ABACUS: The flat slab located at the top of a column capital. It helps distribute the weight of the superstructure evenly onto the capital.
ACANTHUS: A leaf ornament inspired by the acanthus plant, especially used on Corinthian and Composite capitals. It creates a rich and elegant decorative effect in classical architecture.
ACROPOLIS: A fortified upper part of an ancient city, usually built on a high hill. Temples, sacred buildings and important civic structures were often located there.
ACROTERION: A sculptural or decorative element placed at the apex or corners of a pediment, often made of stone, marble or terracotta.
ADYTON: The most sacred inner chamber of an ancient temple, accessible only to priests or specially authorized individuals. Sacred objects, cult images or divine symbols were often kept here.
AGORA: The central public square in ancient Greek cities where trade, political discussion, social interaction and civic gatherings took place.
ALTAR: A sacred architectural element used for offerings, sacrifices or dedications to deities. It is often located in front of temples or within sanctuaries.
AMPHIPROSTYLE: A temple type with a columned porch on both the front and rear façades, but without columns along the side walls.
AMPHORA: A two-handled storage or transport vessel used in antiquity for wine, olive oil, grain and similar goods. Amphorae are important for understanding trade routes and production centers.
ANATOLIAN IONIC BASE: A type of column base used in Anatolian Ionic architecture, generally consisting of a plinth, spira and torus.
ANTA: The projecting end of the side walls of a cella in Greek temples. Columns placed between the antae may form the pronaos.
ANTEFIX: A decorative architectural element placed at the ends of roof tiles. It served both ornamental and practical functions by helping protect the façade from rainwater.
APODYTERIUM: The changing room in ancient bath complexes. It was one of the basic spaces of Roman bath architecture.
APSE: A semicircular or polygonal projecting section, especially common in Roman basilicas and Christian churches. It often served as the focal point of the sacred space.
AQUEDUCT: A water-conveying structure, often built with arches, used to transport water from sources to cities. It is one of the most characteristic achievements of Roman engineering.
ARCHAEOBOTANY: The study of seeds, wood, pollen and plant remains recovered from archaeological excavations. It helps reconstruct ancient diet, agriculture and environmental conditions.
ARCHAEOLOGY: The discipline that studies the human past through material remains such as buildings, graves, pottery, tools, inscriptions and everyday objects.
ARCHAEOMETRY: The application of scientific methods to archaeological materials. Carbon 14 dating, thermoluminescence, material analysis and isotope studies are among its main methods.
ARCHITRAVE: The main horizontal beam resting directly on column capitals. It forms the lowest part of the entablature and is also known as the main beam.
ASKLEPIEION: A sacred healing center dedicated to Asklepios, the ancient god of medicine and healing. Patients sought recovery through rituals, rest and various therapeutic practices.
ASTRAGAL: A narrow rounded molding often decorated with a bead-and-reel motif. It is used as a transitional decorative element on capitals and architectural surfaces.
ATRIUM: The central open courtyard of a Roman house, usually surrounded by roofed spaces. It provided light, collected rainwater and organized domestic life.
ATTIC: A horizontal wall band above the cornice. In monumental architecture, it could carry inscriptions, reliefs or decorative elements.
ATTIC IONIC BASE: A column base composed of a plinth, torus, scotia and another torus. It is one of the important base types of the Ionic order.
BALNEUM: A private or small-scale Roman bath. Larger public bath complexes are usually called thermae.
BAPTISTERY: A building or special section used for Christian baptism ceremonies. It was often designed with a central plan.
BASILICA: In Roman architecture, a long rectangular public building used for legal, commercial and civic functions. In Christian architecture, it developed into a church plan with a central nave and side aisles.
BEAD AND REEL: A decorative motif consisting of alternating round and oval bead-like elements. It is often found on astragals.
BEMA: The raised sacred area in churches where clergy stood. In Byzantine architecture, it is usually located in front of the apse.
BOULEUTERION: The council house of an ancient Greek city. It was a covered meeting place where civic decisions were made.
CANALIS: The concave channel between the two volutes of an Ionic capital, located beneath the abacus.
CAPITAL: The uppermost part of a column, placed above the shaft and below the entablature. Its form varies according to architectural orders such as Doric, Ionic, Corinthian and Composite.
CARYATID: A female sculptural figure used as a column or architectural support. It functions both structurally and sculpturally.
CAVEA: The stepped seating area of an ancient theater or amphitheater. Seating arrangements could reflect social hierarchy.
CELLA: The main sacred room of a Greek temple where the cult statue of the deity was placed. It is synonymous with naos.
CHURCH NAVE: The long central interior space of a basilical church. The central nave is usually wider and higher than the side aisles.
COIN: A metal currency object. Its inscriptions, portraits and symbols provide evidence for history, economy, rulership and civic identity.
