leaves, like a modern book
- Diptych
- a pair of panels or leaves attached together (especially
ivories/paintings)
- Fresco
- painting done in natural pigments on walls of wet lime or
gypsum plaster; also a dry technique (though not true fresco) called fresco
Secco, meaning dry
- Historiated Initials
- large capital letters used at the beginnings of sections text in
illuminated manuscripts with illustrations, usually figural or foliate,
integrated into each letter
- Triptych
- three panels or leaves attached together
- Dossal
- a large ornamental hanging of rich fabric, usually hung behind
an altar
- Dalmatic
- a straight over-tunic with very wide sleeves worn by a deacon,
cardinal, bishop, or abbot when celebrating the Mass
- Chasuble
- Long sleeveless over-tunic worn by a priest saying Mass.
- Burse
- an ecclesiastical purse used to carry the linen cloth used in the
Eucharist
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