Abstract
An analysis of 131 Greek temple orientations is presented with the aim to determine whether specific architectural orders can be linked to certain temple orientations, whilst seeking conventions for a number of Greek temples, which combine two or even all three architectural orders. The results of this study indicate an apparent preference of Doric temples towards the declinations visited by the sun during the year, although not necessarily towards all of the most important annual solar events in ancient cultures (e.g. solstices). The observed data concentration towards declinations within a week from the equinoxes calls us to revisit the importance of this time in ancient Greek thinking and to link its importance to the religious and cosmological spheres, aside from its calendric and timekeeping significance.
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Notes
- 1.
The Doric order is characterised by the absence of decorative elements in the treatment of the columns, the absence of a column base and the overall stocky and thicker appearance of the building. The frieze of the Doric order is divided to triglyphs and metopes. Examples of this order are the temple of Apollo in Delphi, the temple of Hephaistos in the Athenian Agora and the exterior of the temple of Zeus in Nemea.
- 2.
The Ionic order has more slender columns (compared to the Doric), supported by a base and distinctive volute shaped capitals. It also differs in the treatment of the frieze, which forms a continuous band adorned with sculptural decoration. Examples of Ionic order are the Erechtheion and the temple of Nike on the Athenian Acropolis.
- 3.
See for example the slightly later, first century BCE Taichu calendar in China, which seems to have been created using an armillary sphere, but its measurements are one degree off from complete accuracy (Xiaochun & Kistemaker, 1997: 64). For a discussion on difficulties in obtaining accurate measurements of stars using an armillary sphere consult Duke, 2002: 37–38.
- 4.
In those cases where metal poles are used to rope off the temples (as for example at the Erechtheion and the Parthenon in Athens), the survey permits granted entry to the structures, thus allowing sufficient distance between these objects and the points from where the orientation measurements were taken. The multiple readings taken from several points in these structures, and their cross referencing with Google Earth, confirmed the accuracy of the measurements.
- 5.
Magnetic corrections were calculated using the online Magnetic Field Calculator of the National Centres for Environmental Information (https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov).
- 6.
Declinations have been calculated using the software GETDEC created by Clive Ruggles. GETDEC is purpose-designed for use by archaeoastronomers in that it adjusts its astronomical computations to account for empirical experience with refraction and other kinds of real-world atmospheric conditions to which naked-eye observations of sunrise and sunset phenomena are actually subject.
- 7.
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Boutsikas, E. (2021). An Investigation of the Role of Architectural Orders in Greek Temple Orientation. In: Boutsikas, E., McCluskey, S.C., Steele, J. (eds) Advancing Cultural Astronomy. Historical & Cultural Astronomy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64606-6_9
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