Chapter M (3)

=Optics= (Gr. ὄπτομαι, to see). The science of the nature and properties of light; of its changes as it penetrates or is reflected or absorbed by bodies; of the structure of the eye, and the laws of vision; and of instruments in connexion with sight. It is thus closely connected with the science of colour, and the arts in general. The earliest treatise extant on this science is Euclid’s _Optica et Catoptrica_. (Cf. _Dr. Smith’s Optics_, &c.)

=Optigraph.= A telescope for copying landscapes. (See CLAUDE GLASS.)

=Optostratum=, R. (ὀπτὸς, brick, and στρωτὸν, strewn). A brick pavement, often arranged in a herring-boned pattern, as in the OPUS SPICATUM. (Fig. 509.)

=Opus Albarium.= (See STUCCO.)

=Opus Alexandrinum.= A mosaic flooring much used by the Romans, consisting of geometric figures, and generally of only two kinds of tessera, red and black on a white ground. (See MUSIVUM OPUS.)

=Opus Araneum= (spider-work). A kind of embroidery, 13th century; modern “guipure d’art.”

=Opus Consutum.= Appliqué work in embroidery. (See APPLIQUÉ.)

=Opus Filatorium.= A kind of embroidery, 14th century; modern “filet brodé.”

=Opus Græcum=, R. Inlaid pavement. (See MUSIVUM OPUS.)

=Opus Incertum=, R. A Roman method of building; the construction of walls of very small rough stones, not laid in courses, but held together by the mortar.

=Opus Insertum=, R. A Roman method of building, of courses of flat tiles, the most durable of all. Such courses were also introduced in the other kinds of stone and brick walls, in which they served as bond-courses, and also kept the damp from rising from the ground.

=Opus Musivum.= Mosaic. (See MUSIVUM.)

=Opus Pectineum= (comb-wrought). Woven work imitating embroidery.

=Opus Phrygianum=, R. Fine embroidery. (See ORPHREY.)

=Opus Plumarium= (feather-stitch). Embroidery of which the stitches overlap one another like the feathers of a bird.

=Opus Pseud-iso-domum=, Gr. (lit. _quasi-equal_ structure). A Greek method of building in which the courses are (1) parallel and unequal, but regular among themselves, as in Fig. 506; or (2) irregular altogether, as in the Gate of Lions at Mycenæ, Fig. 507 (or in Fig. 504).

=Opus Pulvinarium= (cushion-style). Embroidery like modern Berlin work, generally used for cushions.

=Opus Reticulatum=, R. A Roman method of construction, with an ornamental surface resembling the meshes of a _net_.

=Opus Spicatum=, R. Herring-bone masonry.

=Or=, Her. The metal gold, expressed in engraving by small dots, as on Fig. 375.

=Or basané=, Fr. Leather stamped in gold, used as hangings in the 16th and 17th centuries.

=Ora=, R. The cable which fastened the stern of a ship to the shore, while the ANCORALE kept her head out to sea.

=Ora.= An old Saxon coin of 16 or 20 pence in value.

=Orange.= The colour formed by the mixture of 5 parts of red and 3 parts of yellow. It is the complementary of blue. The nearest pigment is _cadmium yellow_.

=Orange Chrome.= A sub-chromate of lead, which yields a beautiful orange pigment.

=Orange Madder lake.= (See MADDER.)

=Orange Minium.= (See MINIUM.)

=Orange Vermilion.= A durable pigment for oil and water-colours, in colour resembling _red lead_.

=Orange Yellow.= A yellow inclining to red, represented by molybdate of lead. (_Ansted_, _Elementary Course_.)

=Orange tree.= In Christian art, symbol of the “Heavenly Bride.”

=Oranti=, It. The name given to certain male and female figures found in the catacomb frescoes at Rome, represented with the hands spread in the Eastern attitude of prayer.

=Orarium=, R. A scarf or handkerchief thrown to the crowd in a circus, to wave to the chariot-drivers. In Christian archæology, (1) A scarf affixed to the pastoral staff; as early as the 13th century. (2) The stole. (3) The border of an ecclesiastical vestment. (_Planché._) (See =Stole=, =Sudarium=.)

=Orb.= One of the emblems of sovereignty with which kings are solemnly invested at their coronation. It is a globe surmounted by a cross, and is held in the palm of the left hand. In Art it is a common attribute of the Infant Saviour.

=Orca=, Gr. and R. (ὄρκη or ὕρχα). An earthenware vessel of large size, but smaller than the amphora; it was used for holding salted fish. The diminutive is _orcula_; the modern Italian _orcio_.

=Orchestra=, Gr. and R. (ὀρχήστρα, i. e. dancing-place). The lowest part of the Greek and Roman theatres; usually occupied by the chorus. It contained an altar, on which sacrifices to Bacchus were sometimes made.

