> Glossary
A
abacus: rectangular plate with concave sides and chamfered corners, forming the uppermost member of the capital (over the echinus)
acanthus:
Stylized ornamental motif depicting a kind of plant with broad, jagged leaves, used both in capitals and reliefs. In Byzantine architecture it is found on Corinthian type capitals.
aisles or naves:
corridors formed inside a church between the colonnades of basilicas. Their number varies from three to nine, with the central one wider and taller.
altarscreen or templon: screen separating the altar area from the rest of the church. This can be of marble or wood, adorned with wall paintings and icons depicting Christ, the Virgin Mary, St. John the Baptist, the saint to whom the church is consecrated, the Apostles and other saints.
ambon (pulpit):
raised area from which the clergy reads the Scriptures and delivers sermons. Located in the central nave of churches, it originally occupied the centre of the church, though in some cases abutted the north or south colonnade. Called ambon from the ancient Greek “baino” (step), because it was mounted via one or two steps. Occasionally made of wood, ambons were more usually built of masonry with marble facings or constructed entirely of large pieces of marble. In rare cases, such as at Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, they were decorated with precious materials.
apocope:
the process of cutting off a part from the whole.
apse or conch:
Semicircular
structure
at the east end
of a basilica. Internally covered by a semidome,
while externally
with a tiered
roof; can be
horseshoe shaped,
rectangular or
polygonal.
architrave or epistyle:
architectural element positioned above the capitals of the arcades. Architraves can be linear, or in the form of an entablature that is placed on the capitals and connects columns and pilasters, or can be arched. The same term is also used to define the longitudinal beam of the upper part of the Byzantine templon.
astragal:
simple decorative relief surrounding Ionic capitals.
atrium:
quadrangular forecourt of basilicas, surrounded by porticos. Porticos had functional purposes: they served as a waiting place before entering the church for the celebration of the Divine Liturgy and provided shelter for the congregation. Generally, the atrium isolated the church from the surrounding space. It contained fountains for the symbolic cleansing of the hands and feet and for performing the service of Sanctification.
B
baptistry:
architectural structure for the Baptismal Rite, used until the introduction of infant baptsim in the 6th century. It could be part of a church or freestanding, in which case it was usually a centrally planned building with a cruciform font embedded in the floor. Its dome was often decorated with the scene of the Baptismal Rite.
barrel-vaulted building:
building roofed with semicircular vaults.
basilica:
type of large church, divided internally into three or more naves. The central nave was usually covered by a raised roof with windows that illuminated the space.
bell tower:
part of a church containing the bells. Usually a square tower near or abutting the front of the church, often rising above the narthex.
bema (chancel or sanctuary): eastern part of the church forming an apse. Usually elevated in relation to the floor of the nave by one to three steps. The term derives from the verb "βαίνω (go)" and is also known as the sanctuary.
brooch:
ornamented metal pin for holding hair, clothing, etc.
burial offerings or grave goods:
funeral goods, most commonly utensils, jewellery or other personal possessions, placed in the tomb along with the body.
buttress:
building elements abutting the outer wall of a building in order to strengthen or support it.
C
capital:
uppermost part of a column acting as support for the architrave, usually decorated. The three basic types of capitals are the Doric, the Ionic and the Corinthian. In Byzantine times they were adorned with carvings and used in churches, being mostly variations of the Corinthian type.
catechumen:
term used during the early Christian period to indicate a person not yet baptized. Catechumens were not allowed to attend the sacrament of the Eucharist; during the service they had to remain in the narthex, outside the main body of the church.
catholicon: the main church of a monastery. As a rule it was the most imposing one, located in the center of the courtyard
centrally planned building:
architectural form widely used during the early Christian period. Unlike the basilica, which is developed along the long axis, this type of building lends weight to the vertical axis, around which available space is organized. Depending on their form, these buildings can be circular, octagonal or hexagonal, with three or four apses.
ceramic glazing:
ceramic technique in which the vessel is covered by a material that lends it a smooth, glossy surface. The result is due to the lead oxides given off by the varnish applied to vessels before the final firing, at extremely high temperatures. Traditional glaze was applied over incised or painted decoration.
ceramoplastic decoration: ceramic and plinth decorative elements inlayed on the exterior surfaces of church walls (bricks, meanders, crosses, diamonds, jagged strips, etc.)
ceruse:
white powder used to make up a face.
chapel: small sized church, either independent, belonging to a religious foundation, or part of a larger church. In Byzantium chapels were often used for burials.
