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An illustration of Caesar. A politician of the populares tradition, he formed an unofficial triumvirate with Marcus Licinius Crassus and Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus which dominated Roman politics for several years, opposed in the Roman Senate by optimates like Marcus Porcius Cato and Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus. His conquest of Gaul extended the Roman world to the Atlantic Ocean, and he also conducted the first Roman invasion of Britain in 55 BC. The collapse of the triumvirate, however, led to a standoff with Pompeii and the Senate. Leading his legions across the Rubicon, Caesar began a civil war in 49 BC from which he became the undisputed master of the Roman world.

Julius Caesar (profile)

An illustration of Caesar. A politician of the populares tradition, he formed an unofficial triumvirate…

An illustration of a man and woman standing in typical Roman clothing. Clothing in ancient Rome generally consisted of the toga, the stola, brooches for these, and breeches. The toga, a distinctive garment of Ancient Rome, was a sash of perhaps twenty feet (6 meters) in length which was wrapped around the body and was generally worn over a tunic. The stola was the traditional garment of Roman women, corresponding to the toga that was worn by men. In ancient Rome, it was considered disgraceful for a woman to wear a toga; wearing the male garment was associated with prostitution. The stola was a long, pleated dress, worn over a tunic. A brooch (also known in ancient times as a fibula) is a decorative jewelry item designed to be attached to garments. It is usually made of metal, often silver or gold but sometimes bronze or some other material.

Man and Woman in Roman Clothing

An illustration of a man and woman standing in typical Roman clothing. Clothing in ancient Rome generally…

An illustration of a Norse Galley. Norse is an adjective relating things to Norway, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland and Sweden. A galley is an ancient ship which can be propelled entirely by human oarsmen, used for warfare and trade. Oars are known from at least the time of the Egyptian Old Kingdom. Many galleys had masts and sails for use when the winds were favorable.

Norse Galley

An illustration of a Norse Galley. Norse is an adjective relating things to Norway, Denmark, Faroe Islands,…

Isabella I (April 22, 1451 – November 26, 1504) was Queen of Castile and León. She and her husband, Ferdinand II of Aragon, laid the foundation for the political unification of Spain under their grandson, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.

Isabella of Castille

Isabella I (April 22, 1451 – November 26, 1504) was Queen of Castile and León. She and…

Frederick II (January 24, 1712 – August 17, 1786) was a King of Prussia (1740–1786) from the Hohenzollern dynasty. In his role as a prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire, he was Frederick IV of Brandenburg. He became known as Frederick the Great and was nicknamed "Old Fritz".

Frederick II of Prussia

Frederick II (January 24, 1712 – August 17, 1786) was a King of Prussia (1740–1786) from…

Lesbia was the pseudonym of the lover to whom the Roman poet Gaius Valerius Catullus (84-54BC) dedicates a number of poems.

Lesbia

Lesbia was the pseudonym of the lover to whom the Roman poet Gaius Valerius Catullus (84-54BC) dedicates…

A sandal worn in Ancient Greece.

Greek Sandal

A sandal worn in Ancient Greece.

A sandal worn in Ancient Greece.

Greek Sandal

A sandal worn in Ancient Greece.

A sandal worn in Ancient Greece.

Greek Sandal

A sandal worn in Ancient Greece.

A sandal worn in Ancient Greece.

Greek Sandal

A sandal worn in Ancient Greece.

A sandal worn in Ancient Rome. This sandal is different from Greek sandals because it has a vamp, or upper support.

Roman Sandal

A sandal worn in Ancient Rome. This sandal is different from Greek sandals because it has a vamp, or…

The Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus), is a bird in the pheasant family (Phasianidae). It is native to Asia but has been widely introduced elsewhere as a game bird. In parts of its range, namely in places where none of its relatives occur such as in Europe (where it is naturalized), it is simply known as "the pheasant". It is a well-known gamebird, among those of more than regional importance perhaps the most widespread and ancient one in the whole world.

Common Pheasant

The Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus), is a bird in the pheasant family (Phasianidae). It is native…

A suspension bridge is a type of bridge where the main load-bearing elements are hung from suspension cables. While modern suspension bridges with level decks date from the early 19th century, earlier types are reported from the 3rd century BC. Simple suspension bridges, for use by pedestrians and livestock, are still constructed, based upon the ancient Inca rope bridge.