=Orchestrino.= A modern musical instrument invented by Poulleau. It was shaped like a pianoforte with similar finger-keys, and the sounds were produced by the friction of a bow upon strings.

=Orchestrion.= A modern portable organ, invented by the Abbé Vogler about 1789. A similarly-named instrument invented in 1796 by Kunz, a Bohemian, consisted of a pianoforte combined with some organ-stops.

=Orcula.= Diminutive of _orca_.

=Order.= In classical architecture, a column entire; i. e. base, shaft, capital, and entablature. There are usually said to be five _orders_: the Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, and Composite.

=Orders of Knighthood.= (See KNIGHTHOOD.)

=Ordinary=, Her. An early principal charge of a simple character.

=Oread.= A mountain-nymph.

=Oreæ=, R. (_ora_, the mouth). A snaffle-bit for horses.

=Oreiller=, Her. A cushion or pillow.

=Oreillettes=, Fr. Ear-pieces on helmets; 15th and 16th centuries.

=Orfrays.= The gold, silver, or silk embroidery on rich garments, chiefly sacerdotal ornaments. The term has two derivations; some derive it from _aurum Phrygium_, because the Phrygians, who were excellent embroiderers, were considered to have invented the style; others take it to be from _aurum fractum_ (broken). In mediæval Latin the term for orfrays was _aurifrigia_, _aurifrisa_, _aurifrisus_, and _aurifrixus_.

=Organ.= Organs are said to have been first introduced into France, A. D. 289, from Greece. A large organ existed in Westminster Abbey in the 10th century. Portable organs called also REGALS were also common. The antique organs had no key-boards, which were introduced in the 11th century, simultaneously with the invention of the musical _stave_. (Cf. HYDRAULA.) The REGALS or portable organ is an attribute of St. Cecilia. (Fig. 510.)

=Organdi.= A kind of muslin.

=Organistrum=, O. E. A musical instrument, resembling the modern hurdy-gurdy, played by two persons, of whom one turned the handle, while the other played the keys.

=Organolyricon.= A musical instrument invented in Paris in 1810 by M. de St. Pern. It consists of a pianoforte with two rows of keys, and contains twelve different wind instruments, viz. three flutes, an oboe, a clarionet, a bassoon, horns, trumpet, and fife.

=Organzine.= Thrown silk of a very fine texture. (_S._)

=Orgies=, Gr. (ὄργια). Festivals of Bacchus at which all who were present were carried away by frenzy. The same term was also used to denote the festivals of Ceres and those of the CABIRI.

=Orgues=, Fr. Med. (1) Pieces of timber, pointed and shod with iron, hung like a portcullis over a gateway, to be let down in case of attack. (2) An arrangement of gun-barrels, the precursor of the mitrailleuse. (_S._)

=Orgyia= (from ὀρέγω, to extend). A Greek measure of length, representing the distance from end to end of the _outstretched_ arms, or the height of the human figure. It was equal to four cubits or six feet, and was one-hundredth of a stadium.

=Orichalcum= (from ὄρος and χαλκὸς, i. e. _mountain bronze_). A metallic compound, akin to copper and bronze, which was highly prized by the ancients. It was probably _brass_.

=Oriel= or =Oriole=, Chr. (_oriolum_, a little entrance). A projecting angular window, generally triangular or pentagonal in shape. A large bay or recessed window in a church or in an apartment. The word has been used in many senses, with the general meaning of a recess within or a projection from a building. A small oratory.

=Orientation=, Chr. The arrangement of a church by which a worshipper faces the _east_ at prayers.

=Oriflamme.= The ancient royal banner of France, coloured purple-azure and gold. It was split into five points, and sometimes bore upon it a _saltire_ wavy, from the centre of which golden rays diverged.

=Orillon=, Fr. A mass of earth lined with a wall on the shoulder of a bastion, for the protection of a gun.

=Orle.= (1) Arch. A fillet or listel placed beneath the ovolo of a capital. (2) In Heraldry, a subordinary formed of a border of a shield which is charged upon another and a larger shield. (3) The wreath or torse which encircled the crest, composed ordinarily of silk of two colours twisted together, and representing the principal metal and tincture in the wearer’s armorial bearings. (_Planché._)

=Orleans.= A cloth made of worsted and cotton.

=Orlo.= A Spanish musical instrument.

=Orlop-deck= of a ship. That over the hold, on which the cables are stowed.

=Ormolu=, Fr. (_or_, gold, and _moulu_, ground). 72·43 copper, 25·2 zinc, and 2·65 tin; used for cheap jewellery, &c. _Mosaic gold_, another name for such a metal, is composed of 65 copper and 35 zinc.

=Ormolu Varnish.= A copper, bronze, or imitation-gold varnish.

=Ornithon=, R. (ὀρνιθών). A poultry-yard or aviary.

=Orpharion=, O. E. A kind of lute. (_Halliwell._)

=Orpheon.= A musical instrument.