Chariot racing:
αγώνας δρόμου μεταξύ αρμάτων.
chartoularios:
administrative official of the Byzantine Empire, responsible for the Public Vestiarion, which included the offices of wardrobe, treasury and statistics.
Christological cycle:
scenes in the iconographic program of a church that depict the life of Christ, from the Annunciation to the Ascension.
Christ Pantocrator:
specific depiction of Christ sitting on a throne. The New Testament rests on his left leg, while his right hand is giving a ritual blessing.
chrysobull:
official public document or decree issued by the emperors of Byzantium, with an authenticating gold stamp on the silk band that accompanied it.
Church Fathers: a group of theologians and church authors that lived during the first five centuries of Christianity and exerted great influence. Among them are: Tertullian, Basil of Caesarea, Gregory of Nazianzus, John Chrysostom, etc.
ciborium or canopy:
vaulted, subterranean chamber, usually located in the eastern part of a church, beneath the altar. Crypts were burial places for priests or martyrs and were used for storing sacred relics.
cistern:
reservoir for collecting water. Usually rectangular in shape and roofed with arches.
cloisonne masonry: elaborate church masonry style, in which rectangular stones are framed by one or two plinths (bricks) laid horizontally and vertically in single or double rows within the mortar of joints.
colonnade:
sequence of columns placed in and around buildings.
column:
cylindrical, vertical support. Their use started in antiquity and was subsequently adopted by Byzantine churches. Columns from ancient temples were often incorporated into Christian churches. Byzantine examples are usually marble, monolithic and unfluted.
conch (Sanctuary niche): Niche in the eastern end of a basilica. Semicircular on the inside, with a horseshoe shaped, rectangular or polygonal exterior.
corinthian capital:
one of the three main types of capital, consisting of the basket, which has three bands of plant ornaments -two depicting acanthuses, below a third featuring pulvinuses (helixes)- overlaid by the abacus, a slab with concave sides.
cornice:
architectural feature separating the upper and lower sections of church walls, both inside and out. A thin, projecting band, usually semicircular in cross section.
crenellations:
the upper part of the walls of a fortress or tower, with gaps to view and fire through.
cross-in-square church:
type of church where the central dome is supported by four arches covering the extremities of an equilateral cross. Lateral compartments, covered with small domes or barrel vaults, are formed at the four corners of the cross and thus the church forms a cross inscribed in a square or rectangular area. Externally the sign of the cross is also prominent because of this unique way of covering the roof.
cross-shaped basilica:
type of basilica with a ground plan in the shape of a cross.
crypt:
vaulted, subterranean chamber, usually located in the eastern part of a church, beneath the altar. Crypts were burial places for priests or martyrs and were used for storing sacred relics.
cupboard:
cupboard or compartment for storing cloths, household goods and food.
D
Dark Ages:
period from 700 to about 900 AD.
defection:
the willful abandonment of allegiance in order to go over to the enemy side.
Deisis(Supplication):
Artistic rendition of Jesus flanked by the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist. Referred to as the Megali Deisis when Archangels, Apostles and Saints are also depicted.
demi or half column:
Architectural element of semicircular cross section, corresponding to half a vertical column. Demi or half columns were usually embedded into a wall or to other architectural elements, such as the two sides of a pillar, thus forming mullions.
desertion:
the abandonment of an army unit or the battlefield.
diaconicon or diakonicon: Chamber with a niche, usually opening off the south side of the church, where offerings from the faithful, sacred vessels and vestments were kept. In the late 6th century it was moved to the eastern part of the south aisle, next to the Sanctuary. Another similar room, called the prothesis, was constructed on the east side of the north nave. Sanctuary architecture as still seen today was established by the addition of these compartments.
dipyron (rusk):
bread baked twice.
Dodecaorton:
the twelve major celebrations in the Orthodox Church associated with the life of Christ and the Virgin Mary, represented by a corresponding number of painted scenes, which have become the core of the iconographic programme in a church. These are: the Annunciation, the Nativity, the Presentation, the Baptism, the Transfiguration, the Resurrection of Lazarus, the Entry into Jerusalem, the Last Supper, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, the Incredulity of Thomas, the Ascension and Pentecost or the Assumption of Mary.
dogma:
official teachings about faith, as stated by the Ecumenical Synods, the truth of which is considered to have absolute authority. All the basic beliefs of a religion.
