A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
PERIPTERY: THE MEANING OF THE WORD
The author analyzes the origin and the history of the periptery, examines into the etymology of this word, and traces its roots in Minoan and Mycenaean cultures. The history of classical architecture is full of myths. One of them is related to the origin of periptery, the main type of a classical antique temple. Traditionally, it dates back to the samples of the 7th-4th centuries B.C., although it is obvious that this type of temples has a longer history. The term "periptery" is said to originate from an ancient cult established prior to the construction of the Greek Pantheon. It is composed of the two Greek words: "peri" - around, near, and "pteron" - a side wing, a side colonnade or an outhouse. As a result, the initial defi nition is formed - "winged from all sides", while all present-day sources (e.g. Encyclopedia Britannica) use a much simpler translation - "rectangular building with a colonnade on all four sides". However, speaking about the drama of post and lintel elements in the Order System, it is not apparent why, for example, the Temple of Poseidon at Paestum or the Parthenon can be called "winged", particularly, the Temple of Poseidon, with its ponderous Doric Order. And strictly speaking, so sensual a tune is typical for the Hellenistic period. The "winged" theme has nothing to do with the forms of the Periptery or its proportions. Minoan and Mycenaean temples are a lot older than the Greek ones, therefore, the "winged" may mean natural encircling of the temple with The Sacred Bird images. These birds were the permanent "characters" of the Mysteries throughout the Mediterranean region and Ancient East. In the Sumerian-Acadian culture, the word "fortune" was depicted as a hieroglyph that looked like a bird, and fortune "management" was one of the functions of the supreme deity. One of the translations of the word "pteron" is not just a "wing", but also a "winged creature" (a bird, a griffi n, a sphinx). Polybius (201 - 122 B.C.) used "periptery" in the meaning of "surrounded by columns", but much later Plutarch (46 - 127 A.D.) named it "a side colonnade" and "a side building". Practically, the name of one of the temple elements was applied to the whole structure, which indicated a special role of this "side colonnade", as the main visual sign of the temple being attributed to the Supreme Deity. The classical form of the Periptery had two essential elements; they were the two sculptures of birds on top of the columns that surrounded it on three sides, and proto-ionic columns in front of the main Facade and in the cella (as in a temple in Neandria). Later, the main Facade evolved as a column portico with a pediment, and on each of its corner akroterion - a sphinx or a griffin - was placed, while the whole structure was crowned by an antefix formed as a palmette. This is our reconstruction of the evolution of this type of temple in the course of 600 years, from the 16th century B.C. through the 10th century B.C.
PERIPTERY: THE MEANING OF THE WORD
The author analyzes the origin and the history of the periptery, examines into the etymology of this word, and traces its roots in Minoan and Mycenaean cultures. The history of classical architecture is full of myths. One of them is related to the origin of periptery, the main type of a classical antique temple. Traditionally, it dates back to the samples of the 7th-4th centuries B.C., although it is obvious that this type of temples has a longer history. The term "periptery" is said to originate from an ancient cult established prior to the construction of the Greek Pantheon. It is composed of the two Greek words: "peri" - around, near, and "pteron" - a side wing, a side colonnade or an outhouse. As a result, the initial defi nition is formed - "winged from all sides", while all present-day sources (e.g. Encyclopedia Britannica) use a much simpler translation - "rectangular building with a colonnade on all four sides". However, speaking about the drama of post and lintel elements in the Order System, it is not apparent why, for example, the Temple of Poseidon at Paestum or the Parthenon can be called "winged", particularly, the Temple of Poseidon, with its ponderous Doric Order. And strictly speaking, so sensual a tune is typical for the Hellenistic period. The "winged" theme has nothing to do with the forms of the Periptery or its proportions. Minoan and Mycenaean temples are a lot older than the Greek ones, therefore, the "winged" may mean natural encircling of the temple with The Sacred Bird images. These birds were the permanent "characters" of the Mysteries throughout the Mediterranean region and Ancient East. In the Sumerian-Acadian culture, the word "fortune" was depicted as a hieroglyph that looked like a bird, and fortune "management" was one of the functions of the supreme deity. One of the translations of the word "pteron" is not just a "wing", but also a "winged creature" (a bird, a griffi n, a sphinx). Polybius (201 - 122 B.C.) used "periptery" in the meaning of "surrounded by columns", but much later Plutarch (46 - 127 A.D.) named it "a side colonnade" and "a side building". Practically, the name of one of the temple elements was applied to the whole structure, which indicated a special role of this "side colonnade", as the main visual sign of the temple being attributed to the Supreme Deity. The classical form of the Periptery had two essential elements; they were the two sculptures of birds on top of the columns that surrounded it on three sides, and proto-ionic columns in front of the main Facade and in the cella (as in a temple in Neandria). Later, the main Facade evolved as a column portico with a pediment, and on each of its corner akroterion - a sphinx or a griffin - was placed, while the whole structure was crowned by an antefix formed as a palmette. This is our reconstruction of the evolution of this type of temple in the course of 600 years, from the 16th century B.C. through the 10th century B.C.
PERIPTERY: THE MEANING OF THE WORD
Churakov Sergey Konstantinovich (author)
2012
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
Unknown
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