=Orphrey.= An old English word for gold embroidery, from the Latin _auriphrygium_. (See ORFRAYS.)

=Orpiment= (Lat. _auripigmentum_; Ang. _king’s yellow_). A yellow pigment of arsenic with sulphur, or, when the arsenic predominates, an orange colour. The finest native orpiment comes from Persia, and is called _golden orpiment_.

=Orpin=, O. E., contraction of =Orpiment=. Yellow arsenic.

=Orrery.= A machine for representing in a model the motions and relative positions of the heavenly bodies.

=Orrice= or =Orris=. A peculiar pattern in which gold or silver lace is worked. The edges are ornamented with conical figures, placed at equal distances, with spots between them.

=Orthostata=, Gr. (ὀρθόστατα, i. e. standing upright). (1) The facings of a wall, consisting of different materials from the internal part of it. (Fig. 512.) (2) An anta or pilaster.

=Orthron.= (See HOURS OF PRAYER.)

=Oscen=, _plur._ =Oscines=, R. (_os_, mouth, and _cano_, to predict). A bird or birds from whose singing it was possible to draw auguries.

=Oschophoria=, Gr. (ὀσχο-φόρια, i. e. vine-branch-bearing). Athenian vintage festivals, instituted in honour of Bacchus and Ariadne by Theseus, or according to other authorities, in honour of Dionysus and Athena, in which those who took part carried vine-boughs loaded with grapes. The festival was concluded by a race on the seashore from the temple of Bacchus to that of Minerva. The victor’s prize was a cup called PENTAPLOA, because it contained _five_ ingredients: wine, honey, cheese, meal, and oil.

=Oscillatio=, R. A swing. The Roman swings are represented having legs like a chair.

=Oscilla=, R. (dimin. of _os_, mouth or face). Small images or masks, generally of Bacchus, hung up in vineyards to ensure a good crop, and practically useful to scare off birds from the grapes.

=Osculare=, =Osculatorium=, Chr. (See PAX.)

=Ossarium= and =Ossuarium=, R. (_os_, a bone). A sarcophagus of earthenware, stone, or marble, in which the vessel containing the cremated ashes of the dead was placed.

=Ossature=, Arch. (from the Italian _ossatura_, skeleton). The skeleton or framework of a Gothic roof or a window. In the roof, the ossature comprises the nerves, the transverse or longitudinal arches, the diagonal rib, &c.; in a window, the iron framing.

=Osteau=, Arch. An old term used to denote the rose placed in the upper part of a mullioned window; it was also applied to a rosace and a medallion.

=Ostinati.= An Italian literary academy, whose device was a pyramid blown from all quarters by the winds, with the _obstinate_ motto, “_Frustra_” (in vain).

=Ostium=, R. A lobby inside the entrance door of a Roman house, deep enough to contain a small porter’s lodge on one side, and leading to an inner door which opened on the ATRIUM. The street door was called JANUA. (See DOMUS.)

=Ostrich Eggs=, Chr. The practice of suspending eggs of ostriches in churches was probably introduced from the East by Crusaders.

“In some churches two eggs of ostriches, and other things which cause
admiration, and which are rarely seen, are accustomed to be suspended:
that by their means the people may be drawn to church, and have their
minds the more affected.” (_Durandus on Symbolism._)

=Ostrum=, R. A purple colour used by the ancients, produced from the juice of the _murex_ fish.

=Othone=, Chr. (See STOLE.)

=Ottone=, It. Brass.

=Oubliettes=, Fr. Subterranean dungeons, into which prisoners were thrown to be _oubliés_ (forgotten). The side walls were in some cases armed with strong sharp blades, which cut the victims to pieces as they fell. It should be mentioned that in many cases cesspools have been mistaken for oubliettes.

=Ouch= or =Nouche=, O. E. An ornament of the brooch kind; a jewel. (Mod.) The setting of a precious stone.

=Oudenardes.= Tapestry landscapes first made at that place; called also “_tapisseries de verdure_.”

=Ourania=, Gr. (οὐρανια, i. e. in the air). A game at catch-ball.

=Outline=, which has no real existence in nature, is defined by Aristotle as πέρας στερεοῦ, “the boundary of solid form.” The only light and shade used in outlines is the greater lightness or darkness of the lines.

=Outré=, Fr. Exaggerated, fantastic, absurd.

=Oval= (Lat. _ovum_, an egg). The oval, formed of a continuous curve, differs from the ELLIPSE, which is equally broad at both ends, in having one end narrower than the other, and is sometimes called a false ellipse. _Ovals_ in windows, arches, and other parts of architecture exist, but are rare.

=Ovatio.= A lesser triumph distinguished from TRIUMPHUS. The general entered the city _on foot_, and dressed in the toga prætexta of a magistrate, attended only by musicians, and knights and plebeians; and the sacrifice by which the ceremony concluded was a _sheep_ (ovis) instead of a bull; hence the word _ovation_.