dogtooth, dentil, saw-tooth or course:
ceramic decorative elements that can be oblong or meet along the crowning of the roof, like frames surrounding windows. Can be single or double.
dome:
hemispherical vault resting on a cylindrical or polygonal drum. Widely used in Christian church architecture.
domed basilica:
vaulted basilica with a dome covering the nave.
domed octagon:
single-nave church with square plan covered by a dome, which has octagonal support. A variant of this type is the cross-domed octagon found in mainland Greece. This is square or rectangular in plan and merges the dome of the octagonal church with the cross-vaulted extremeties of a cruciform church.
donator (ktetor):
person, usually a member of the aristocracy or official, who provided financial support for carrying out a project.
double light or biforate window:
window with two openings that form an arc at the top. The openings are usually separated by mullions.
drum:
hemispherical vault resting on a cylindrical or polygonal drum. Widely used in Christian church architecture.
drungarios:
military rank in the Byzantine army and fleet, equivalent to the chiliarch (commander of a thousand). From the 12th century onwards drungarioi also had judicial duties, judging civil cases.
dystocia:
difficulty in childbirth or labour.
E
echinus:
part of Doric and Ionic columns between the abacus and the shaft.
embryotomy:
medical procedure employed to dismember an embryo while still in the uterus.
Empire of Nicaea:
One of the successor states of the Byzantine Empire established by the Byzantine aristocracy following the fall of Constantinople to the Crusaders of the Fourth Crusade in April 1204. Founded by Theodore Lascaris, whose successors recaptured Constantinople in 1261.
entablature:
horizontal portion of a church above the colonnade, usually divided into the architrave, the frieze and the cornice.
exonarthex or outer narthex: external gallery in the western part of a church, between the narthex and the atrium.
F
fire-bearer:
person who carries, transmits or ignites fire.
fired brick:
Clay bricks fired in a kiln.
five-nave basilica:
basilica with five naves.
foot:
basic ancient unit of length, ranging between 0.2970 and 0.3083 metres.
footstool: Short stool placed in front of a seat, on which the feet rest. Originally an auxiliary object, part of the imperial throne, in later periods it became indicative of high rank, and one of the distinctive symbols of the Emperor.
fountain or phiale:
architectural structure usually attached to the east or west side of the atrium and enclosing a fountain. Sometimes built in the centre of the courtyard, covered by a roof supported by columns.
frieze:
architectural term used to describe the area of the church above the architrave. Friezes on ancient temples bore depictions of people, animals, or entire scenes from myths.
furnace:
term indicating either a hearth (oven) or more generally the place where the hearth was.
G
gallery or tribune:
upper story of a church above the side naves and the narthex.
groin vaults:
compound vaults in which barrel vaults intersect forming ridges called groins. Used for covering rectangular spaces.
H
handbook:
a small sized book summarizing the main concepts and knowledge of science or art. The Greek word egcheiridio can also mean a small knife.
hayat:
type of roofed, open wooden balcony with outdoor staircase, usually found in traditional houses.
hectare:
metric unit of area equal to 10,000 square metres.
I
intermezzo:
Short sketch, musical, or other entertainment introduced between the acts of a drama.
intrados or soffit:
the curved inner section of arches in a church, usually adorned with mosaics, murals or marble tiles.
ionic capital:
one of the three main types of capitals, consisting of the echinus, decorated with eggs and half-palmettes, volutes (spirals) at the corners and pulvinuses on the sides. Unlike the ancient Greek and Roman capital, in early Christian times the Ionic capital incorporated the impost.
K
kalderimi:
paved road,
usually narrow, made of irregular in shape and form stones or slabs.
kufic ornaments:
Decorative motifs, mimicking the first Arabic script to appear in the 7th century in Kufa, Mesopotamia. Usually employed on the external surfaces of churches, rendered in small immured clay tablets.
L
Late Byzantine Period:
the period from 1204, when Constantinople was conquered by the Franks, until 1453, the fall of the city to the Ottomans.
litany:
the procession
of icons or
relics
lite: Spacious narthex of monastic churches, where the Service of the Lite was celebrated
M
machicolations:
openings in walls or over fortified gates, through which hot oil or water was poured to repel attackers.
mandorla:
bright circular or oval shape surrounding certain depictions of Christ as a symbol of divine nature. It can also resemble a star or consist of double rhombuses. A double oval and diamond shaped mandorla denotes the presence of the Holy Trinity.
maphorion:
thin veil worn by women over their head and shoulders.