Suspension Bridge

A suspension bridge is a type of bridge where the main load-bearing elements are hung from suspension…

John Cardinal McCloskey, (March 10, 1810 - October 10, 1885) was an American cardinal, the fifth bishop (second archbishop) of the Roman Catholic diocese of New York.

Cardinal McCloskey

John Cardinal McCloskey, (March 10, 1810 - October 10, 1885) was an American cardinal, the fifth bishop…

An illustration of a cocoanut palm's spadix. In botany, a spadix (pl. spadices) is a type of spike: an inflorescence with small flowers crowded on a thickened, fleshy axis. The term is applied to certain monocotyledons, especially members of the Family Araceae called arums or aroids. In these flower heads there is typically also a spathe (from Ancient Greek spathe "broad blade") present: a large, usually showy and solitary, bract that either subtends (lies just below) or partially encloses the spadix. The "flower" of the anthurium is a typical spadix with a large colorful spathe.

Cocoanut Palm Spadix

An illustration of a cocoanut palm's spadix. In botany, a spadix (pl. spadices) is a type of spike:…

One of the most important remains from the Viking age was found at the grave site Gokstadhaugen in Sandefjord. The Gokstad ship was found in 1880, and is now in the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo. A replica of Gokstad ship, called Gaia currently has Sandefjord as home port.

Norse Boat Unearthed at Sandefjord

One of the most important remains from the Viking age was found at the grave site Gokstadhaugen in Sandefjord.…

The scamillus is the piece of stone sitting directly underneath a column.

Scamillus

The scamillus is the piece of stone sitting directly underneath a column.

In architecture a corbel (or console) is a piece of stone jutting out of a wall to carry any superincumbent weight. A piece of timber projecting in the same way was called a "tassel" or a "bragger". The technique of corbelling, where rows of corbels deeply keyed inside a wall support a projecting wall or parapet, has been used since Neolithic times. It is common in Medieval architecture and in the Scottish baronial style as well as in the Classical architectural vocabulary, such as the modillions of a Corinthian cornice and in ancient Chinese architecture.

Corbel

In architecture a corbel (or console) is a piece of stone jutting out of a wall to carry any superincumbent…

An illustration of an Agathis branch. The genus Agathis, commonly known as kauri or dammar, is a relatively small genus of 21 species of evergreen trees in the very ancient Araucariaceae family of conifers. While initially widespread during the Jurassic period they are now found only in small areas of the southern hemisphere. The trees have characteristically very large trunks and little or no branching for some way up. Young trees are normally conical in shape, only upon maturity does the crown become more rounded or irregularly shaped.

Agathis Branch

An illustration of an Agathis branch. The genus Agathis, commonly known as kauri or dammar, is a relatively…

Willian de Wessyngton was a forebear of George Washington, the first President of the United States. Though it was not from Washington, Sunderland, that George Washington's great-grandfather John Washington left for Virginia, but from Essex, Washington Old Hall was the family home of George Washington's ancestors, and the present structure does incorporate small parts of the medieval home in which they lived.

Washington Old Hall

Willian de Wessyngton was a forebear of George Washington, the first President of the United States.…

The American Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja) is a neotropical eagle, often simply called the Harpy Eagle. It is the only member of the genus Harpia. It is the largest and most powerful raptor found in the Americas, usually inhabiting tropical lowland rainforests in the upper (emergent) canopy layer. Its name references the harpies from Ancient Greek mythology. These were wind spirits that took the dead to Hades, and were said to have a body like an eagle and the face of a human.

American Harpy Eagle

The American Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja) is a neotropical eagle, often simply called the Harpy Eagle.…

A sarcophagus is a funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved or cut from stone. The word "sarcophagus" comes from the Greek meaning "to eat", hence sarkophagus means "flesh-eating"; from the phrase lithos sarkophagos the word came to refer to the limestone that was thought to decompose the flesh of corpses interred within it.

Ancient Egyptian Sarcophagus

A sarcophagus is a funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved or cut from stone. The word…

Luxor Temple is a large Ancient Egyptian temple complex located on the east bank of the River Nile in the city today known as Luxor (ancient Thebes) and was founded in 1400 BC. Known in the Egyptian language as ipet resyt, or "the southern harem", the temple was dedicated to the Theban Triad of Amun, Mut, and Chons and was built during the New Kingdom, the focus of the annual Opet Festival, in which a cult statue of Amun was paraded down the Nile from nearby Karnak Temple (ipet-isut) to stay there for a while, with his consort Mut, in a celebration of fertility, hence its name.

