Abstract
Lale Özgenel
Department of Architecture
Middle East Technical University (Ankara)
Living with 'time': the temporal context of the atrium
Domestic space can be experienced in a temporal sense as houses embrace activities with different time dimensions and qualities. There are recurring, changing, or past, present and/or future oriented, or even rhythmic, dynamic, and/or flowing events that take place in houses. For example certain events, particular objects or arrangements within a space can establish a link to and remind and celebrate "past," "present" or "future." The Roman house embodies an excellent potential for studying temporal experience in an ancient domestic context. Time manifested in different capacities in symbolically significant events like rites of passage and in more regularly practiced events like salutation, banqueting or rituals of worship. This paper will address the temporal context of atrium in relation to its design and use. The temporal orientation and significance of some events that took place in this space will be discussed to show how the Roman households experienced their houses in the fourth dimension.
Return to CACW 2006 "Household and Society in the Ancient World" Program