GEOGRAPHY

Geographic Features

1.Sea:  heavy influence on physical environment of Greece  (Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea)

2.Mountains (with narrow valleys):  cover more than ¾ of Greece’s surface area and islands: more than 2000 islands (Crete being the largest)

3.No major rivers on Greek mainland but fertile soil 

4.Climate:It was moderate neither too cold nor too hot, that favoured outdoor life.

Building MATERIAL

The mainland and island of greek are rocky with deeply indented coastline , and rugged mountain ranges with substantial forest. The most freely available building material is stone. Limestone was readily available and easily worked . There is a abundance of high quality white marble . High quality potter’s clay were found throughout greeke. The greek atteched so much linking to this marble that they even covered stone and sun dried brick with marble “stucco” -a powdered marble dust to receive colour decoration

Greek Architecture It is a columnar & trabeated style. Spans were limited. Stones were beautified with marble stucco. Sloping roofs were covered with terra-cotta

or marble titles. The doorways were rectangular and square

shape & windows were rarely used. Arches,Domes,Vault were not used by

greeks. They minimized the joints by using large

size stones & no mortar was used. Greek arch. Was called as “Carpentry of

Marble”

Orders Of Architecture

The Greeks developed three architectural systems, called orders, each with their own distinctive proportions and detailing. The Greek orders are: Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian.

Doric                    

                                   

The Doric style is rather sturdy

and its top (the capital), is plain. This style was

used in mainland Greece and the

colonies in southern Italy

and Sicily.

Ionic

                                           

              The Ionic style is

thinner and more elegant. Its

capital is decorated with a scroll-like design (a volute). This style was found

in eastern Greece and the

islands.

Corinthian

                                       

               The Corinthian style is seldom

used in the Greek world, but

often seen on Roman temples. Its capital is very

elaborate and decorated with

acanthus leaves.

Types Of Buildings

Temples

They were to worship the deites to whom the temple was dedicated.

The temples were oriented face east. It was usually surrounded by open

colonnades Windows were rare. Timber roofs were most common & were

covered with terra-cotta or marble titles. The front consist of closely spaced

columns supporting a triangular shaped pediment.

Temple Of Parthenon Athens447-432 B.C

It is entirely built on the high ground of Acropolis.

Constructed by Ictinus Callicrates.

Built on a rect. Plan 71m long and 32m wide.

It is designed in octastyle i.e eight column in front & back that lean forward.

All the column are of Doric Order.

The temple is faced east so that the first rays of the rising sun falls on the statue of Athena.

Theatres They were open air structure containing

orchestra, auditorium & skene. They were constructed from slope of hill side near

city. Orchestra was a circular in plan & was slightly

raised. It was divided into wedge shaped cunei by

radiating flight of steps to allow the spectators to reach to their seats from the ground level.

The no. of cunei was inc. due to large radius.

Stadium All the greek games were celebrated here. It had a length of 183m with hemi-

spherical ends. Zeus started the games at Olympia by

wrestling with his father for kingship over the god.

The Olympic games were conducted for five days.

Event like horse-race, charoit-race, long-jumping, javelin throw and many more.

Winners were held in high esteem & greeted with glorious reception in their home state

Agora It was city-square or an open air market

place. It was also used for festivals, exhibitions &

as an open air meeting place. Surrounding it were civic halls, council

halls & stoas.