Narthex
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Gardner’s Art Through the Ages (eighth edition) was published in 1986. It was published by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich and written by Horst de la Croix and Richard G. Tansey.
It defines a narthex as: A porch or vestibule of a church, generally colonnaded or arcaded and preceding the nave.
A narthex is similar to a vestibule, but a vestibule is generally a passageway between the outside and inside of the building, while a narthex is a passageway that specifically leads towards the nave, particularly in early Christian and Byzantine basilicas and churches.
Its purpose was to provide a waiting area for those deemed unworthy (such as penitents) of entry to - or participation in - the service. Baptismal fonts were often placed in the narthex, so those who were not yet baptised could enter the nave after the sacrament was performed.
In modern churches, a narthex is an antechamber or large porch.
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