Luxor Temple

Luxor Temple is a large Ancient Egyptian temple complex located on the east bank of the River Nile in…

An illustration of a column with a craving of Hathor. In Egyptian mythology, Hathor (Pronounced Hah-Thor) (Egyptian for house of Horus) was originally a personification of the Milky Way, which was seen as the milk that flowed from the udders of a heavenly cow. Hathor was an ancient goddess, and was worshipped as a cow-deity from at least 2700 BC.

Hathor's Column

An illustration of a column with a craving of Hathor. In Egyptian mythology, Hathor (Pronounced Hah-Thor)…

At Fraunces Tavern on December 4, Washington formally bade his officers farewell and on December 23, 1783, he resigned his commission as commander-in-chief, emulating the Roman general Cincinnatus, an exemplar of the republican ideal of citizen leadership who rejected power. During this period, the United States was governed under the Articles of Confederation without a President, the forerunner to the Constitution.

Washington Resigning His Commission

At Fraunces Tavern on December 4, Washington formally bade his officers farewell and on December 23,…

Luxor Temple is a large Ancient Egyptian temple complex located on the east bank of the River Nile in the city today known as Luxor (ancient Thebes) and was founded in 1400 BC. Known in the Egyptian language as ipet resyt, or "the southern harem", the temple was dedicated to the Theban Triad of Amun, Mut, and Chons and was built during the New Kingdom, the focus of the annual Opet Festival, in which a cult statue of Amun was paraded down the Nile from nearby Karnak Temple (ipet-isut) to stay there for a while, with his consort Mut, in a celebration of fertility – whence its name.

Luxor Temple

Luxor Temple is a large Ancient Egyptian temple complex located on the east bank of the River Nile in…

An entablature refers to the superstructure of moldings and bands which lie horizontally above columns, resting on their capitals. Entablatures are major elements of classical architecture, and are commonly divided into the architrave—the supporting member carried from column to column, pier or wall immediately above; the frieze—an unmolded strip that may or may not be ornamented; and the cornice, the projecting member below the pediment. The structure of the entablature varies with the three classical orders: Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. In each, the proportions of the subdivisions (architrave, frieze, cornice) are defined by the proportions of the column in the order. In Roman and Renaissance interpretations, it is usually around a fourth of the height of the column. Variants of entablature that do not fit these models are usually derived from them.

Entablanture

An entablature refers to the superstructure of moldings and bands which lie horizontally above columns,…

The so-called Common Fig (F. carica) is a temperate species from the Middle East and eastern Europe (mostly Ukraine), which has been widely cultivated from ancient times for its fruit, also referred to as figs. The fruit of most other species are also edible though they are usually of only local economic importance or eaten as bushfood. However, they are extremely important food resources for wildlife.

Fig

The so-called Common Fig (F. carica) is a temperate species from the Middle East and eastern Europe…

Woad (or glastum) is the common name of the flowering plant Isatis tinctoria in the family Brassicaceae. It is commonly called dyer's woad, and sometimes incorrectly listed as Isatis indigotica (a newer and invalid name for the same plant). It is occasionally known as Asp of Jerusalem. Woad is also the name of a blue dye produced from the plant. Woad is native to the steppe and desert zones of the Caucasus, Central Asia to eastern Siberia and Western Asia (Hegi), but is now found in southeastern and some parts of Central Europe as well. It has been cultivated throughout Europe, especially in Western and southern Europe, since ancient times.

Woad

Woad (or glastum) is the common name of the flowering plant Isatis tinctoria in the family Brassicaceae.…

A man using a single scull to row a boat. Sculling was used by ancient Chinese, American Indians, and by gondola pilots.

Scull

A man using a single scull to row a boat. Sculling was used by ancient Chinese, American Indians, and…

The scutum was a semi-cylindrical shield used by ancient Roman legionaries.

Scutum

The scutum was a semi-cylindrical shield used by ancient Roman legionaries.

The scutum was a semi-cylindrical shield used by ancient Roman legionaries.

