cella (naos)

E119546

The cella (naos) is the main inner chamber of an ancient Greek temple, typically housing the cult statue of the deity.

All labels observed (1)

Label Occurrences
cella (naos) canonical 1

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (46)

Predicate Object
instanceOf architectural element
temple component
accessControl restricted to priests and officials in many cults
architecturalStyle classical architecture
category Ancient Greek architecture
Temple architecture
contains altars or offerings
cult statue
distinguishedFrom opisthodomos
pronaos
enclosedBy solid walls
etymologyFrom Greek ναός (naos)
Latin cella
etymologyLanguage Greek
Latin
foundIn amphiprostyle temples
peripteral temples
prostyle temples
function house the cult statue of the deity
serve as main worship space
hasAccess entrance from the pronaos
hasAlternativeName cella
naos
hasCeiling coffered or flat wooden ceiling
hasExample cella of the Temple of Hera at Paestum
the Parthenon
surface form: naos of the Parthenon

Temple of Zeus at Olympia
surface form: naos of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia
hasPosition central chamber
influenced later Roman temple design
locatedIn interior of the temple
material mudbrick (in earlier forms)
stone
wood
mayContain internal colonnades
orientation usually aligned with temple’s main axis
partOf ancient Greek temple
religiousRole focal point of cult activity
roofType timber roof
symbolicMeaning dwelling place of the deity
timePeriod Archaic Greece
Classical Greece
Hellenistic period
typicalPlan rectangular room
usedInCulture ancient Greek religion
ancient Roman religion
visibility often not directly accessible to general worshippers

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Temple of Hera at Olympia contains cella (naos)