A terrace typology : a systematic approach to the study of historic terraces during the eighteenth century in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States

Abstract

Terraces have been a common design element in Mid-Atlantic formal landscapes during the eighteenth century. Their roots in recorded Western history can be traced back to the Roman Empire and the Italian Renaissance. Because of the scattered research and a lack of a systematic approach to the study of historic landscapes, terraces have been an overlooked design feature. This thesis serves to synthesize research into a terrace typology that can be used to systematically document a terrace site, determine its significance, choose a preservation strategy, and interpret the landscape. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed terrace typology and its components. this project studied the Virginia plantation Menokin and its terraced landscape. The terrace typology is one possible tool to be employed as a first step in the examination of systematic approaches to the study of historic landscapes that can contribute to the development of the profession and expand the knowledge of the cultural environment.