COLONNADE: A covered passage or long space supported by a row of columns. It appears in stoas, porticoes and peristyle arrangements.
COLUMNA CAELATA: A column whose surface is decorated with reliefs or carved ornaments. It was often used to enhance the decorative effect of monumental buildings.
COMPOSITE CAPITAL: A column capital combining Ionic volutes with Corinthian acanthus leaves. It became widespread in Roman architecture.
CONSOLE: A projecting support from a wall that carries an architectural element above, such as a balcony, cornice, eave or statue base.
CORINTHIAN ORDER: A richly decorated classical architectural order known for its acanthus-leaf capital. It became especially common in the Hellenistic and Roman periods.
CORNICE: The uppermost projecting horizontal element of the entablature. It protects the building from rainwater and completes the façade composition.
CREPIDOMA: The stepped platform on which a Greek temple stands. Its uppermost step is called the stylobate, while the lower steps are called the stereobate.
CRYPT: An underground corridor, tomb chamber or hidden space. In Early Christian and Byzantine architecture, it may be associated with sacred relics.
CULT STATUE: The sacred statue representing the deity inside a temple. It was usually placed in the cella and formed the focus of religious ritual.
CYCLOPEAN WALL: A wall built with very large and irregular stone blocks. Because of the size of the stones, ancient sources associated such walls with giants.
CYMA RECTA: A classical molding profile that is concave above and convex below. It is used in cornices and decorative arrangements.
CYMA REVERSA: A molding profile that is convex above and concave below. It is also known as Lesbian cyma and is often decorated with leaf motifs.
DECUMANUS: The main east-west street in a Roman city plan. It intersected with the north-south cardo to form the urban center.
DENDROCHRONOLOGY: A dating method based on the analysis of annual growth rings in wood. It is especially useful for wooden architecture, ship remains and timber artifacts.
DENTIL COURSE: A row of small rectangular projections under a cornice. It is also known as dentil ornament.
DIAZOMA: A horizontal passage dividing the seating rows in ancient theaters. It allowed easier circulation for spectators.
DIPTEROS: A temple type surrounded by a double row of columns around the cella. It was preferred for large and monumental temples.
DOLIUM: A large storage vessel, especially common in the Roman period. It was used for storing grain, olive oil, wine and similar products.
DORIC ORDER: The simplest and most robust of the classical architectural orders. Its main features include a column without a base, fluted shaft, plain capital, and a frieze divided into triglyphs and metopes.
DROMOS: A corridor or entrance passage leading to a tomb chamber. It is especially common in tumulus and chamber tombs.
ECHINUS: The convex cushion-like part of a column capital located beneath the abacus. It is especially prominent in Doric capitals.
EGG AND DART: A repeating decorative motif consisting of egg-shaped and dart-shaped forms. It is also known as Ionic kymation and is common in classical architecture.
EKKLESIASTERION: A large building where the popular assembly gathered in ancient Greek cities. It was the physical space of civic participation.
ENTABLATURE: The horizontal superstructure resting on columns. It consists of the architrave, frieze and cornice.
EPIGRAPHY: The study of inscriptions. Texts carved on stone, metal, pottery or other surfaces provide historical, political and cultural information.
EPISTYLE: The Greek term for architrave, referring to the main horizontal beam above the columns.
EROSION LAYER: A soil or deposit layer formed by natural processes such as wind, rain or water flow. In excavation, it must be distinguished from cultural layers.
EUSTYLE: A column arrangement in which the intercolumniation is approximately 2¼ lower column diameters. It was considered one of the ideal proportional systems in ancient architectural theory.
EXCAVATION GRID: A system in which an excavation area is divided into squares for measurement and documentation. It allows finds to be recorded systematically by location.
EXCAVATION LAYER: A cultural or natural deposit formed over time within a settlement. Layers are essential for understanding the chronology of a site.
EXEDRA: A semicircular or rectangular recess used for seating, sculpture display or monumental compositions. It appears in public spaces, sanctuaries and architectural complexes.
FASCIA: One of the horizontal bands on the architrave in Ionic and Corinthian orders. These bands give depth and visual movement to the façade.
FLUTE: A vertical groove running along the shaft of a column. It gives the column a sense of rhythm, slenderness and light-shadow contrast.
FORUM: The main public square of Roman cities, surrounded by commercial, administrative, judicial and religious buildings. It corresponds broadly to the Greek agora.
FRIEZE: The horizontal architectural band between the architrave and cornice. In the Doric order, it consists of triglyphs and metopes, while in Ionic and Corinthian orders it may be continuous and decorated with reliefs.
FRIGIDARIUM: The cold room of a Roman bath. It formed part of the bathing sequence together with the tepidarium and caldarium.