=Overstory=, Arch. The CLERESTORY.

=Overture= (Fr. _ouverture_, an opening; It. _sinfonia_). Instrumental music preceding an opera, &c.

=Ovile=, R. Literally, a _sheep-fold_, and thence an enclosure in the Campus Martius in which each century assembled before proceeding to place its votes (_tabellæ_) in the urn (_cista_). It was divided into compartments approached through narrow passages called _pontes_ of _ponticuli_. On entering, the citizens received their voting-tablets (_tabellæ_), and when they had consulted within the enclosure, they passed out by another _pons_, at which they threw their votes into the chest (_cista_).

=Ovolo=, Arch. (from the Latin _ovum_). (1) A convex moulding showing the quarter of a circle, and thence called quarter-round. (2) The echinus of the Doric capital. (3) An ornament composed of eggs, separated either by tongues (Fig. 277) or by darts (Fig. 514). (See ECHINUS.)

=Ovum=, =Egg=, R. Conical egg-shaped balls which were placed upon the _spina_ of a circus, on a stone table supported by four columns. (Fig. 515.) There was a second table at the other end of the _spina_, on which were placed small marble dolphins. _Ovum Orphicum_, or Orphic egg, was the mysterious symbol employed by Orpheus to denote the procreative principle with which the whole earth is pervaded. _Ovum anguinum_ was an oval ball of glass worn by the Druids round their neck; so named because, as was asserted, it was produced from the mingled saliva of two serpents (_angues_).

=Owl.= With the Athenians the owl was the emblem of prudence and wisdom; the bird of Athenê. In Christian art it symbolizes darkness and solitude, and hence unbelief.

=Ox.= In Christian art the attribute of St. Luke; the emblem of the priesthood and of sacrifice. In representations of the Nativity an ox and an ass are commonly introduced.

=Ox-gall.= The bile or bitter fluid secreted by the liver of the ox; when refined it is used in oil and water-colour painting to fix and thicken the colours. (See GALL.)

=Oxford Ochre.= An oxide of iron used as a pigment of a brownish yellow in oil and water-colours. (See OCHRE.)

=Oxide of Zinc.= A _white_ pigment which is more permanent in resisting gases than the white lead.

=Oxides of Copper.= The pigments derived from these were well known to the ancients. Modern pigments are _Blue Verditer_, _Brunswick Green_, _Verdigris_, and _Emerald_ or _Scheele’s Green_ (q.v.).

=Oxybaphoi=, Gr. Small cymbals in the shape of vinegar-saucers.

=Oxybaphon= (ὀξυβάφον). A Greek term applied to a bell-shaped vase with a plain foot and a moulded rim, synonymous with the Latin ACETABULUM (q.v.).

=Oyelet=, =Oylet=. (See OILLETS.)

=Oyer= and =Terminer=. Ancient law-French. The words mean _to hear and to determine_, and express the authority or commission given to an appointed court of justice.

P.

=Packfong= or =Pakfong=. A Chinese name for Argentine, or German silver.

=Pæan= (Gr. παιάν). A hymn to Apollo, of gratitude or propitiation. It was also used as a battle-song before and after an engagement.

=Pænula=, R. A thick cloak with a hole to put the head through; it was furnished with a hood, and was worn in travelling, or as a protection against cold and rain.

=Pagai=, Hind. A kind of short double oar, with broad ends resembling small scoops.

=Paganalia=, =Paganales=, R. A rustic festival which took place yearly towards the end of January or the beginning of February, seven days after the _Sementivæ_. It was the festival of villages (_pagi_) and of villagers (_pagani_), whence its name. Sacrifices were offered in honour of Proserpine, goddess of vegetation. As the old religion continued to prevail in the villages long after that of Christ was established in the towns, the words _pagan_ and unbeliever gradually became synonymous.

=Paganica= (sc. _pila_), R. A ball covered with leather and stuffed with feathers or down; it took its name from the peasants or country people (_pagani_), who used it for playing a game the nature of which is not known.

=Pagina=, R. (lit. a thing fastened). This term, when synonymous with _scheda_, signifies a page of paper, the page of a volume; or else it serves to denote one of the columns of writing which cover a sheet of paper.

=Pagoda=, Hind. (1) A religious building of the Hindoos. The great ancient pagodas of India are monolithic temples hewn out of rocky mountains; but the term is also applied to temples built in the open air. (2) Gold coins formerly current in India were called pagodas.

=Pagoda-stone.= A limestone containing tapering fossil shells shaped like a Chinese pagoda at the top.

=Pagodite.= A stone much used by the Chinese for carving into pagodas and other ornaments.

=Pagus=, R. Any lofty site in the country capable of being easily turned into a fortified post by means of a few siege works. The name was extended to the country surrounding a fortified village; and each of the country tribes was divided by Numa into a certain number of pagi.

=Paile.= An old term used to denote a striped cloth of floss silk manufactured at Alexandria in Egypt, and thence a mantle, canopy, or pavilion.

