9781422286845

Words to Understand

abstract —in abstract art, artists create images of ideas instead of reflections of objects or people that exist in the real world. adobe —building material made of sun-dried mud and straw. aqueducts —pipes for carrying water. arch —a curved structure that spans an opening in a building and serves as support. arsenal —a building where weapons and military equipment are stored. baroque —a highly ornamental style of European architecture and art that lasted from the mid-16th century to the early 18th century. cast iron —iron that is shaped by casting, rather than hammering, often used for decorative fences and window bars . cathedrals —a large church that is a bishop’s official seat. civic —having to do with the affairs of society. complex —a group of buildings that all serve the same purpose. conquest —the act or processing of conquering. corbel vault— a type of arch constructed by extending successive courses of stone from both sides of an opening in a wall, so that the stone courses meet at the center. grid —a network of squares formed by horizontal and vertical lines. medieval —the period of European history from about A . D . 500 to about 1500. mosaics —wall or floor decorations made by inlaying small pieces of colored materials to form pictures or patterns. muralist —a person who paints a large work of art on a wall. neoclassical— in architecture, an 18th- and 19th-century revival of the simple, symmetrical building styles of ancient Greece and Rome. parapets —low walls or railings. plaza —an open public square in a city or town. pre-Hispanic —The period before the Spaniards arrived in Mexico.