Origins of classical architecture : temples, orders and gifts to the gods in ancient Greece

<p>Includes bibliographical references (pages 258-293) and index.</p>

Greek temples captivate anyone with an interest in antiquity, while the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian columnar orders that clad them launched the classical architectural tradition down to modern times. Origins of Classical Architecture proposes ground-breaking new theories in both areas as it elucidates the nature and funtion of Greek architecture. While contextualizing past debate and prevailing evolutionary assumptions, Mark Wilson Jones explains how the orders emerged over a relatively short period in response to cultural developments, foreign connections and artistic inspiritation. Temples were houses for the gods while also considered as offerings to them, and thus were fashioned appropriately from enduring materials and grandly scaled. These structures, furthermore, sheltered votive offerings of compelling quality, the design of which influenced the creation of the new architectural forms. Temples and their orders thereby symbolized the dedication of effort and artistry to the cause of religious expression and collective identity. These and other themes dear to the Greeks laid the visual and conceptual foundations for the architecture of the western world.