Explication of the Hardest Terms in Architecture

A

A Bacus, from ἄβαξ; which signifies a square Trencher: In French it’s called Talloir; it’s that quadrangular Piece commonly accompanied with a Cymatium, and serves instead of a Drip or Corona to the Capital. It supports the nether Face of the Architrave and whole Trabeation. In the Corinthian and the Compound Orders, its Corners are called the Horns, the intermediate Sweep and Curvature; the Arch, which has commonly a Rose carved in the middle.

Acroteria or Acroter’s from ἀκρόν, Summa pars; they may be properly called Pinnacles, for Pins and Battlements were made sometimes more towring; but when they stood in Ranges with Rails and Balisters: Upon flat Building they still retained their Name, with this only difference, that such as were placed between the Angular Points, were stiled the Median, or middle Acroteria.

Annulets, are little square Parts turned round in the Corinthian Capital, under the Quarter-Round, called Echinus.

Ante, is a square Pillaster, which the Ancients placed at the corners of the Walls of the Temples.

Amphiprostyle from αμφὶ, Circa, and στύλος; Columna was a sort of a Temple which had four Columns in the Front of the Temple, and four in the Face behind.

Architrave, from a Mungril Compound of two Languages, αρχη Principalis, and Trabs; it’s the first Member of that which we call Entablature; in Chimnies the Architrave is the mantle; over the Jambs of the Doors and Lintels of Windows, it’s called the Hyperthron, from the Greek ὑπὲρ, super and θὑρα, Janua or Ostium.

Astragal, from the Greek word αστράγαλος which signifies the Vertebræ, or little Joints in the Neck or Heel; hence the French call it Talon, or the Heel itself: It’s a Member of Architecture joyned to Bases, Cornices, Architraves, &c. it’s round like a Ring, and therefore it’s called by the Italians Tondino.

Attiq; signifies after the manner of the City of Athens. In Vitruvius it’s the Name of the Basis which the Moderns have given to the Dorick Pillar. We call Attiq; in our Buildings, a little Order placed upon another much greater; for instead of Pillars, this little Order has commonly nothing but Pillasters of a particular Fashion and Order, which we call Attiq;

Apophyges, vide Congé.

B

BAsilica, from the Greek word Βασιλεῖς Rex or King among the Ancients. It was a great Hall which had two Ranges of Pillars, and had two Isles or Wings, upon which were Galleries: These Halls, which at first were made for the Palaces of Kings, were afterwards turned into Courts of Justice, and after that into Churches; which Form has always been observed.

Ballustre is the lateral part of the Jonick Capital. Our Workmen have given it that name, because it somewhat resembles a Balluster.

C

CHanel, in the Ionick Capital, is that part which is under the Abacus, and lies upon Echinus or Egg, and which has its Contours or Turnings on every side to make the Voluta’s.

Cariatides are Statues of Women, which serve instead of Pillars.

Cincture is that part which makes the middle of the Ballustre of the Ionick Voluta.

Congé in French, in Latin Apophyges, from the Greek word αποφυγή because that part of the Pillar taking as it were a rise, seems to emerge and fly from the Basis like the Proceltus of a Bone in a mans Leg, In short, it’s no more than the Rings or Ferils heretofore used at the Extremities of wooden Pillars, to preserve them from splitting, afterwards imitated in Stone-work.

Corona is properly that part of the Cornice which the French call Larmer or Drip, because it defends the rest of the Work from Wind and Weather: It is often taken by Vitruvius for all the Cornice.

Corona, called the Plat or flat Crown, is a particular Member in the Dorick Gate; it’s made by so extraordinary enlargement of the Face of the Corona or Drip, that it has six times more Breadth than Projecture. This sort of Corona is no where found among the Ancients, but only in the Writings of Vitruvius.

Cymatium, from κυμάτον, which signifies a rouling Wave; is a Member of Architecture, of which the one half is Convex and the other Concave, the one being hollow above, and the other below. There are two sorts of them, the one called the Gola or Throats, or the Doucine, whose advanced part is Concave; and the other is called by the French the Talon or Heel, whose advanced part is hollow below, as the first is above.

D

DIE is the middle of the Pedestals, viz. that which is between their Basis and their Cornice. It’s so called, because it’s for the most part of a Cubit form, as Die’s are that are used in play.

Dentils, or Teeth, is a Member of the Jonick Cornice, which is square, and cut out at convenient distances, which gives it the form of a Set or Gang of Teeth.

Diastyle, from διὰ and στύλος: Columna is a sort of Edifice where the Pillars are distanced one from another the breadth of 3 Diameters of the Pillar.

Diptere, from δὶς and πτέρον: Ala signifies that which has a double Isle or Wing; the Ancients called so the Temples, which were surrounded with two Ranges of Pillars, for there two Ranges made two Portico’s, which they called Wings, we Isles, from the French word Ailes, which signifies Wings, because as Wings are on the sides of Birds, so these of Edifices.

