Four Types of Repetition

The five isometries above are the only isometries that map L onto itself. We will refer to these
isometries as I, R, T, H, V and G respectively.
Since these are the only isometries that map L onto itself, frieze patterns must be generated by
repeating combinations of these actions. Repeating the action T indefinitely, results in a frieze
pattern that we call Pattern 1

Frieze Pattern 1

Simularly repeating the action G indefinitely also results in a frieze pattern, Pattern 2

Frieze Pattern 2

In this pattern the tile is

but the pattern is generated from a single R by the repeated action of a glide reflection. This
samll piece of the pattern that has no symmetry and generates the entire design by
applications of I, R, T, H, V, and G is called a cell.

Repeating any of the other actions does not generate a strip required to be a frieze design. To
generate other patterns we are going to have to combine Pattern 1 or Pattern 2 with the other
actions. Again this can be done constructively on transparencies. Produce two copies each of
Patterns 1 and 2 and, in each case, place one copy on top of the other and then apply one of
the other actions on the top transparency.

For example applying the action V to Pattern 1 generates the pattern

Frieze Pattern 3
which we call Pattern 3. As above the vertical reflection is in the dashed green line.
Simularly applying action R by rotating Pattern 1 by 180o around the green dot yields
Pattern 4.

Frieze Pattern 4

Applying the rotation R to Pattern 2 gives rise to Pattern 5

Frieze Pattern 5
and the horizontal reflection H applied to Pattern 1 gives Pattern 6.

Frieze Pattern 6
Verify that no additional patterns result from applying any of the five isometries
to Pattern 1 or 2.

We now have to ask if additional patterns arise from applying any of the five isometries to
Patterns 3, 4, 5 or 6. Some experimentation shows that the horizontal reflection H applied to
Pattern 3 yields Pattern 7.

Frieze Pattern 7

No.

Types

1.

Translations

FOUR TYPES OF REPETITION

Directions
Examples of Transformations

Repeating Motif Slides Up or

Down
Either
Vertical, Horizontal or Diagonal
Vertical, Horizontal, Diagonal
When motif turns around a
point.
Rotation can be
60,

Order 6 in 60 Rotation

Diagonal
2.

Rotation
Directions

Rotations

90,

Oder 4 in 90 Rotation

120

Oder 3 in 120 Rotation

or

180

Oder 2 in 180 Rotation

Figure 5: Order 2 in 180o
Rotation

3.

Reflections

When motif reflects and the

image reverses as in a mirror.

Vertical Reflection

Vertical & Horizontal

Vertical

vvflectionflection

4.

Glide Reflections

When motif translates along the

axis and at the same time
reflects across an axis.
Glide Reflection

NO

STRUCTURE

TYPES

11

12

1g

m1

1m

mg

mm

Frieze pattern types and structures

Frieze Patterns (Types & Structures)