GEISON: The Greek term for cornice. It refers to the projecting horizontal element at the upper part of the entablature.
GYMNASION: A complex used for physical training, education and philosophical activity in ancient Greek cities. It played an important role in the physical and intellectual education of young men.
HABITAT: The natural or built environment in which humans or living communities exist. In archaeology, it helps explain the environmental context of settlements.
HEROON: A shrine or monumental tomb built for a heroized or semi-divine individual. It is important for understanding local cults and civic identity.
HIERON: A sacred area or temple dedicated to a deity. It could include altars, temples, votive areas and ceremonial routes.
HIPPODROME: A long racecourse used for horse and chariot races. It was an important public spectacle space in Roman and Byzantine urban life.
HYPOSTYLE: A large covered space supported by numerous columns. Monumental examples are especially known from Egyptian and Near Eastern architecture.
ICONOGRAPHY: The study of symbols, figures and scenes in works of art. In archaeology, it is used to interpret deities, heroes, mythological scenes and symbolic imagery.
INSCRIPTION: A text carved or written on stone, metal, pottery or similar surfaces. It may include names, titles, dedications, building records or official decisions.
IONIC KYMATION: A decorative motif also known as egg-and-dart. It is frequently used on capitals, cornices and moldings in Ionic architecture.
IONIC ORDER: A classical architectural order known for its volute capital, column base and elegant proportions. It was widely used in Anatolia and the Aegean world.
ISODOMIC MASONRY: A wall construction technique in which stone blocks of equal height are laid in regular horizontal courses. It indicates careful and high-quality workmanship.
KLINE: A couch or bed used in dining, resting or funerary contexts in antiquity. It is often depicted on sarcophagi and tomb reliefs.
LATE ANTIQUITY: The historical period extending from the later Roman Empire to the Early Byzantine era. It was marked by major transformations in urban life, religious architecture and social structures.
LEBES: A broad-bodied vessel with a rounded base. It could be used in rituals, daily life or as a grave offering.
LESBIAN CYMA: A decorated form of cyma reversa, often recognized by heart-shaped leaf motifs.
LIMEN: A harbor area in an ancient city. It was strategically important for trade, transport, military activity and the urban economy.
MEGARON: A long rectangular building type with an entrance porch and a main hall containing a central hearth. It is associated with early domestic and palace architecture in the Aegean and Anatolia.
METOPE: A square or rectangular panel placed between triglyphs in a Doric frieze. It may be plain, painted or decorated with reliefs.
MILESTONE: An inscribed stone placed along Roman roads to indicate distance. It provides information about road networks, imperial administration and routes.
MOSAIC: A floor or wall decoration made by arranging small pieces of stone, glass, ceramic or colored materials. It may include geometric, vegetal, figural or mythological scenes.
NAOS: The main sacred chamber of a temple. It housed the cult statue and is synonymous with cella.
NARTHEX: The entrance hall of Early Christian and Byzantine churches, located before the main worship space. It served as a transitional and preparatory area.
NAVE: One of the longitudinal interior divisions of a church, separated by columns or piers. It may be arranged as a central nave and side aisles.
NICHE: A recess or hollow space in a wall. It may be used to place statues, lamps, tombs or religious objects.
NUMISMATICS: The study of coins and medals. It provides important evidence for economy, trade, political propaganda and chronology.
ODEION: A small theater-like building used for music, poetry, speeches and smaller performances. It was generally smaller than a theater and often roofed.
OPISTHODOMOS: The rear chamber of a Greek temple, located behind the cella. In some temples, it was used to store treasures or votive objects.
OPUS CAEMENTICIUM: Roman concrete construction technique using lime mortar, stone fragments and various aggregates. It enabled strong walls, vaults and large-scale structures.
OPUS SECTILE: A decorative technique using cut pieces of colored stone or marble to create geometric or figural patterns on floors and walls.
ORCHESTRA: The circular or semicircular area in an ancient theater where the chorus and performers stood. It was located between the stage and the seating area.
ORTHOSTAT: A large upright stone block used in the lower courses of walls. In monumental architecture, it could be both structural and decorative.
OSSUARY: A small container or chest used to hold the bones of the dead after cremation. It is associated with cremation burial practices.
PALAESTRA: A space used for wrestling, physical training and athletic exercises. It was often part of a gymnasion complex.
PARADOS: A side passage between the stage building and the seating area in an ancient theater. It could be used by actors, the chorus and spectators.
PEDIMENT: The triangular architectural surface formed at the short ends of a gabled roof. In temples, it was often decorated with mythological scenes, divine figures or reliefs.
PERIBOLOS: A wall enclosing a sacred area, tomb or temple. It marks the boundary and special status of the enclosed space.
PERIPTEROS: A temple type surrounded by a single row of columns around the naos. It is one of the most common plans in classical Greek temple architecture.