E

EChinus, from ἀπὸ τοὺ ἐχίνου, a Hedg-hog; it is a Member of Architecture, which we call a Quarter-round; it has its name from the roughness of its Carving, resembling the prickly Rhind of the Chesnut, and not unlike the Hedg-hog; it’s commonly next to the Abacus, and carved with Ovals and Darts, sometimes called Eggs and Anchors, because these pretended Chesnuts are cut in an Oval form.

Entablature signifies properly the Flooring or Lofting with Boards; it comes from the Latin word Tabulatum. In Architecture it’s that part which is composed of the Architrave, Frise, and Cornice, for in effect this part is the extream part of the Flooring, which is supported by Pillars, or by a Wall if it have no Pillars.

Eye is the middle of the Jonick Volute, which is cut in the form of a little Rose.

Eurythmie, from εὖ bene, and αριθμὸς numera: it signifies Proportion; it’s taken in its general signification in Architecture; for in its particular signification it signifies the true measure that is observed in Dancing after Musick.

Eustyle, from εὖ bene, and στὺλος a Pillar; its the Order where Pillars are rightly placed, the Intercolumniations being two Diameters and a quarter.

F

FAce is a Member of Architecture, which has a great Breadth and a small Projecture; it’s in Architraves.

Filet is a little square streight Member.

Fresco, and to paint in Fresco or Freth, is an Italian Phrase, and it signifies the Painting which is made upon the Plaistering before it be dry.

Frise is that part which is between the Architrave and the Cornice.

G

GNomonick is the Art of making Sun-dials; it’s derived from the Greek γνὼμων, which signifies that which shews a thing, as the Cock or Pin of the Dyal shews what a clock it is.

Gorge, or the Gule or Neck, is the narrowest part of the Dorick Capital, which is between the Astragal, above the Shaft of the Pillar and the Annulets.

Gutte, or Drops, are little parts, which to the number of six are put below every Triglyph in the Architrave of the Dorick Order.

H

HYdraulick, from the Greek ὕδωρ; which signifies Water, is an Engine that plays by the help of Water, especially where there are Pipes and Flutes.

Hypethre, from ὑπὸσυὸ, and αιθὴρ æther; signifies a Building whose inside is exposed to the Rain and open Air. The Ancients called so all Temples that had no Roof.

Hyperthyron, for ὑπερ super, and θύρα Janua, a Gate or Door: It signifies that which is above the Gate; it’s a large Table, which is upon the Dorick Gates in the manner of a Frise.

I

IChnographie, from ἴκνος vestigium, and γράφα Scribo, or Insculpo; which properly signifies the Figure that the Plane of the Foot impresses upon the Earth. By it in Architecture is understood that which is commonly called the Plan of the Edifice.

L

LAcuner, or Platfond, is the Flooring or Planching above the Portico’s.

Laconicum was a dry Stove to sweat in: It was so called, because it was much used by the Lacedemonians.

Larmier or Drip, vide Corona.

M

MEtope, from μετι and ὁπὴ, foramen, intervallum. Signifies the Front; it’s the Name of the empty spaces in Freeze of the Dorick Order, between the Triglyphs.

Modillion signifies in Italian a little Model, a little Measure: It’s that part which is so often repeated in the Corinthian and Compound Cornice, which supports the Projecture of the Larmier or Drip. This part is called the little Model in respect of the great Model, which is the Diameter of the Pillar; for as the Proportion of an Edifice depends on the Diameter of the Pillar, so the greatness of the Modellians, their number, and their space or distances, must have a just Proportion or true Relation to the whole Fabrick.

Module or Model is a measure that is made use of to regulate all the Proportion of the Fabrick: In the Dorick Order it’s half the Diameter of the Pillar; in other Orders the Module is the whole Diameter.

Monoptere, from μόνος solus, and πτὲρον ala; is that which has but one Wing or Isle; it was a sort of a round Temple, whose Roof was supported by Pillars only.

Mutuli, from μὺτιλος, which signifies defect, as being made thinner, and more abated above than below. It’s a sort of a Modellion in the Cornice of the Dorick Order.

N

NOyan is the middle part of the Flooring of the Ancients. They made it with Ciment, which they put betwixt a Lay or Bed of Pibbles, cimented with Mortar made of Lime and Sand.

O

ORchestra, from ὁρχὲομαι salto; signified the place where they danced; it was the lowest place in the Theatre, which was between the scene, viz. the place where the Players acted, and the Seats where the Spectators sate. It was in this place where the Greek Comedians were wont to dance.

Order, those Fabricks are said to be of different Orders, when the Proportion which is between the thickness of the Pillars and their height, with all other things which are required to this Proportion, are different.

Ornaments, Vitruvius so calls the Architrave, Frise, and Cornice.