marble inlay:
mosaic consisting of small pieces of colored marble, mainly inlaid into floors or walls.
marble revetment:
facings of colored marble slabs that covered walls from the floor to the starting point of arches.
mausoleum:
funerary monument originally constructed in the centre of Halicarnassus by Artemisia II in the 4th century BC, in honor of her brother and husband Mausolus. The term is commonly used to indicate burial monuments.
medallion:
rounded piece of metal (coin) with incised or stamped decoration. Used to commemorate important events and honour persons for their services. In painting, the term is used to refer to a portrait of Christ or a saint within a circular disc.
mercenary:
paid warrior, usually in the army of a foreign country.
mihrab:
term from Islamic architecture referring to a semi circular niche in the wall of a mosque. It points in the direction of Mecca, towards which Muslims turn when praying.
moats: deep defensive ditches usually filled with water, surrounding castles, forts or cities.
Monophysitism:
christian denomination that only accepts the divine nature of Christ, not his human side. Prevalent in the early Christian era, especially in the Eastern provinces of the Byzantine Empire (Syria, Palestine, Egypt).
mosaic:
patterns or
images composed of small, colored tesserae. Mosaic
decoration can
be applied
to all the surfaces
of a building:
floor, walls or ceiling.
mullion:
Architectural feature commonly used for the separation of double or triple-light windows in churches. Mullions consist of two half-columns attached to the sides of a rectangular pier, projecting both inwards and outwards from the temple. They consist of a base, an unfluted shaft, a simplified capital and an impost.
multilobed or mullioned window:
a window with multiple openings that form an arch at the top.
N
naphtha:
volatile flammable liquid resulting from the distillation of crude oil, with a thermodynamic value between that of gasoline and kerosene.
narthex: oblong reception area extending along the western side of a basilica. Originally the east portico of the atrium, it was later incorporated into the church, and served as a waiting area for catechumens, who were not allowed to attend the Divine Liturgy.
Nativity of the Virgin Mary:
one of the feasts of the Virgin Mary, celebrated on September 8th.
nonfigurative decoration:
decoration without depictions or representations of persons, usually consisting of vegetal or geometric patterns. Such decorations are commonly found on early Christian floors, mosaics and tomb frescoes. Also found on various early Byzantine monuments; enjoyed a revival in momumental art during the iconoclast controversy.
notary:
political and ecclesiastical office of the Byzantine Empire corresponding to a clerk, stenographer, secretary or notary public.
O
opus sectile:
decoration technique for floors and walls that uses individually shaped large pieces of durable material, usually marble, glass or ivory, where each piece forms an element of a design or pattern.
ostracon:
term in archaeological jargon referring to a potsherd (from a vase or tile).
P
palaestra or arena:
wrestling ring.
Paleo-Christian (early Christian) era:
in Byzantine history, the period that typically starts in 330 AD, when Constantine the Great transferred the capital of the Roman Empire from Rome to his newly-founded city of Constantinople, and ends with the death of Justinian in 565.
Paleologan period:
The reign of the Palaeologus family, last dynasty of the Byzantine Empire. Its founder was Michael VIII Palaeologus, who was proclaimed emperor in 1261, after he recaptured Constantinople and overthrew the Latin Empire founded after the Fourth Crusade. The Palaeologan Dynasty ended on May 29, 1453, the day Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Empire. The last Byzantine emperor was Constantine XI Palaeologus.
panel or slab:
slabs, usually of marble and often decorated with reliefs. Used to divide the nave off from the sanctuary, as they were placed in between the mullions of the chancel screen. Wooden or marble slabs were incorporated into the lower portion of the templon and were richly decorated with reliefs mainly depicting geometric or floral motifs. Panels were also used to divide off aisles, and any other place to which access was limited.
pankration:
ancient Greek sport combining boxing and wrestling.
Parthenon:
temple dedicated to the goddess Athena, built on the Acropolis on the site of an earlier temple destroyed by the Persians during the Persian Wars. Construction began in 448 or 447 BC, and the inauguration was held during the Great Panathenaic festival of 438 BC. The temple was converted into a Christian church at end of the sixth century AD.
parturient:
about to give birth.
pastophoria:
the two rectangular or square chambers situated on either side of the apse in early
Christian
basilicas. Derived from the word pastas = “matrimonial bed”, referring to the mystical union of the faithful with Christ. The northern chamber is called the Prothesis and was used for the preparation of the Holy Gifts, while the Diakonicon on the south side was used as a sacristy.