PERISTASIS: The surrounding column arrangement or colonnaded zone around a temple. It shapes both the exterior appearance and ritual circulation.
PERISTYLE: A courtyard surrounded by columns on all sides. It was commonly used in Roman houses, palaces and public buildings.
PIER: A vertical architectural support, often square, rectangular or polygonal in section. Unlike a column, it is usually more massive and wall-like.
PITHOS: A large storage jar used for grain, olive oil, wine or water. In some cases, it was also used as a burial container.
PLINTH: The square or rectangular block at the bottom of a column base. It helps the column rest securely on the ground.
PODIUM: A raised base on which temples, columns, statues or sarcophagi are placed. In Roman temples, it increases monumentality.
POLYGONAL MASONRY: A wall construction technique using irregular polygonal stone blocks fitted together. The stones may be set with little or no mortar.
PORTICO: A roofed entrance or passage supported by columns, usually placed in front of a building. It functions as both a sheltered transition space and a visual façade element.
PRONAOS: The entrance space before the cella of a temple. It may be defined by antae and columns.
PROPYLON: A monumental gateway leading into a sanctuary, temple complex or architectural group. It often had both ceremonial and symbolic significance.
PROSKENION: The raised platform in front of the stage building in an ancient theater where actors performed. It became an important part of Hellenistic and Roman stage design.
PROSTYLE: A temple plan with a columned porch only on the front façade. It is common in smaller temples.
PTERON: The space between the cella wall and the outer colonnade of a temple. It allowed ritual movement around the temple.
RHYTON: A ritual drinking or pouring vessel, often shaped like an animal head or horn. It was used in ceremonies, drinking customs and as a grave offering.
ROTUNDA: A circular-plan monumental building. It may function as a temple, tomb, baptistery or memorial structure.
SARCOPHAGUS: A coffin-like burial container made of stone, marble, terracotta or wood. It may carry reliefs, inscriptions or painted decoration.
SCOTIA: A concave molding used in column bases. It is combined with convex moldings such as torus to create rhythmic visual movement.
SIMA: The gutter-like edge of a roof used to direct rainwater away from the building. It works together with waterspouts.
SKENE: The stage building of an ancient theater. It was used for preparation, scenery and as the architectural background of performances.
SPOUT: An outlet used to drain rainwater away from the roof. In ancient architecture, it was often shaped like a lion’s head.
STADIUM: A long athletic field used for running races and competitions in antiquity. It was closely connected with sport and festival culture.
STELE: An upright stone slab used for funerary, votive, boundary or commemorative purposes. It may contain inscriptions or relief decoration.
STEREOBATE: The lower steps of the temple platform beneath the stylobate. It forms the supporting base of the crepidoma.
STOA: A long roofed public building with a colonnaded front. It was used for trade, walking, waiting and social interaction.
STRATIGRAPHY: The study of archaeological layers and their relationships. It is essential for relative dating and understanding site formation.
STYLOBATE: The uppermost step of a temple platform on which the columns directly stand. It is the top level of the crepidoma.
TABERNA: A shop or small commercial unit in Roman cities. It was often arranged as a single room opening directly onto the street.
TEMENOS: A sacred precinct enclosed by a boundary wall and containing one or more temples. It was the center of worship, offerings and ritual activity.
TEPIDARIUM: The warm room of a Roman bath. It served as a transitional space between the cold frigidarium and hot caldarium.
TERRACOTTA: Baked clay used for figurines, vessels, plaques or architectural decoration. It was widely used because it was inexpensive and easy to shape.
THEATRON: The stepped seating area of an ancient theater. It is the architectural element from which the word “theater” derives.
THERMAE: A large public bath complex in the Roman period. Beyond bathing, it served as a space for exercise, social interaction, relaxation and cultural activity.
THOLOS: A circular-plan building. It may function as a temple, monumental tomb or sacred structure.
TORUS: A convex rounded molding used in column bases. It is also known as a rounded base molding.
TRIGLYPH: A Doric frieze element with three vertical grooves, placed between metopes. It is thought to derive from earlier wooden architectural traditions.
TROCHILOS: The Greek term for scotia. It refers to the concave molding used in column bases.
TUMULUS: An artificial mound of earth or stone covering a burial chamber. It is usually associated with monumental burials of elite individuals.
TYMPANUM: The triangular inner surface of a pediment. It may be decorated with mythological reliefs, figural scenes or ornamental compositions.
VAULT: A roofing system formed by extending an arch in depth. It was widely used in Roman and Byzantine architecture to cover large interior spaces.
VESTIBULE: The entrance space before the main interior of a building. It functions as a transitional area in both public and private architecture.
VOLUTE: The spiral scroll ornament characteristic of Ionic capitals. It is one of the most distinctive features of the Ionic order.
