Illustrated dictionary of historic architecture

1567 Pages·1983·135.36 MB·English

by  Cyril M. Harris

ILLUSTRATED DICTIONARY OF
HISTORIC
ARCHITECTURE
Edited by Cyril M. Harris
Dover Publications, Inc., New York
Copyright © 1977 by Cyril M. Harris.
All rights reserved.
This Dover edition, first published in 1983, is an unabridged and unaltered republication of the
work originally published by McGraw-Hill Book Company, N.Y., in 1977 under the title Historic
Architecture Sourcebook.
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Historic architecture sourcebook.
Illustrated dictionary of historic architecture.
Reprint. Originally published: Historic architecture sourcebook. New York: McGraw-Hill, c 1977.
1. Architecture – Dictionaries. I. Harris, Cyril M., 1917-II. Title.
[NA31.H56 1983] 720′.3′21 82-17776
International Standard Book Number
ISBN-13: 978-0-486-24444-0
ISBN-10: 0-486-24444-X
Manufactured in the United States by Courier Corporation 24444X16
www.doverpublications.com
PREFACE
Properly presented and illustrated, historic architecture is enjoyable in itself.
There is much practical value in its study as well. Let me cite one personal
example. In 1965, I joined three colleagues in designing a thousand-seat theatre
for the U.S. Department of State under a Ford Foundation grant. We were under
no constraints other than a single formidable one—the entire theatre had to be
capable of being disassembled and fitted into two large cargo aircraft. Three
years and 27 different schemes later, we had developed a theatre-in-the-round
which met all design requirements. In plan it was essentially two ancient Roman
theatres with their seating areas (see cavea, 1, page 100) joined to form a circle.
After our final design was complete, out of curiosity (for ancient Greek and
Roman theatres first stimulated my interest in historic architecture some years
ago), I compared the slope of our seating with the average slope of the seating in
a number of ancient Roman theatres. Our slope was within one degree of that
average. Then I compared our aisle arrangement with that recommended for
Roman theatres by Vitruvius in his Ten Books on Architecture written about the
time of the birth of Christ. They were identical. In these respects I had the
curious feeling that we had reinvented the wheel.
The Historic Architecture Sourcebook is a unique presentation of the history
of architecture in the form of 5000 lucid definitions of terms illustrated by 2100
line drawings. The subject areas include the following architectural periods:
Ancient Islamic
Greek and Hellenistic Mesoamerican
Roman Romanesque
Early Christian Gothic
Chinese Renaissance
Japanese Modern
Indian
These subjects cover a span of 5000 years, and each is treated in detail. They
will be valuable to the layman, the student, and the specialist interested in
history, architectural history, art history, or art appreciation. The definitions
contain enough information to guide a reader toward appropriate reference books
if he wishes to pursue any topic in greater depth. Both the definitions and the
illustrations are complete enough to serve as important research tools, because
emphasis has been placed on clarity and accuracy.
The line drawings have been chosen to stress the significant aspects of
architectural styles as well as details. For many years, as a hobby, I collected
very old books on historic architecture, and built a collection of over 12,000 line
drawings which were alphabetized and individually mounted. To these I added
several thousand photographs I had taken in many parts of the world, with a
view of using them eventually in a book on historic architecture. Many of these
were included in the Dictionary of Architecture of Construction (McGraw-Hill,
1975). The entire collection has formed the basis for the illustrations in the
present volume. The decision to use line drawings rather than photographs (with
a few exceptions) is based upon the particular usefulness of such drawings in
emphasizing salient features of the term being illustrated. The illustrations
include (1) drawings chosen from my complete collection, which were redrawn
or otherwise modified to emphasize essential details, (2) entirely new drawings,
prepared when suitable illustrations could not be found, and (3) drawings which
have been reproduced by permission of the copyright owners.
