Humanistic Tradition Glossary Humanities

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Animism

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the belief that the forces of nature are inhabitied by spirits

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culture

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the sum total of traditions techniques material goods and symbol systems that people have transmitted invented or developed

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cuneiform

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one of humankinds earliedt systems of writing consisting of wedge shaped marks impressed into clay by means of a red stylus

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dolmen

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a stone tomb formed from two posts capped by a lintel

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hieroglyph

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the pictographic script of ancient egypt

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hominid

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any of a family of bipedal primate mammals including modern humans and their ancestors the earliest of which is austolopithecus

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ideogram

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a sign that represents and idea or thing

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lost wax

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a method of metal casting in which a figure is modeled in wax then enclosed in a clay mold that is fired the wax melts and molten metal is oured in to replace it finally the clay mold is removed and the solid metal form is polished

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megalith

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a large, roughly shaped stoned often used in ancient arhitectural construction

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phonogram

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a sign that represents a sound

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pictograph

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a pictorial symbol used in humankinds earliest systems of writing

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polychrome

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having many or various colors

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post and lintel

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the simplest form f architectural construction consisting of vertical members (posts) and horizontals (lintels)

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prehistory

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the study of history before written records

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stele

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an upright slab or pillar

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canon

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a set of rules or standards used to establish proportions

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cosmology

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the theory of the origina evolution and structure of the universe

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dynasty

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a sequence of rulers from the same family

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fresco

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a method of painting on walls or ceilings surfaced with fresh moist lime plaster

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hypostyle

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a hall whose roof is supported by columns

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lyric

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verse that is meant to be sung rather than spoken

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mastaba

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early rectangular egyptian tomb with sloping sides and a flat roof

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module

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a unit of measurement used to determine proportion

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monarch

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a single or sole ruler

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obelisk

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a tall four sided pillar that tapers to a pyramidal apex

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papyrus

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a reed like plant from which the ancient egyptians made paper

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polytheism

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the belief in many gods

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pylon

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a massive gateway in the form of a pair of truncated pyramids

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pyramid

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a four sided structure rising to a peak

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relief

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a sculptural technique in which figures or forms are carved either to project from the background surface or cut away below the background level

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simile

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a figure of speech in which two unlike things are compared

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theocracy

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rule by god or gods representative

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antiphonal

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a type of music in which two or more groups of voices or instruments alternate with one another

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cantor

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the chief singer of the liturgy

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convenant

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contract-the bond between the hebrew people and their god

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empire

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a state achieved militarily by the unification of territories under a single sovereign power

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epic

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a long narrative poem that recounts the deeds of a legendary or historical hero in his quest for meaning and identity

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liturgy

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the rituals for public worship

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menorah

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a seven branched candelabrum

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monotheism

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the belief in only one god

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responsory

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a type of music in which a single voice answers another voice or chorus

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shofar

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a trumpet made of a rams horn used to summon jews to prayer

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synagogue

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the jewish house for worship and religious study

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torah

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the first five books of the hebrew bible

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ziggurat

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a terraced tower of rubble and brick that served ancient mesopotamians as a temple shrine

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allegory

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a literary device in which objects persons or actions are equated with secondary figurative meanings that underlie their literal meaning

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amphora

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a two handled vessel used for oil and wine

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antaonist

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the character that directly opposes the protagonist in drama or fiction

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catalog

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a list of people things or attributes characteristic of homeric and biblical literature

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democracy

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a government in which supreme power is vested in the people

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dialectal method

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a question and answer stlye type inquiry made famous by socrates

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empirical method

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a method of inquiry dependent on direct experience or observation

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epithet

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a compound adjective used to identify a person or thing

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hubris

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excessive pride or arrogance

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idealism

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theory that holds that the things in the material world are manifestations of an independent realm of unchnging immaterial ideas of forms

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oligarchy

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a government which the power lies in the hands of an elite minority

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protagonist

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the leading character in a play or story

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syllogism

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a deductive scheme of formal argument consisting of two premises from which a conclusion may be drawn

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aulos

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a wind instrument used in ancient greece

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contrapposto

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a position assumed by the human body in which one part is turned in opposition to another part

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frieze

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sculptured or ornamented band

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gable

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the triangular section of a wall at the end of a pitched roof

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hymn

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a lyric offering divine praise or glorification

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kithara

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a large version of the lyre with 7 to eleven strings

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kouros

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youthful make figure usually depicited nude in ancient greek culture

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krater

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a vessel used for mixing wine and water

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lyre

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any one of a group of plucked stringed instruments

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metope

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the square panel between the beam ends under the roof of a structue

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mode

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a type of musical scale characterized by a fixed pattern of pitch and tempo within the octave

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monophony

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a musical texture consisting of a single unaccompanied line of melody

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nike

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the greek goddess of victory

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octave

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the series of eight tones forming any major or minor scale

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ode

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a lyric poem expressing exalted emotion in honor of a person or special occassion

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order

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the parts of a building that stand in fixed constant relation to eachother: Doric, ionic, corintheian

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pediment

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triangular space forming the gable of a two pitched roof in classical archectecture

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portico

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porch with a roof supported by columns

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scale

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a series of tones arranged in ascending or descending consecutive order

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tholos

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circular structure