The Making of the Doric Temple: Architecture, Religion, and Social Change in Archaic Greece

Gabriel Zuchtriegel argues that Doric architecture originated in tandem with a disruptive shift in urbanism, land use, and colonization in Archaic Greece, as Greek elites sought a new home for the gods in the changing landscapes. This volume offers a radically new interpretation of architecture and society in Archaic Greece.

Format: Hardback
Length: 350 pages
Publication date: 20 April 2023
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

In this captivating volume, Gabriel Zuchtriegel delves into the concept of Doric architecture as the epitome of architectural and artistic evolutionism. By meticulously combining ancient and contemporary archaeological evidence, some of which are presented for the first time, he challenges the prevailing notion that Doric architecture solely resulted from a transition from wood to stone. Instead, Zuchtriegel argues that Doric architecture emerged in conjunction with a significant upheaval in urbanism, land utilization, and colonization during the Archaic period in Greece.

Zuchtriegel presents monumental architectural transformations as part of a broader transformation that encompassed religion, politics, economics, and philosophy. As Greek elites embarked on colonization, exploration, and mapping endeavors throughout the Mediterranean, they sought a new abode for the gods amidst the evolving landscapes of the sixth-century BC Greek world. Doric architecture answered this call, as evidenced by parallel developments in architecture, art, land division, urban planning, athletics, warfare, and cosmology.

Building upon recent advancements in geography, gender, and postcolonial studies, this volume offers a groundbreaking reinterpretation of architecture and society in Archaic Greece. It sheds light on the complex interplay between societal structures, cultural practices, and architectural expressions, providing a fresh perspective on this pivotal period in Greek history.

ISBN-13: 9781009260107