=Pala=, It. An altar front. The _Pala d’oro_ of St. Mark’s, Venice, is a celebrated specimen of Byzantine art. It is of silver-gilt ornamented with gems and enamels, with Greek and Latin inscriptions in niello, and representations from sacred and profane history. It was originally made at Constantinople in 976, but has been repaired in 1105, in 1209, and in 1345, by which it has lost much of its original character.

=Pala=, R. A spade, or scoop in the form of a spade, and thence the bezil of a ring.

=Palæstra= (παλαίστρα). A place for wrestling, formerly part of the gymnasium. (See GYMNASIUM.)

=Palanga.= (See PHALANGÆ.) Hence:—

=Palanquin.= A covered conveyance for one person, carried on the shoulders of men in India and China. They are often very splendidly carved, and decorated with tapestry, ornamental woods, and inlaid-work.

=Palaria=, R. An exercise practised by young Roman recruits, which consisted of hurling javelins (_pila_) against a stake (_palus_) fixed in the ground. (See PEL.)

=Palè=, Gr. (πάλη). A Greek term having the same meaning as LUCTA, LUCTAMEN, LUCTAMENTUM (q.v.).

=Pale=, Her. One of the ordinaries. =Palewise= or =In Pale=, arranged vertically one above the other, as the lions of England. (See PER.)

=Paleste=, Gr. (παλαιστὴ, i. e. palm of the hand). A lineal measure used by the Greeks equal to the quarter of a foot, or a little more than three inches. (See PALMUS.)

=Palette.= “Setting the palette” is arranging the colours for use. This is always done in a certain order regulated by the key in which the picture is to be painted. The order generally recommended is to begin with white, and then proceed through the yellows, reds, and blues to black. The Egyptians used palettes of a long rectangular form; one side higher than the other, had two or three saucers sunk in it to hold cakes of colour or ink; the other side was notched to receive the _calami_ or cut reeds used as writing-pens.

=Palettes= or =Roundels=, in Armour, are round plates or shields hung on the armour to defend the joints of the arm, necessarily left free for action.

=Palilia=, R. A festival in honour of Pales, the goddess of shepherds and flocks; it was held on the 21st of April.

=Palimpsest= (παλίμ-ψηστος, lit. scraped again). A parchment the writing on which had been erased, so that it might be used again. Monumental brasses are found to have been reversed and used a second time. In both cases the most ancient writing or inscription is generally the most valuable and interesting.

=Palindrome= (πάλιν, again, and δρόμος, a course). A sentence which reads the same when read backwards or forwards. Such is the Greek inscription on the ancient font in the chapel of Dulwich College: “νιψονανομημαμημονανοψιν.” “Purify the heart and not the countenance alone.”

=Palissy Ware.= The pieces to which Palissy owes his reputation, in the first place, are the so called “rustic pottery” (_rustiques figulines_), “dishes or vases where upon a rough ground strewn with fossil shells, lizards and salamanders are running, frogs jumping, snakes crawling or sleeping, or more still, in a streamlet of water wriggling eels, pointed-nosed pikes, trout with spotted scales, and a thousand others of our fresh-water fishes are swimming.” When afterwards he worked in the capital, he did not give up his rustic compositions, but mixed them with the human figure. “There is an identity of style in all his figures and compositions; such as the Diana, Plenty, &c., framed round with delicate and ingenious ornaments drawn in the taste of the period.” (_Jacquemart._)

=Paliurus.= A thorn-bush with long sharp spikes, common on the coasts of the Mediterranean, where it is called _Christ’s thorn_, because it is said to have furnished material of which the Crown of thorns was woven.

=Palla=, Gr. and R. A robe of state worn by patrician ladies, and frequently represented on statues of goddesses. _Palla citharœdica_ was the name given to a long robe which musicians wore upon the stage; Apollo is often represented with this garment, especially when he is surnamed _Citharœdus_ and _Musagetes_. _Palla Gallica_ was a short garment like a TABARD, open in front and behind; it was worn by the Gauls and adopted by the Romans, who called it CARACALLA (q.v.).

=Palla Corporalis=, Chr. The veil for the Pyx. (See CORPORAL.)

=Palladium.= (1) An image of Pallas Athenê, kept carefully hidden, and revered as the safeguard of the place where it lay. The most celebrated was the _Palladium_ of Troy, said to have been thrown from Olympus by the hand of Zeus. It was about three cubits high, and represented the goddess sitting with a spear in her right hand, and in her left a distaff and spindle. (2) The term has been applied to a metal discovered by Dr. Wollaston in 1803, obtained from platinum, which it resembles in colour and lustre.