Scutum

The scutum was a semi-cylindrical shield used by ancient Roman legionaries.

The scutum was a semi-cylindrical shield used by ancient Roman legionaries.

Scutum

The scutum was a semi-cylindrical shield used by ancient Roman legionaries.

The scutum was a semi-cylindrical shield used by ancient Roman legionaries.

Scutum

The scutum was a semi-cylindrical shield used by ancient Roman legionaries.

The Battle of Wyoming was an encounter during the American Revolutionary War between American Patriots and Loyalists accompanied by Iroquois raiders that took place in Wyoming Valley, Pennsylvania, on July 3, 1778. More than three hundred Patriots were killed in a battle followed by a massacre, in which the Iroquois raiders hunted and killed fleeing Patriots before torturing to death thirty to forty who had surrendered. <p>Site of Wintermoot's Fort. This view is from the ancient bed of the Susquehanna, looking west. The building, formerly the property of Colonel Jenkins, and now owned by Mr. David Goodwin, is upon the site of old Fort Wintermoot, which was destroyed at the time of the invasion in 1778. It is upon the ancient bank of the river, here from fifteen to twenty feeth high, and about sixty rods from the stream in its present channel.

Site of Wintermoot's Fort

The Battle of Wyoming was an encounter during the American Revolutionary War between American Patriots…

Serious American students of theology and divinity, particularly in New England, regarded Hebrew as a classical language, along with Greek and Latin, and essential for study of the Old Testament in the original words. The Reverend Ezra Stiles, president of the College from 1778 to 1795, brought with him his interest in the Hebrew language as a vehicle for studying ancient Biblical texts in their original language (as was common in other schools), requiring all freshmen to study Hebrew (in contrast to Harvard, where only upperclassmen were required to study the language) and is responsible for the Hebrew words "Urim" and "Thummim" on the Yale seal.

Seal of Yale University

Serious American students of theology and divinity, particularly in New England, regarded Hebrew as…

Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and its largest city in both population and area. Located in the Judean Mountains, between the Mediterranean Sea and the northern tip of the Dead Sea, modern Jerusalem has grown up outside the Old City. The city has a history that goes back to the 4th millennium BCE, making it one of the oldest cities in the world. Jerusalem has been the holiest city in Judaism and the spiritual center of the Jewish people since the 10th century BCE, contains a number of significant ancient Christian sites, and is considered the third-holiest city in Islam.

A View of Jerusalem

Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and its largest city in both population and area. Located in the…

The Great Sphinx is a statue with the face of a man and the body of a lion. Blocks of stone weighing upwards of 200 tons were quarried in the construction phase to build the adjoining Sphinx Temple. It is located on the west bank of the Nile River within the confines of the Giza pyramid field. The Great Sphinx faces due east, with a small temple between its paws.

Ruins of the Sphinx Temple

The Great Sphinx is a statue with the face of a man and the body of a lion. Blocks of stone weighing…

One, structural and pyramidal, is represented by many examples at Abydos, the most venerated of all the burial grounds of Egypt. All of these are built of brick, and are of moderate size and little artistic interest.

Tomb at Abydos

One, structural and pyramidal, is represented by many examples at Abydos, the most venerated of all…

The Great Sphinx is a statue with the face of a man and the body of a lion. Blocks of stone weighing upwards of 200 tons were quarried in the construction phase to build the adjoining Sphinx Temple. It is located on the west bank of the Nile River within the confines of the Giza pyramid field. The Great Sphinx faces due east, with a small temple between its paws.

Plan of the Sphinx Temple

The Great Sphinx is a statue with the face of a man and the body of a lion. Blocks of stone weighing…

The Temple of Edfu is an ancient Egyptian temple located on the west bank of the Nile in the city of Edfu which was known in Greco-Roman times as Apollonopolis Magna, after the chief god Horus-Apollo. It is the second largest temple in Egypt after Karnak and one of the best preserved. The temple, dedicated to the falcon god Horus, was built in the Ptolemaic period between 237 and 57 BCE.

Temple of Edfu Plan

The Temple of Edfu is an ancient Egyptian temple located on the west bank of the Nile in the city of…

The Temple of Edfu is an ancient Egyptian temple located on the west bank of the Nile in the city of Edfu which was known in Greco-Roman times as Apollonopolis Magna, after the chief god Horus-Apollo. It is the second largest temple in Egypt after Karnak and one of the best preserved. The temple, dedicated to the falcon god Horus, was built in the Ptolemaic period between 237 and 57 BCE.