Oval, vide Echinus.

P

PArascenium, from παρὰ and σκενὴ tentonum, is the back part of the Theatre or Scene.

Periptere, from περὶ circum, and πτὲρον ala, which has a Wing round about. This was a sort of a Temple, which had Pillars on all the four Parts, which was different from the Prostyle, which had only Pillars before, or In the Front, and from the Amphiprostyle, which had only Pillars before and behind, and none on the sides.

Peristyle, from περὶ circum, and στὺλος columna; signifies that which has Pillars round about: It differs from the Periptere in this, that the Pillars of the Peristyle are within, as it were round about a Court, and those of the Periptere are without, as in the Temples of the Ancients.

Pedestal, is that part which supports the Pillar.

Pied-droit is a square Pillar, which is in part within the Wall.

Pillaster is the same, with this Difference; that the Pillaster has a Base and a Capital, as a Pillar hath, which the Pied-droit has not.

Platt-band is a square Member, which terminates the Architrave of the Dorick Order, and passes immediately under the Triglyphs.

Plinthus signifies a Brick or square Tile. It’s in Architecture taken for that square Member which makes the Foundation of the Base of the Pillar.

Posticum is the back Gate of a Fabrick.

Portico is a long place covered with a Floor or Flatfond, supported by Pillars.

Proscenium, from πρὸ and σκενινὴ tentorium; it signifies the forepart of the Scene; it was an Edifice as high as the last Portico of the Theatre, whose Face or Front was adorned with many Ranges of Pillars.

Prostyle from πρὸ and στὺλος, signifies that which has Pillars before only. This was one sort of the Temples of the Ancients.

Pseudodiptere, ψευδής mendax, δὶς bis, and πτὲρον ala; signifies a false Diptere. This was a kind of a Temple among the Ancients, which had Porticoes round about, which were every one as large as the double Portico of the Diptere.

Pseudoperiptere, from ψευδὴς mendax, and περὶ, and πτερὸν ala, was a sort of a Temple, where the Side-Pillars were part in the Wall of the inner side of the Temple, which was enlarged sufficiently to enclose within the space which was allowed the Porticoes of the Periptere.

Pulpit was the place upon which the Comedians acted, which we now call the Stage.

Picnostyle, from πὺκνος dentus, and στὺλος columna; signifies a Building where the Pillars were very close one to another; so that the Intercolumniation had but a Diameter and a half of the Pillar.

R

RUdus was a sort of gross Mortar, which was made use of for smoothing, and equally filling and levelling the Superfices of the Walls, before the fine Plaister was laid on: It was likewise made use of for the second Bed or Lay of the Flooring.

S

SCene signifies a Tabernacle, Tent, or Pavillion, from the Greek σκενὴ. It was in the Theatre of the Ancients a great Face or Front of Building, adjoyned with Pillars and Statues, which had three great Openings, in which were Pictures in Perspective, which represented the Lodgings where the Tragedians and Comedians dwelt.

Sabliere is a piece of Wood as long as a Beam, but not so thick.

Scotia, from σκὸτος tenebræ, Darkness, is a Member of Architecture, hollowed as a Demi-channel: It’s particularly affected in the Bases where it’s placed, between the Torus and the Astragals; it’s sometimes put under the Drip, in the Cornice of the Dorick Order.

Statumen signifies generally whatsoever is made use of to support any thing in Architecture; it is Mortar mixt with Pibbles, which served for the first Lay or Bed in Flooring.

Systyle, from σὺν con, and στὺλος columna; signifies building where the Pillars seem to be joyned together, for the Intercolumniation is but of two Diameters of the Pillars.

T

TOrus is a Member in the Base which is round, in the form of a great Ring; it comes from the Latin word Torus, which signifies a Bed.

Tringle is a little square Member, which is directly upon every Triglyph, under the Platt-band of the Architrave, from whence hang down the Guttæ, or pendant Drops in the Dorick Order.

Triglyph, from τρὶς ter, and γλὺφος sculptura; because it’s divided into three parts, and engraved, it is a Member in the Freeze of the Dorick Order, directly upon every Pillar, and in certain spaces in the Intercolumniations.

Tympan signifies a Drum; it’s that part of the bottom of the Frontons which answers the naked of the Freeze; it is triangular, and placed upon the Cornice of the Entablature, and covered over again with two other Cornices which slope a little.

V

VOlute signifies wreathed, and turned about from Volvendo; it’s a part of the Capitals of the Ionick, Corinthian, and Compound Orders, which represents the bark of a Tree twisted and turned into a Spiral line.

X

XYste, from the Greek ζυτος, which signifies scraped; it was the place where the Wrestlers exercised; it was so called because they made their skins be scraped and rubbed smooth, to make the Sweat fall, and to make their Bodies more slippery, that their Adversaries might have the less hold of them when they closed.