=Pallium= (Gr. ἱμάτιον). A large square woollen sheet or blanket worn by the Greeks over the shoulders, and fastened like the ABOLLA round the neck with a brooch (_fibula_); it formed the principal article of the _amictus_ or Greek dress. (Hence the expression to _palliate_, or cloak over, an offence.) (2) Chr. A vestment bestowed by the Pope on all patriarchs and archbishops on their accession to office as the symbol of their ecclesiastical power. The material is obtained from the wool of two lambs slain on the Eve of St. Agnes. The modern pallium of the Church is a short white cloak ornamented with a red cross, which encircles the neck and shoulders, and falls down the back. The pall or pallium is a charge in the arms of the Sees of Canterbury, Armagh, and Dublin.

=Pall-mall.= The ancient form of the game of croquet, “wherein a round box bowle is with a mallet strucke through a high arch of yron standing at either end of an ally.” (_Cotgrave._) “This game is used at the long alley near St. James’s, and vulgarly called Pell-Mell.” (_Blount’s Glossary_, 1681.)

=Palm.= The ancient classical emblem of victory and triumph was early assumed by the Christians as the universal symbol of martyrdom. In England we understand by palm, not the leaves of a palm-tree, but “the yelowe that groweth on wyllowes.”

=Palm-leaf=, Arch. An architectural ornament bearing more or less resemblance to a palm-leaf, employed for mouldings, and for the decoration of the corners of the ceilings in Doric cornices; and in antefixæ, as crownings for the pediment and as acroteria. Figs. 516a and 516b represent palm-leaves of terra-cotta.

=Palmus=, Gr. and R. A measure of length. Of the Greek _palmus_ the greater (σπιθαμὴ) contained nine finger-breadths, and the less (παλαιστὴ) four. The greater Roman _palmus_ contained twelve finger-breadths or about nine inches, and the less four finger-breadths. The greater _palmus_ was taken from the length of the hand or span, the less from the breadth of it.

=Palstave=, Celt. A wedge-shaped axe used by the Celtic nations in war for battering the armour of the enemy. (See Fig. 255.)

=Paltock= (modern _paletôt_). “A short cloake with sleeves,” i. e. a great-coat.

=Paludamentum=, R. A military cloak worn over their armour by the generals and superior officers of the Roman army; an officer thus dressed was said to be _paludatus_. (See Fig. 44.)

=Palus=, R. (_pango_, to fix). A stake planted in the earth, against which recruits hurled their javelins (_pila_). The mediæval PEL (q.v.).

=Pam=, O. E. The knave of clubs. (HALLIWELL.)

=Pammachium= (παμμάχιον). A synonym for PANCRATIUM (q.v.).

=Panache=, Her. A plume of feathers set upright and borne as a crest. Fig. 517 is from the seal of Edward Courtenay, A. D. 1400.

=Panarium=, R. (_panis_, bread). A bread-basket; a pantry in which bread was kept.

=Panathenæa=, Gr. (Παναθήναια). Festivals of Minerva Athenê among the Athenians, so called because they formed the festival of all the peoples placed under the protection of Minerva (πᾶν, all, and Ἀθήνη). There were the Greater and Lesser Panathenæa; the former being held every five years, the latter every three years. The procession at the Greater festival is the subject of the friezes from the Parthenon now in the British Museum. (See ELGIN MARBLES.) They represent the solemn transportation of the _peplus_ of Athenê to her temple, in which nearly the whole of the population took part, on foot, on horseback, or in chariots. Old men carried olive-branches, young men attended in armour, and maidens carried baskets of flowers.

=Panaulon.= An enlarged German flute with sixteen finger-keys; invented recently by Trexler of Vienna. It is available as a bass to other flutes.

=Pancratium=, R. (from πάν every: and κράτος force). A wrestling and boxing match, in which the combatants employed every means to disable each other; and the contest was continued until one of the combatants owned himself disabled by holding up a finger, or was killed.

=Paned=, O. E. Striped.

=Paned Hose.= Breeches formed of stripes, with small panes or squares of silk or velvet. (_Halliwell._)

=Panegyris=, Egyp. (πανήγυρις). A popular festival of Egypt, to which the whole country was summoned in order to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the reigning monarch.

=Panels=, Arch. The sunken compartments in wood and stone-work; very abundant in Gothic architecture as ornaments on walls, ceilings, &c. After the expiration of Gothic architecture, panelling in great measure ceased to be used in stone-work.

=Panel Picture.= A painting on a board or panel.

=Panisci=, R. (Πανίσκοι, dimin. from Πάν). Literally, _small Pans_, small rustic gods no bigger than pigmies.

=Pannetier Green.= A handsome and durable emerald green, prepared by a secret process by its inventor, M. Pannetier. It is sold at a high price.

=Panoply= (πανοπλία). A complete suit of armour. (See ARMOUR.)

=Pantables= (for PANTOFLES). Slippers.

“Hee standeth upon his _pantables_, and regardeth greatly his
reputacion.” (_Saker’s Narbonus_, 1580.)

