Changes

==Origin==

==Origin==

Italian ''grotta'', ''grotto'', from [[Latin]] ''crypta'' [[cavern]], crypt

Italian ''grotta'', ''grotto'', from [[Latin]] ''crypta'' [[cavern]], crypt

*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/17th_century 1617]

*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/17th_century 1617]

The word comes from Italian ''grotta'', Vulgar Latin ''grupta'', Latin ''crypta'', (a crypt). It is related by a historical [[accident]] to the word ''[[grotesque]]'' in the following way: in the late 15th century, Romans unearthed by accident [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nero Nero]'s ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domus_Aurea Domus Aurea]'' on the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palatine_Hill Palatine Hill], a series of rooms underground (as they had become over time), that were decorated in designs of garlands, slender [[architectural]] framework, foliations, and animals. The Romans who found them thought them very [[strange]], a sentiment enhanced by their 'underworld' source. Because of the situation in which they were [[discovered]], this form of decoration was given the name ''grottesche'' or ''[[grotesque]]''.

The word comes from Italian ''grotta'', Vulgar Latin ''grupta'', Latin ''crypta'', (a crypt). It is related by a historical [[accident]] to the word ''[[grotesque]]'' in the following way: in the late 15th century, Romans unearthed by accident [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nero Nero]'s ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domus_Aurea Domus Aurea]'' on the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palatine_Hill Palatine Hill], a series of rooms underground (as they had become over time), that were decorated in designs of garlands, slender [[architectural]] framework, foliations, and animals. The Romans who found them thought them very [[strange]], a sentiment enhanced by their 'underworld' source. Because of the situation in which they were [[discovered]], this form of decoration was given the name ''grottesche'' or ''[[grotesque]]''.

==Definitions==

==Definitions==

*1: [[cave]]

*1: [[cave]]

*2: an artificial recess or [[structure]] made to resemble a natural [[cave]]  

*2: an artificial recess or [[structure]] made to resemble a natural [[cave]]  

==Description==

==Description==

A '''grotto''' (Italian ''grotta'' and French "grotte") is any type of [[natural]] or [[artificial]] [[cave]] that is associated with [[modern]], historic, or prehistoric use by [[humans]]. When it is not an artificial [[garden]] feature, a grotto is often a small cave near [[water]] and often flooded or liable to flood at high tide. The picturesque ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Grotto_(Capri) Grotta Azzurra]'' at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capri Capri] and the grotto of the villa of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiberius Tiberius] in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_of_Naples Bay of Naples] are outstanding natural seashore grottoes. Whether in [[tidal]] water or high up in hills, they are very often in limestone [[geology]] where the acidity dissolved in percolating water has dissolved the carbonates of the rock matrix as it has passed through what were originally small fissures. See [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karst_topography karst topography], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavern cavern].

A '''grotto''' (Italian ''grotta'' and French "grotte") is any type of [[natural]] or [[artificial]] [[cave]] that is associated with [[modern]], historic, or prehistoric use by [[humans]]. When it is not an artificial [[garden]] feature, a grotto is often a small cave near [[water]] and often flooded or liable to flood at high tide. The picturesque ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Grotto_(Capri) Grotta Azzurra]'' at [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capri Capri] and the grotto of the villa of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiberius Tiberius] in the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_of_Naples Bay of Naples] are outstanding natural seashore grottoes. Whether in [[tidal]] water or high up in hills, they are very often in limestone [[geology]] where the acidity dissolved in percolating water has dissolved the carbonates of the rock matrix as it has passed through what were originally small fissures. See [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karst_topography karst topography], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavern cavern].

In [[modern]] times, many people purchase artificial ''grottos'' for ornamental and [[devotional]] [[purposes]] when it comes to placing statues of saints, particularly the [[Mother Mary|Blessed Virgin]], in outdoor gardens. The well-known [[apparitions]] of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Lourdes Our Lady of Lourdes] to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernadette_Soubirous Bernadette Soubirous] took place in a grotto, which is visited by many Catholics. Numerous garden [[shrines]] are modeled after these apparitions, and can commonly be found displayed in gardens and Churches, among other places (see [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lourdes_grotto Lourdes grotto]).

In [[modern]] times, many people purchase artificial ''grottos'' for ornamental and [[devotional]] [[purposes]] when it comes to placing statues of saints, particularly the [[Mother Mary|Blessed Virgin]], in outdoor gardens. The well-known [[apparitions]] of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Lourdes Our Lady of Lourdes] to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernadette_Soubirous Bernadette Soubirous] took place in a grotto, which is visited by many Catholics. Numerous garden [[shrines]] are modeled after these apparitions, and can commonly be found displayed in gardens and Churches, among other places (see [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lourdes_grotto Lourdes grotto]).

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantic_springs Mantic springs] that issued from grottoes were a feature of Apollo's oracles at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delphi Delphi], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corinth Corinth], and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarus Clarus]. The new-built Hellenistic city of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhodes Rhodes] was provided with rock-cut artificial ''grottos'' with "naturalistic" features. At the great Roman sanctuary of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestrina Praeneste] south of Rome, the oldest portion of the [[primitive]] [[sanctuary]] was situated on the next-to-lowest terrace, in a grotto in the natural rock where there was a spring that developed into a [[well]]. Such a [[sacred]] spring had its native [[nymph]], who might be [[honored]] in a grotto-like [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nymphaeum nymphaeum], where the watery element was never far to seek.

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantic_springs Mantic springs] that issued from grottoes were a feature of Apollo's oracles at [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delphi Delphi], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corinth Corinth], and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarus Clarus]. The new-built Hellenistic city of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhodes Rhodes] was provided with rock-cut artificial ''grottos'' with "naturalistic" features. At the great Roman sanctuary of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestrina Praeneste] south of Rome, the oldest portion of the [[primitive]] [[sanctuary]] was situated on the next-to-lowest terrace, in a grotto in the natural rock where there was a spring that developed into a [[well]]. Such a [[sacred]] spring had its native [[nymph]], who might be [[honored]] in a grotto-like [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nymphaeum nymphaeum], where the watery element was never far to seek.

Tiberius filled his grotto with sculptures to recreate a [[mythological]] setting, perhaps [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyphemus Polyphemus]' cave in the ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odyssey Odyssey]''. The [[numinous]] [[quality]] of the grotto is still more [[ancient]], of course: in a grotto near [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knossos Knossos] in Crete, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eileithyia Eileithyia] had been [[venerated]] even before [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minoan_civilization Minoan] palace-building, and farther back in time the [[immanence]] of the [[divine]] in a grotto is an aspect of the sacred caves of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lascaux Lascaux].

Tiberius filled his grotto with sculptures to recreate a [[mythological]] setting, perhaps [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyphemus Polyphemus]' cave in the ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odyssey Odyssey]''. The [[numinous]] [[quality]] of the grotto is still more [[ancient]], of course: in a grotto near [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knossos Knossos] in Crete, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eileithyia Eileithyia] had been [[venerated]] even before [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minoan_civilization Minoan] palace-building, and farther back in time the [[immanence]] of the [[divine]] in a grotto is an aspect of the sacred caves of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lascaux Lascaux].

[[Category: Archaeology]]

[[Category: Archaeology]]

[[Category: Architecture]]

[[Category: Architecture]]