These period styles mainly concern art and architecture that is dedicated to the church. The Christian Churches around these times would commission local artists to create mosaics, architecture, stained glass, and furniture to name a few.
**Byzantine: timeline A.D. 1-800 and 330-1453. "Roman statecraft, Greek culture, and Christian belief are the three wellheads of Byzantine development. If any of these three had been missing, Byzantium as we know it could not have existed." -George Ostrogorsky (1902-76), art historian
Empress Theodora most influential and powerful woman in the Byzantine Empire and was married to Emperor Justinian. This is one great example of the mosaic used in the architecture at the time. I think these mosaics helped influence different embellishments for future design in furniture patterns and even wallpaper.
Ivory Throne: made around the sixth-century, this throne was for the archbishop of Revenna, Maximian. It was made from elephants tusks imported from Africa or India. This displays the technique of relief carvings with ivory inlays. The carvings are of religious symbols and saints which were often gilded and painted.
Sta. Costanza: built in 350 as a mausoleum for Constantine's daughter. It features a domed central cylinder lightened by clerestory windows with an arcade of 12 Composite columns.
Dome Supports:
Squinches: diagonal members supported on the arches. More of a square-like construction.
Pendentives: Concave triangular surfaces, they start at a point on the comer of a pier, rise, and spread out to the two upper points of the triangle. This creates a fan-like shape until they approach the horizontals and meet the circle at the lowest part of the dome.
Impost Capital: meaning a member (such as a bracket projecting from a wall) on which an arch rests. This consists of stone carvings that are in the form of truncated upside down pyramid; flaring outward as they rise. Between the impost capital and the arch above is an additional block called a
dosseret that is frequently used in Byzantine architecture.
**Romanesque: timeline c. 800-c. 1200. The term means "in the manner of the Romans." Romanesque era has many round-headed arches and vaults similar to Rome.
Reliquary Statue: of Saint Foy from the Abbey Church of Conques, France, late ninth century, silver gilt with gemstones, 33 inches high.
Durham Cathedral: England 10-93-1130. This is a picture of the Nave facing east. Perfect example of
ribbed vaulting. Gothic influence due to the later additions
.
Floor Plan: general plan of Romanesque architecture. The Apse is the front of the church also known as the alter area. This shape is a representation of the Cross; the transept (horizontal member) portraying the arms.
Ste. -Madeleine Vezelay: located in France this church is tucked away in the Burgundy region. Vezelay was dedicated to Mary Magdalen.
Tympanum: a semicircular panel above a portal. This one is carved stone and displays many figures as would a typical tympanum in the Romanesque era. This is in also in Vezelay.
Note: no specific chair was constructed in this time.
**Gothic: timeline 1132-c. 1500. This period has a series of architectural inventions like the pointed arch, ribbed vaults and the flying buttress. Gothic design also highlights the gargoyle. Gothic churches:
- St. Denis
- Notre Dame, Paris
- Chartres
- Rheims
- Amiens
- Beauvais (has the hightes nave)
Chartres Cathedral: located in France typical Gothic church with a Rose window (stained glass). The Nave height is 120 ft.
Amiens: church floor plan similar to the Romanesque but more advanced.
This drawing explains the breakdown of a buttress, flying buttress, nave, clerestory, and ribbed vaulting.
Wells Cathedral: located in England this exhibits the ribs springing from the central column. Beautiful piece of architecture.
Strainer Arches: located at the crossing of the nave and the transept. Also in Wells Cathedral.
The little examle of Gothic furniture:
Chair showing linenfold (on the side panel), tracery (the horizontal carving located at the top), and buttresses on the back. The chairs in this time were a reflection of their architecture. very heavy and made of wood.
An example of a modern one.
*****Coming up The Islamic World*******
Signing off
Prayer Rug: Transylvanian Prayer Rug from Ushak, Turkey, and now lies in The Museum of Applied Arts, Budapest.
Madrasa: facade detail in Bukhara, Uzbekistan. Each arched bay houses a student's dormitory. Madrasa is a religious building such as a mosque, shrine, convent, or mausoleum. 
Arches: these are the 3 different types of arches. The first one is horseshoe arch and a main characteristic of Islamic architecture.
Mihrab: from the Madrasa of Mimami, Isfahan, Iraq circa 1354, faced with a mosaic of glazed tiles 11ft. Mihrab is a prayer niche served to indicate the direction of Mecca.
Sinan's Dome: located in Henri Sterlin, Geneva. This picture is the dome and 2 adjacent half domes from the ceiling of the Sulimaniye Mosque. Although the colour doesn't serve justice, the middle dome has a rich ochre colour and helps highlight the intricate detailing. The architect was Sinan.
Arabesque decoration: This tile matches a border frieze adorning the portal of the tomb of Sultan Mehmed I in Bursa. It has a deeply carved pattern of lattices formed by pairs of undulating vine scrolls. The arabesque lattices is complex, but clarity is achieved through the use of different colored glazes.
Stucco panel: from Samarra with ornate decoration.
Wooden frieze: Egypt 
Window-grill: from the Umayyad Mosque
Stucco decoration: Ibn Tulun Mosque ; Egypt.
Decorative brick: Mausoleum of the Samanids.
Ardabil Carpet: most famous of all Persian carpets. Was signed by Maqsud Kashani and completeled in 1530 in Iraq. Silk and wool, 36ft long.
