Column Orders and Capital Styles | The Architecture Blog

Architectural Columns & Capitals & Column Caps & Bases

September 18, 2022

Jonathan P.W.

Columns were used in Ancient Egyptian architecture as early as 2600 BC. Given that columns have been around for millennia and can be found all over the world, there are many different types of columns that have been constructed and in use over those thousands of years.

Ancient Greek architecture had many unique features. The features of these structural elements are still used throughout the world in modern structures and buildings. Ancient Greek columns are known for their impeccable detail, balance, and beautiful decoration and art. The ancient Greeks loved construction and buildings. They designed and built many different types of structures, many of which still stand today.

Greek columns are classified in three different styles, or orders. These orders include the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. These three orders were adopted by the Romans in the 1st century BC. Today, the three orders are still used in architecture around the world, especially in European countries. The Doric and Ionic orders were said to have originated around the same time as one another. The Ionic order was established in eastern Greece, while the Doric started in the west and mainland of modern-day Greece.

Doric Order

The Doric column type was one of the more simple types of columns created by the Greeks. They were also among the thickest types of columns the Greeks created. The Doric order began in western Greece, and also in the mainland of modern-day Greece. These columns were typically short and heavy, organized with round, plain capitals (tops) and no base. In addition, the Doric order consisted of structures that weren’t tall, even by ancient Greek standards. In fact, structures and buildings that used Doric order columns were among the shortest and thickest of all the orders.

Another feature of a Doric column is its sixteen flutes. These flutes function as channels in the shaft of a Doric columns. Above these channels sits the capital. Above the capital sits a slab called the abacus, which is connected to the Entablature. The Entablature is divided into three horizontal parts: the lower part, also known as the cornice, the upper half, called the architrave, and the frieze. These Doric column features are also divided into further pieces, which we will discuss below.

The cornice is split into three pieces, called the soffit, the corona, and the cymatium. The soffit is the exposed underside of the cornice. The other two pieces, the corona and cymatium, are the most important parts of a cornice.

The frieze consists of triglyphs and metopes. A triglyph is a piece that has three vertical bands with grooves. Metopes sit between two triglyphs, and can have plain or carved reliefs.

The architrave of a Doric column is divided into three pieces, just as a cornice is. These pieces are called the guttae, the regulae, and the taenia.

Ionic Order

Eastern Greece is where the Ionic order was first established. The origin of the Ionic order was combined with the Aeolic order. Structures using the Ionic order are known to have fluted pillars and a large base. The echinus of an Ionic column is typically decorated beautifully, with an egg-and-dart motif, a very detailed design. The design of the Ionic column consists of 24 flutes in total, which is four more than the amount of flutes on a Doric column.

Features
The Ionic order of entablature is similar to the Doric order. However, in the Ionic order, the fascia, or flat horizontal protrusions, are added in the architrave. An Ionic column also adds dentils, or tooth-like rectangular block moldings, under the cornice.
Also, the Ionic order of entablature is widely considered to be much more slender and ornate than the entablature of the Doric order, which is considered to be a much more masculine design. An Ionic column has a scroll-shaped ornament sitting at its capital. These scroll-shaped ornaments are an excellent indicator of whether a column is Ionic or not.

Corinthian Order

The most ornate of the Greek orders, the Corinthian order was the order most often used to please the ancient Greek gods. Corinthian columns were focused on a slender, fluted design, with an ornate capital at the top of the structure. These capitals were decorated with two rows of acanthus leaves and four scrolls. Given their impeccable design, and immense and intricate detail, many consider the Corinthian order to be the most elegant out of the three Greek orders of entablature. Similar to the Ionic order, the shaft on Corinthian structures has 24 flutes. A Corinthian column is typically 10 meters high.

Vitruvius, a Roman writer, credited the invention of the Corinthian order to the Greek sculptor Callimachus. To the best of modern knowledge, the oldest building constructed using this order was the Choragic Monument of Lysicrates in Athens, Greece, which was built from 335 to 334 BC.

Types of Egyptian Columns

Egyptian columns show a much resemblance to Greek and Roman columns, but they include their own styles and unique qualities. When people think of Egyptian architecture, they might think about the pyramids and the form of Lotus and Papyrus style columns, but there are also many other Egyptian columns to consider. A big difference between Egyptian columns and Greek columns is the fact that Egyptians based the designs and decorations on their columns off the appearance of local plants. For example, many ancient Egyptian columns resemble tree trunks or stems.

As Egyptian builders became more knowledgeable and experienced with building, they began to experience with other forms of columns. That’s why there are so many types of columns built by Egyptians; they would frequently blend together ideas and use various types of architectural columns to help build and support their structures.

Take a look at some of the different Egyptian columns out there:

Flutted Columns

Egyptian columns show a much resemblance to Greek and Roman columns, but they include their own styles and unique qualities. When people think of Egyptian architecture, they might think about the pyramids and the form of Lotus and Papyrus style columns, but there are also many other Egyptian columns to consider. A big difference between Egyptian columns and Greek columns is the fact that Egyptians based the designs and decorations on their columns off the appearance of local plants. For example, many ancient Egyptian columns resemble tree trunks or stems.

Palmiform Columns

Egyptian columns show a much resemblance to Greek and Roman columns, but they include their own styles and unique qualities. When people think of Egyptian architecture, they might think about the pyramids and the form of Lotus and Papyrus style columns, but there are also many other Egyptian columns to consider. A big difference between Egyptian columns and Greek columns is the fact that Egyptians based the designs and decorations on their columns off the appearance of local plants. For example, many ancient Egyptian columns resemble tree trunks or stems.

How many different types

of columns are there?

This is a question with a multitude of answers. There were three ancient cultures that used columns widely: the people of ancient Greece, the ancient Romans, and the ancient Egyptians.

There are three different types of Greek columns: the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. The types of Roman columns include the same orders as those of ancient Greece. The others are the superposed order, composite, colossal, and Tuscan columns. The types of Egyptian columns are the fluted column, the palmiform column, the campaniform column, corniform columns, composite columns, Hathoric columns, and Osiride columns.

Papyriform Columns

Papyriform columns can be found in several different variations. Some of these columns have circular shafts that resemble a single plant, while others have ribbed shafts that represent a papyrus plant with multiple stems. Papyriform column capitals are usually a design of closed buds, or open in a wide form. The bases of papyriform columns are decorated with triangular patterns.

This type of column was used primarily during the New Kingdom era in ancient Egypt. The designs of the papyriform order represented stylized stem sheaths. However, it’s important to not that these columns are not free-standing, or able to stand on their own. Rather, they are incorporated with other structures.

This is a question with a multitude of answers. There were three ancient cultures that used columns widely: the people of ancient Greece, the ancient Romans, and the ancient Egyptians.

There are three different types of Greek columns: the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. The types of Roman columns include the same orders as those of ancient Greece. The others are the superposed order, composite, colossal, and Tuscan columns. The types of Egyptian columns are the fluted column, the palmiform column, the campaniform column, corniform columns, composite columns, Hathoric columns, and Osiride columns.