Temple of Edfu Section

The Temple of Edfu is an ancient Egyptian temple located on the west bank of the Nile in the city of…

The Karnak temple complex, universally known only as Karnak, describes a vast conglomeration of ruined temples, chapels, pylons and other buildings. It is located near Luxor in Egypt. This was ancient Egyptian Ipet-isut ("The Most Selected of Places"), the main place of worship of the Theban Triad with Amun as its head, in the monumental city of Thebes.

Temple of Karnak

The Karnak temple complex, universally known only as Karnak, describes a vast conglomeration of ruined…

Piers and columns sustained the roofs for chambers that were too wide for single lintels, and produced, in halls like those of Karnak, of the Ramesseum, or of Denderah, a stupendous effect by their height, massiveness, number, and color decoration. The simplest piers were plain square shafts. The most striking were those against whose front faces were coarved colossal figures of Osiris, as at Luxor, Medinet Habu, and Karnak.

Osiris Pier, Medinet Habu

Piers and columns sustained the roofs for chambers that were too wide for single lintels, and produced,…

a, campaniform; b, clustered lotus column; c, simple lotus column; d, palm column; e, Hathor-headed column.

Types of Columns

a, campaniform; b, clustered lotus column; c, simple lotus column; d, palm column; e, Hathor-headed…

Externally the temples presented only masses of unbroken wall; but these, as well as the pylons, were covered with huge pictures of a historical character. Only in the tombs do we find painted ornament of a purely conventional sort. Rosettes, diaper patterns, spirals, and checkers are to be met with in them; but many of these can be traced to symbolic origins.

Egyptian Floral Ornament Form

Externally the temples presented only masses of unbroken wall; but these, as well as the pylons, were…

Dur-Sharrukin ("Fortress of Sargon"), present day Khorsabad, was the Assyrian capital in the time of Sargon II of Assyria. Khorsabad is a village in northern Iraq, 15 km northeast of Mosul, which is still today inhabited by Assyrians.

Khorsabad Palace Gate

Dur-Sharrukin ("Fortress of Sargon"), present day Khorsabad, was the Assyrian capital in the time of…

The Tower of the Winds, also called horologion (timepiece), is an octagonal Pentelic marble clocktower on the Roman agora in Athens. The structure features a combination of sundials, a water clock and a wind vane. It was supposedly built by Andronicus of Cyrrhus around 50 BC, but according to other sources might have been constructed in the 2nd century BC before the rest of the forum.

Tower of the Winds

The Tower of the Winds, also called horologion (timepiece), is an octagonal Pentelic marble clocktower…

The purely conventional ornaments &mdash; the rosette, guilloche, and lotus-flower, and probably also the palmette &mdash; were derived from Egyptian originals. They were treated, however, in a quite new spirit and adapted to the special materials and uses of their environment. Thes the form of the palmette, even if derived, as is not likely, from the Egyptian lotus-motive, was assimilated to the more familiar palm-forms of Assyria.

Assyrian Ornament

The purely conventional ornaments — the rosette, guilloche, and lotus-flower, and probably also…

Polygonal masonry is a technique of stone construction of the ancient Mediterranean world. True polygonal masonry may be defined as a technique wherein the visible surfaces of the stones are dressed with straight sides or joints, giving the block the appearance of a polygon. This technique is found throughout the Mediterranean and sometimes corresponds to the less technical category of Cyclopean masonry.

Polygonal Masonry

Polygonal masonry is a technique of stone construction of the ancient Mediterranean world. True polygonal…

The Ionic order column originated in the mid-6th century BC in Ionia. The Ionic order column was being practiced in mainland Greece in the 5th century BC. The first of the great Ionic temples was the Temple of Hera on Samos, built about 570 BC&ndash;560 BC by the architect Rhoikos. It stood for only a decade before it was leveled by an earthquake. It was in the great sanctuary of the goddess: it could scarcely have been in a more prominent location for its brief lifetime. A longer-lasting 6th century Ionic temple was the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Greek Ionic Order

