Ancient Greek architecture are distinguishable by their highly formalized traits both in terms of their structure and how they are decorated. Ancient Greek architects endeavored for both meticulousness and merit of workmanship. The architectural formulas of the ancient Greek civilization, even though invented several years ago (as early as the sixth century), still bear significant influence on modern day western architectural designs. This serves to highlight the significance of the ancient Greek architecture. One such ancient Greek architecture that has found its way to the present day is The Marble column from the Temple of Artemis at Sardis. Found in the Metropolitan Museum of Arts, New York, this stone sculpture stands at a height of 361 cm. This art of architecture dates back to the Hellenistic period (ca. 300 B.C.) (“Marble column from the Temple of Artemis at Sardis,” n.d). Below is a pictorial illustration of The Marble column from the Temple of Artemis at Sardis acquired from the archives at The Metropolitan Museum of Arts, New York.
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/252453?searchField=All&sortBy=relevance&where=Greece&ft=marble+column+from+the+temple+of+artemis&offset=0&rpp=20&pos=1
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According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, this sculpture is representative of a segment of a corrugated Ionic column at the center of a room. Additionally, according to the Metropolitan Museum of Arts, the architectural design stood at estimated over 58 feet in height in its original location: the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, Ancient Greece (“Marble column from the Temple of Artemis at Sardis,” n.d). As portrayed in the picture above, the architectural design has a foliate engraving at its capital. The Marble column from the Temple of Artemis at Sardis also has a foliated base that is also decorated in scale-like patterns. Additional sets of columns area also seen standing elaborately in the west and east porches of the building. There is an actual possibility that the marble column shown at the center of the building was originally part of either one of the two sets of pillars standing by tis side. On the other hand, the marble column could have also been a section of a column from an inner room or alternatively, from a pillar from the inner back portal (“Marble column from the Temple of Artemis at Sardis,” n.d).
As stated before, The Marble column from the Temple of Artemis at Sardis belong to the Ionic order of architecture. In this order of architecture, columns have bases which offer them both support and stability as seen in the picture above. The bases also possess more vertical indentations as compared to the Doric order of architecture. Similarly, the sculpture possesses two coils positioned on the top of a strap of what seem like palm-leaf decorations (Hemmingway, 2000). The abacus of the architectural is narrow, and this is typical of all other architectural designs belonging to the Ionic order of architecture. Additionally, the entablature of the model above comprises of three horizontal bands. Finally and most important is the fact that the model above has a frieze, a significant characteristic of Ionic order of architectures (Hemmingway, 2000). Advancing the arguments above, Hemmingway stated that the Ionic order of architecture, The Marble column from the Temple of Artemis at Sardis was more common among the ancient Greeks from Asia Minor and those inhabiting the Greek islands.
Finally, it is evident from the picture above that the ancient Greek architectural order was not only governed by the column alone, but also with the correlation among all the pieces that constitute to an architectural design. From the model above, it is possible to conclude that every single piece of the ancient Greek building was integral to the overall structure of the building. These two different aspects of the ancient Greek architecture are relevant to the current cultural patterns. Azad, Barua and Sultana (2014) pointed to the close resemblance between downtown structures of nearly all major cities in the United States, or some major European cities and the ancient Greek architecture. The trio argued that most of these structures in the same design as those of ancient Greek structures. As further proof, the trio also cited the fact that many modern structures possess colonnades (row of columns supporting an entablature and in most occasions, also a roof). They stated that in ancient Greece, long colonnades (stoae) were utilized as gathering spaces. The impact of the ancient Greek architecture had on neoclassical architecture is another proof of the significance of Greece to the contemporary cultural patterns. Barbara Barletta (2011) also highlighted the similarities between Beaux-Arts, Greek Revival, and Federal Style architectures and the ancient Greek architecture as further attestation of how much influence Greece has had on architecture seen in many present day and 18-19 th century architectural designs in the United States.
Conclusion
Ancient Greek architectural designs are easily distinguishable from any other form of architecture that existed after it. The uniqueness and appeal of the ancient Greek architecture has not gone unnoticed. Many 18 th to 19 th century architecture directly took after or were modifications of the ancient Greek architecture. Even today, the role that the ancient Greek architecture plays in modern structural designs cannot be underestimated. There are several structures along major streets in the United States and whose structural designs are borrowed in one way or another from ancient Greek architecture.
References
Azad, M.M., Barua, A., & Sultana, S. (2014). A review of analysis of ancient Greek architecture. Civil and Environmental Research, 6 (11), 95-102. Retrieved November 8, 2018 from https://www.iiste.org/Journals/index.php/CER/article/viewFile/17078/17440
Barletta, B.A. (2011). Greek architecture. American Journal of Archaeology, 115 (2011), 611-640. Retrieved November 8, 2018 from https://www.ajaonline.org/sites/default/files/AJA1154_Barletta.pdf
Hemingway, C. (2000). Architecture in ancient Greece. The Metropolitan Museum of Arts. Retrieved November 8, 2018 from https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/grarc/hd_grarc.htm
Marble column from the Temple of Artemis at Sardis. (n.d). The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved November 8, 2018 from https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/252453?searchField=All&sortBy=relevance&where=Greece&ft=marble+column+from+the+temple+of+artemis&offset=0&rpp=20&pos=1