pediment:
the uppermost triangular architectural structure on the long sides of an ancient temple, used in the facades of churches in Byzantine times. Pediments often have arched windows and surmount ciboria, fountains, porticos and porches.
peristyle:
Space surrounding the main body of a church or the core of a centrally-planned building. In domed basilicas this was formed by the side naves and the western part of the church. In later periods peristyles surrounded enclosed cruciform cores. In the Palaeologan period peristyles were built around many of the Middle Byzantine churches in Constantinople, often serving as funerary chapels.
piers or pillars:
supports of square or rectangular cross-section. They are usually freestanding (not attached to a wall), made of built masonry.
pilaster capital:
part of the colonnade connecting a column to the entablature. Decorated with western motifs, crosses or monograms.
pilgrimage shrine:
Sacred
place where
believers
pay respects.
Usually associated
with sites of great religious
significance (Holy Land,
Mount Athos,
etc.).
pin:
Women's
clothing
used
to hold
hair, fasten clothing, etc.
plaster:
Semi fluid material made of water,
cement
and
fine sand
mixed in specific
proportions,
which solidifies
and hardens
after
some time.
Depending on
its composition it
is used in
building construction
or for sealing
tanks and
plastering
walls, to make surfaces smooth
and impermeable.
porch:
portico formed at the front part of a building, consisting of a colonnade which supported the extension of the roof protecting the entrance.
portal:
large exterior gate used as the main entrance to mansions, palaces, monasteries, etc.
postern:
small gate
pothouse: tavern serving mainly house wine and snacks.
precinct:
spacious courtyard enclosing a basilica complex, isolating it from the outside world.
Pre-iconoclastic period:
period between the end of the Justinian era (565) and the beginning of the iconoclast controversy (726).
pronoiarios: the head of a military group whose strength was proportional to the area granted to him by the empire.
propylon:
the monumental entrance to sacred enclosures or imperial palaces.
prothesis: chamber to the north of the Bema which holds the Holy Gifts before the Great Entrance, and the Communion after Divine Liturgy.
protospatharios: head of a military unit based at the imperial palace. In later periods the title became an honour awarded to generals, and was finally abolished by Alexius Comnenus.
prow:
stem.
psimythia: Ornaments and other cosmetics.
R
ramming:
piercing enemy vessels by means of a metal projection on the bow of a warship.
recessed brick technique:
building technique in which the surface of the wall consists entirely of horizontal layers of bricks. Every other layer is laid two or three centimeters further back, and is then covered with mortar to produce a bicolour effect (red brick layers alternating with white bands of mortar).
robe: large single piece of cloth, loosely worn and fastened with a brooch (pin), usually on the shoulder.
S
sacristy: Chamber or storage container where sacred utensils, icons, books, furniture, vestments and manuscripts were kept. Special care was taken to guard sacristies against thieves and fire, and as a consequence they were often located either above the narthex or the lites of the catholicon.
sapper:
person who digs tunnels to lay explosives.
savoury:
herb, the leaves and shoots of which were used to flavour food.
scale armour:
armour consisting of small metal plates placed close to each other so as to form a single body, resembling the skin of a reptile.
schinos: gum or mastic tree
scholar: Person of significant learning and intellectual achievement, particularly in the field of the humanities. The term is used mainly to describe such people from the Renaissance to the 19th century.
scroll:
elongated piece of parchment wrapped around a wooden shaft and used for writing religious texts. In many cases both sides of the parchment were used.
secular:
someone relating to the physical, not the spiritual or ecclesiastic world.
semi-complex-cross-in-square church:
One of the four variants of the cross-in-square church. In this type, part of the rectangular area of the sanctuary penetrates the central square and is inscribed within it, losing its architectural independence, since the two areas are not clearly separated.
semi-complex-cross-in-square church: Type of church where the central dome is supported by four arches covering the extremities of an equilateral cross. Lateral compartments, covered with small domes or barrel vaults, are formed at the four corners of the cross and thus the church forms a cross inscribed in a square or rectangular area. Externally the sign of the cross is also prominent because of this unique way of covering the roof.
semi-domes:
domes consisting of one quarter of a sphere used for covering the Bema niche.