The Ionic order column originated in the mid-6th century BC in Ionia. The Ionic order column was being…

The Ionic order column originated in the mid-6th century BC in Ionia. The Ionic order column was being practiced in mainland Greece in the 5th century BC. The first of the great Ionic temples was the Temple of Hera on Samos, built about 570 BC&ndash;560 BC by the architect Rhoikos. It stood for only a decade before it was leveled by an earthquake. It was in the great sanctuary of the goddess: it could scarcely have been in a more prominent location for its brief lifetime. A longer-lasting 6th century Ionic temple was the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Greek Ionic Order (Side View)

The Ionic order column originated in the mid-6th century BC in Ionia. The Ionic order column was being…

The Corinthian order is one of the Classical orders of Greek and Roman architecture, characterized by a slender fluted column and an ornate capital decorated with acanthus leaves and scrolls. Although of Greek origin, the Corinthian order was seldom used in Greek architecture.

Greek Corinthian Order

The Corinthian order is one of the Classical orders of Greek and Roman architecture, characterized by…

The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus was a tomb built between 353 and 350 BC at Halicarnassus (present Bodrum, Turkey) for Mausolus, a satrap in the Persian Empire, and Artemisia II of Caria, his wife and sister. The structure was designed by the Greek architects Satyrus and Pythius. It stood approximately 45 metres (135 ft) in height, and each of the four sides was adorned with sculptural reliefs created by each one of four Greek sculptors — Leochares, Bryaxis, Scopas of Paros and Timotheus. The finished structure was considered to be such an aesthetic triumph that Antipater of Sidon identified it as one of his Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Mausoleum at Halicarnassus

The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus was a tomb built between 353 and 350 BC at Halicarnassus (present Bodrum,…

The Ionic order column originated in the mid-6th century BC in Ionia. The Ionic order column was being practiced in mainland Greece in the 5th century BC. The first of the great Ionic temples was the Temple of Hera on Samos, built about 570 BC-560 BC by the architect Rhoikos. It stood for only a decade before it was leveled by an earthquake. It was in the great sanctuary of the goddess: it could scarcely have been in a more prominent location for its brief lifetime. A longer-lasting 6th century Ionic temple was the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Roman Ionic Order

The Ionic order column originated in the mid-6th century BC in Ionia. The Ionic order column was being…

An arcade is a passage or walkway covered over by a succession of arches or vaults supported by columns. An engaged column is a column embedded in a wall and partly projecting from the surface of the wall, sometimes defined as semi or three-quarter detached. In Roman architecture they exist in profusion, most commonly embedded in the cella walls of pseudoperipteral buildings. Engaged columns are distinct from pilasters, which by definition are ornamental and not structural.

Roman Arcade with Engaged Columns

An arcade is a passage or walkway covered over by a succession of arches or vaults supported by columns.…

A barrel vault, also known as a tunnel vault or a wagon vault, is an architectural element formed by the extrusion of a single curve (or pair of curves, in the case of a pointed barrel vault) along a given distance. The curves are typically circular in shape, lending a semi-cylindrical appearance to the total design. The barrel vault is the simplest form of a vault: effectively a series of arches placed side by side, i.e., one after another.

Barrel Vault

A barrel vault, also known as a tunnel vault or a wagon vault, is an architectural element formed by…

A groin vault or groined vault (also sometimes known as a double barrel vault or cross vault) is produced by the intersection at right angles of two barrel vaults. The word groin refers to the edge between the intersecting vaults; cf. ribbed vault. Sometimes the arches of groin vaults are pointed instead of round.

Groin Vault

A groin vault or groined vault (also sometimes known as a double barrel vault or cross vault) is produced…

A, brickwork; B, tufa ashlar; R, opus reticulatum; I, opus incertum.

Roman Wall Masonry

A, brickwork; B, tufa ashlar; R, opus reticulatum; I, opus incertum.

A coffer in architecture, is a sunken panel in the shape of a square, rectangle, or octagon in a ceiling, soffit or vault. A series of these sunken panels were used as decoration for a ceiling or a vault. The stone coffers of the ancient Greeks and Romans are the earliest surviving examples.A, from Palmyra; B, Basilica of Constantine.

Roman Ceiling Panels

A coffer in architecture, is a sunken panel in the shape of a square, rectangle, or octagon in a ceiling,…