=Pantaloon.= From the Italian, _pianta leone_ (plant the lion); the Venetian standard-bearers (of the _lion_ of St. Mark) being so called, who wore tight hose, the name came to be given to tight hose in general. In ancient pantomimes, Pantaloon was always a Venetian. (See HARLEQUIN.)

=Pantaloons=, O. E. “Garments made for merry-andrews, that have the breeches and stockings of the same stuff, and joined together as one garment.” (_Halliwell._)

=Panthea=, Gen. (πάν-θεια). Statues or figures which combine the symbols of several divinities.

=Pantheon= (πᾶν, every, and θεὸς, god). A temple dedicated to all the divinities collectively. That at Rome is now a Christian church. It is circular, 150 feet in height and in diameter, with a domed roof.

=Pantherinæ=, R. Panther-tables; of wood striped like the skin of a panther. (See TIGRINÆ.)

=Pantobles=, =Pantoffles=, O. E. Slippers.

=Pantofles=, O. E. Slippers or wooden pattens.

=Pantograph.= An instrument for enlarging or reducing plans and designs, largely used in the arts, e. g. in machine embroidery.

=Pantomine= (παντὸς, of everything; μῖμος, mimic). Gesture and action applied, without speech, to represent emotion; hence applied to the form of theatrical performance which consists entirely or principally of gesture and action.

=Paper.= (See CHARTA.)

=Papier-maché=, Fr. Paper-pulp; made by compressing the pulp, or by pasting together different thicknesses of paper, to the hardness and consistency of wood. It is an invention of the 18th century, and originated in snuff-boxes called after their manufacturer “Martins.” The process has since been developed to great perfection by the invention of new varnishes and methods of ornament, the principal of which are gilding and bronzing, pearl and gem inlaying, &c. (See a paper by _R. Hunt_ in the _Art Journal_, 1851.)

=Papilio=, R. (lit. a butterfly). A military tent, so called because the curtains opened and shut like the wings of a butterfly.

=Papyrus.= The paper made of the papyrus plant, used by the Egyptians and other nations of antiquity. The _Papyrus rolls_ on which important relics of Egyptian literature and art have come down to us, were formed of a sheet of papyrus rolled on a slender wooden cylinder. They have mostly been discovered in mummy cases, and contain illustrations of funeral ceremonies and religious emblems relating to the future of the soul. Others are historical or literary, and some have been discovered containing caricatures and comic illustrations. (Cf. LIBER.)

=Parada=, Celt. A tent or awning stretched over the deck of a vessel, and thence a cabin hung with tapestry.

=Paradise= or =Parvise=, Chr. (1) A vestibule or courtyard in front of a church. The term must thus, at a certain period, have been synonymous with _narthex_ or porch. At the present day the term is applied to the open space to be found in front of cathedrals or public buildings. (2) The word is sometimes applied to the room that is often found above church porches. (See CLOISTER GARTH.)

=Paradisus= (παράδεισος). A Persian park or pleasure-garden, enclosed within a wall, elaborately planted and irrigated, and stocked with animals for the chase. Hence the Garden of Eden was so called.

=Paragauda=, =Paragaudis=, R. An embroidered band of silk or gold thread sewn on to a tunic.

=Paraison=, Fr. A term in glass, equivalent to the English METAL (q.v.).

=Paralus= (πάραλος). The name of an Athenian state vessel, kept, like that of the Doge of Venice in modern times, for state and religious ceremonies. A sister vessel was named the SALAMINIA; they were both fast-sailing triremes.

=Paramese=, Gr. (next to middle), or TRITE (third). The third treble note, immediately above the mese, of the seven-stringed lyre. (See MESE.)

=Paranete=, Gr. (beside the shortest). The second treble note of the seven-stringed lyre. (See MESE.)

=Parapet=, It. (_parare petto_, to defend the breast). A wall breast-high on a fortification, roof, or other gallery. (See CRENELS.)

=Paraphernalia= (from the Greek παράφερνα). That which a wife brings besides her dower; i. e. her personal attire and ornament.

=Parasang.= A Persian measure of distance, about 30 Greek stadia or 3¾ English miles.

=Paratorium.= (See OBLATIONARIUM.)

=Parazonium=, R. (παραζώνιον). A short sword or kind of dagger worn by the tribunes and superior officers of the Roman army attached to their belt on the right side. This sword was shorter than the _gladius_ worn by the common soldier on the right side.

=Parchment.= The finer kind of parchment known as _vellum_ is from the skins of calves, kids, and dead-born lambs. The stout parchment of drum-heads is from the skin of the wolf, although that of the ass or calf is sometimes used. The parchment of battledores is from the skin of the ass, and that used for sieves from the skin of the he-goat. The green parchment used in bookbinding is coloured by means of Verdigris. (See LIBER.) The name comes from the Latin Pergamentum. Eumenes, King of Pergamus, has the honour of the invention.

=Parentales=, =Parentalia=, R. Festivals, also called _Februales_, which were held by the Romans in honour of deceased ancestors.