Seraph:
order of celestial beings which, according Hebrew and Christian tradition, fly around the Throne of God. According to the prophet Isaiah they have six wings, and are thus also known in Greek as Hexapteryga.
silk: Fine continuous fibre produced by silkworms, usually for cocoons. Also the fabric or garment made from this material. According to tradition, silk was introduced to the West from China in the 6th century, by two monks who hid silkworm eggs in their canes.
single-lobed or single-light window:
window with a single opening that forms an arc at the top.
skyphos:
deep cup, mainly for drinking.
spolia:
architectural materials from earlier monuments that are reused as building materials in a later period.
squinch:
small arch or half-domed niche introduced into Byzantine architecture during the Middle Byzantine period. It is set in the corners of a square area, transforming it into an octagonal capable of supporting a large dome.
stavropegic monastery:
Monastery that is a direct dependency of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.
stylites or pillar saints:
ascetic hermits or monks who lived on pillars. A typical example is that of the monk Simeon Stylites, who lived on a column at Telanisso, Syria. To honour him, a magnificent cruciform basilica was later built round this pillar.
synthronon:
semicircular stone or marble tiered structure of benches within the apse of early Christian churches, serving as a seat for the clergy. The episcopal throne was placed at the center.
syrinx or panpipes:
wind instrument consisting of reed pipes (tubes) of graduated lengths joined together in a row.
T
tetraconchs:
buildings with four apses, one in each side
The Annunciation of the Virgin Mary:
one of the major celebrations in the Virgin Mary feast cycle. Celebrated on March 5, it refers to the announcement brought by the angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary that the Son of God would be incarnated through her.
The Eucharist of the Apostles:
iconographic depiction of the Last Supper. Often used from the middle Byzantine period onwards, usually to decorate the conch, by association with Holy Communion. It depicts Christ offering bread and wine to the Apostles.
theodosian composite capital:
variation on the simple Corinthian capital, in which the band of volutes is replaced by an Ionic capital, with an astragal added to the base of the basket. Characterized by the jagged contour of the acanthus and deep carving, the technique creates deep shadows. It was named after the period of maximum usage, roughly coinciding with the Reign of Theodosius II in the first half of the 5th century (408-450).
Theotokos depictions:
depictions deriving their subject matter from the life of the Virgin Mary, Mother of God.
The Passion Cycle:
Group of works depicting the Passion of Christ in chronological order: the Last Supper, the Washing of his Feet, the Agony in the Garden, the Betrayal, the Flagellation, the Road to Calvary, the Crucifixion, the Deposition, the Lamentation, the Entombment, the Harrowing of Hell, the Appearance to the Apostles, the Doubting of Thomas.
The Presentation of the Virgin Mary:
one of the most important celebrations in the Virgin Mary cycle, referring to the entry of the Virgin into the Temple, where she was dedicated at the age of 3.
thermae or baths:
public or private baths that first appeared during the Roman period, later adopted by the Byzantines
three nave basilica:
a basilica with three naves.
timber-roofed basilica:
basilicas whose central nave was covered with timber saddleback roofs, with lean-to roofs on side naves. Internally they were divided into three, five, seven or rarely nine aisles. Also known as "Hellenistic style" basilicas, since they were mainly found in the Greco-Roman world.
transept: aisle built perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of a church; an elongated transverse space formed between the nave and the eastern wall of the temple, in front of the apse.
transverse-vault church:
religious architectural style which appears in the 13th century, mainly in southern Greece. Churches are mostly small vaulted temples (with one or three naves), whose longitudinal arch is interrupted by a second, transverse arch positioned higher so that the sign of the cross is clearly formed by the roof.
triconch:
building with three apses.
tridinium or triklinos:
reception or banquet area.
triple-light window:
window with three openings that form an arc at the top.
turmarch:
military commander of the turma, a unit in the Byzantine army. Turmas were first established during the 7th century and were related to the development of the Themata administrative system. Originally the strength of a turma was 3000 men, but in later periods it became an administrative unit, a subdivision of the Thema.
two-storey colonnade:
colonnade with two storeys, the upper consisting of a row of smaller and lighter columns placed on the architrave of the lower colonnade.
Typikon (Missal):
Liturgical book containing instructions and decrees on the order of divine services for each day of the year.
U
unction:
yellow or brown fragrant resin obtained from various plants and trees and used in perfumery.
V
velum:
curtain placed between the columns of the entrance leading from the narthex to the nave of a basilica. Veils were also used to cover the four sides of the altar ciborium.
vestiary: a room in theatres where clothing and hats are kept.
votive representations: painted or mosaic representations in the main area of the church, depicting prominent persons, alone or with an escort. They are usually donators, emperors, officials or members of the clergy. The representations are believed to replicate the actual facial features of those depicted.