Cyril M. Harris ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Many of my colleagues have been helpful in the preparation of the Sourcebook
and I am grateful for their assistance. I am particularly indebted to Professor
Adolf K. Placzek, Librarian of Avery Library of Columbia University for his
valuable advice and contributions during its preparation.
In the initial editorial stages, Ross J. Kepler, my production editor at
McGraw-Hill, offered many helpful suggestions. After his retirement, Betty
Gatewood provided painstaking assistance in the production of the book. I also
wish to thank Miye Schakne and others who provided skilled artwork for the
illustrations.
The resources of Avery Library of Columbia University, the world’s largest
architectural library, were invaluable in checking and cross-checking
information.
Acknowledgment is gratefully made to holders of copyrighted material who
have granted permission for its reproduction. Particular thanks are due Abraham
Ascher and the editors of the Newsweek Book Division, Newsweek, for
permission to reproduce the drawing of the Kremlin from The Kremlin (New
York, 1972); to George Kubler and the Pelican History of Art Series for five
illustrations of Mesoamerican architecture from The Art and Architecture of
Ancient America (Penguin Books, Baltimore, 1962), and to The Old-House
Journal (Brooklyn, New York) for several drawings.
CONTRIBUTORS
The definitions in the Historic Architecture Sourcebook were prepared by a staff
of experts. Contributors in particular fields are listed below. There is much
overlap between many of the special fields covered in this book, so this listing
indicates the principal area of responsibility for each contributor.
ADOLF K. PLACZEK, S.A.H. Avery Librarian; Adjunct Professor of
Architecture, Columbia University (ARCHITECTURAL STYLES)
EDGAR KAUFMANN JR., H.A.I.A. Adjunct Professor of Art History and
Architecture, Columbia University (RENAISSANCE ARCHITECTURE,
MODERN ARCHITECTURE) EVERARD M. UPJOHN, M. ARCH.
Professor Emeritus of Art History, Columbia University (CHURCH
ARCHITECTURE, GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE) CYRIL M. HARRIS,
PH.D. Professor of Architecture, Columbia University (CLASSICAL
ARCHITECTURE, GENERAL HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE) JOSEPH
M. SHELLEY, B. ARCH. Retired Associate Professor of Architecture, City
University of New York; formerly Commissioner, Landmarks Preservation
Commission, New York (CLASSICAL ARCHITECTURE) TAKASHI
HLRAYAMA Professor Emeritus of Architecture, University of Tokyo
(JAPANESE ARCHITECTURE) C. K. CHANG, A.I.A. Architect, New
York, NY. (CHINESE ARCHITECTURE) CURT MUSER Research
Associate, Museum of the American Indian (Heye Foundation), New York,
NY. (MESOAMERICAN ARCHITECTURE) PAUL LAMPL, A.I.A.
Design Coordinator and Associate, The Eggers Partnership, New York,
NY. (MIDDLE EASTERN, ISLAMIC, AND INDIAN
ARCHITECTURE) MARVIN TRACHTENBERG, PH.D. Associate Professor
of Fine Arts, New York University (MEDIEVAL ARCHITECTURE) In
addition to these fields, definitions in several more specialized areas
which were originally prepared for the Dictionary of Architecture and
Construction have been included in this volume. Contributors include:
JOSEPH SHEIN, A.I.A. Partner, Russo and Sonder, Architects, New York,
N.Y.
BRONSON BLNGER, A.I.A. Project Director, South Street Seaport Museum,
New York, N.Y.
ROY J. MASCOLINO, A.I.A. Fletcher-Thompson, Inc., Architects-Engineers,
Bridgeport, Connecticut JOHN BARRATT PATTON, PH.D. Professor of
Economic Geology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
ILLUSTRATED DICTIONARY OF
HISTORIC
ARCHITECTURE
A
Aaron’s rod An ornament or molding consisting of a straight rod from which
pointed leaves or scroll work emerge on each side, at regular intervals.
abaciscus 1. A tessera, as used in mosaic work. Also called abaculus. 2. A
small abacus, 1.
abaculus See abaciscus, l.
abacus 1. The uppermost member of the capital of a column; often a plain
square slab, but sometimes molded or otherwise enriched. 2. In ancient
construction, a square table, placed on the head of wood columns, to provide a
broad flat surface for the superincumbent beam which supported the roof. 3. A
slab of marble used in finishing the walls of rooms in ancient Roman
construction; occasionally the marble was simulated in paint.
above: abacisci, 1below: various styles of abaci, 1
Doric
Corinthian
Tuscan
Composite
abacus, 2
abacus, 1
Decorated