Byzantine architecture

High school (ages 12+)
Art & Creativity

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/byzantine-architecture

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the period of flourishing?Roughly from the 4th century CE to the 15th century CE
2. What is the dominant decorative medium?Luminous mosaics made from glass, enamel, and gold tesserae
3. How do Byzantine buildings have such big domes?Architects used clever tricks called pendentives and squinches to put a large round dome over a square room. This made the dome look like it was floating and gave the building a huge, open space inside.
4. Why are the inside walls of Byzantine buildings so shiny?Inside, they painted thousands of tiny glass and metal pieces called mosaics. These pieces catch the light and sparkle, making the rooms feel bright and holy.

Pendentives: Spherical triangular architectural elements that transition from a square base to a circular dome.
Squinches: Architectural elements, often arches or lintels, used to bridge the gap between a square base and a dome.
Tesserae: Small pieces of colored glass, stone, or ceramic used to create mosaics.
Iconography: The visual images and symbols used in a work of art, especially in religious contexts.