Ancient history

What were the pronaos naos and opisthodomos?

In classical architecture, the pronaos, naos, and opisthodomos refer to different parts of a temple.

Pronaos:

- The pronaos is a porch or vestibule located in front of the naos, the main chamber of the temple.

- It is typically supported by columns and serves as an entrance to the temple.

- The pronaos often contains sculptures or other decorative elements.

Naos:

- The naos is the main chamber or cella of the temple, where the cult statue of the deity was housed.

- It is the most sacred part of the temple and was restricted to priests and certain individuals.

- The naos could be decorated with sculptures, paintings, or other forms of art.

Opisthodomos:

- The opisthodomos is a room located at the rear of the temple, opposite the pronaos.

- It was often used for storage purposes, such as keeping votive offerings or temple treasures.

- In some cases, the opisthodomos could also serve as a treasury or a place for conducting rituals.

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