=Pargetting=, =Parge-work=, O. E. In Architecture, an old term for the ornamental plasterwork common on the outside walls of timber-built houses of Queen Elizabeth’s and earlier periods.

=Parhypate=, Gr. (beside the longest). The second bass note of the seven-stringed lyre (See MESE.)

=Parian Chronicle.= A slab of Parian marble, among the so called ARUNDEL MARBLES in the University of Oxford, containing a chronological record of Greek history from B.C. 1582 to B.C. 264.

=Parian Marble= from the island of Paros was of extremely fine grain, easy to work, and of a creamy white. The marble _now_ called Parian has a coarse sparkling grain, which, however, takes a high finish. (_Redford_, _Ancient Sculpture_.)

=Paries=, R. The wall of a house or any building, in contradistinction to _murus_, _muri_, which denoted the walls of a city.

=Paris Black.= A name for IVORY BLACK (q.v.).

=Paris Blue.= A very handsome dark violet-blue pigment. “Its great qualities of body and intensity of coloration will always ensure it a large sale; moreover, its mixture with chrome yellow produces a fine _green cinnabar_ or _leaf-green_.” (_Habich._)

=Paris Lake.= (See CARMINATED LAKES.)

=Parlour= (Lat. _parlatorium_). (1) The old “speke-house” in a convent for inmates to speak with their friends. (2) Any private room.

=Parma=, R. (πάρμη). A shield, usually of circular form, carried in the Roman army by the light-armed troops or light infantry (_velites_) and the cavalry (_equites_). The _parma thracidica_ used by the class of gladiators called _Thraces_ was not round, but in the form of a small SCUTUM (q.v.).

=Parquet.= French flooring of inlaid wood-work.

=Parsley=, Arch. In every period, but especially in Romano-Byzantine and Gothic art, parsley-leaves have been abundantly made use of in architectural decoration.

=Parthenon.= The famous temple of Minerva in the Acropolis at Athens. The finest example of the GRECIAN DORIC style of architecture; built by Pheidias, 454–438 B.C. Fergusson says, “For beauty of detail, and for the exquisite perception of the highest and most recondite principles of art ever applied to architecture, it stands utterly and entirely alone and unrivalled—the glory of Greece.” (_Hist. of Architecture._) The celebrated frieze, 525 feet in length, ran all round the outer wall of the _cella_ close up to the ceiling. The best work on the Parthenon sculptures is by Michaelis (_Der Parthenon_, Leipzig, 1871). (See ELGIN MARBLES.)

=Partisan=, O. E. A kind of short pike, introduced _temp._ Edward III.

=Partlet=, O. E. A ruff. “A maydens neckerchefe or lynnen partlette.”

=Party=, =Parted=, Her. Divided. (See PER.)

=Parvise.= (See PARADISE.)

=Paschal Taper=, Chr. A large wax candle which was consecrated during the service on Easter Eve, and lighted on Sundays from Easter to Whitsuntide, with five grains of incense attached to it to indicate the five movable feasts of the year.

=Pasquinade=, It. A lampoon; so called from _Pasquino_, an Italian barber at Rome, whose door was opposite to the statue of a gladiator on which such satirical writings were posted.

=Passamen=, O. E. A kind of lace. (_Hall._)

=Passant=, Her. Walking and looking forward. _Passant guardant_, walking and looking out from the shield; _passant reguardant_, walking and looking back; _passant repassant_, walking in opposite directions. (Fig. 518, 519.)

=Passe-partout=, Fr. A light picture-frame of cardboard, having the inner edges generally gilt.

=Passementerie=, Fr. Trimming, lace, or tape of gold, silver, lace, or thread.

=Passion, Instruments of the=—a frequent subject in ecclesiastical decoration of the Middle Ages—are, the PITCHER from which Jesus poured water; the TOWEL—represented as hanging on a ring—wherewith He wiped the Apostles’ feet; the TWO SWORDS which they showed Him, when He said, “It is enough;” the EAR of Malchus; ST. PETER’S SWORD, represented as a small _falchion_; the POST to which the Saviour was bound; the SCOURGE; the CROWN OF THORNS; the REED wherewith He was smitten on the head; the CROSS; the LADDER; the NAILS; the SPEAR of Longinus, crossed by the REED with the SPONGE; the FIRE at which St. Peter warmed himself; the COCK; the PINCERS, and a HEART pierced with five wounds.

=Passus=, R. A pace, from the point where the heel leaves the ground, to where the same heel is set down; five Roman feet. _Mille passuum_, or a thousand such paces, formed the Roman mile.

=Pasta Verde=, It. Sap-green; a vegetable green pigment prepared from the berries of the buckthorn.

=Pastel.= The French name for coloured crayons. Pastel-painting was much used for portraits in the beginning of the 19th century.

=Pasticcio=, It. An imitation of the style of another painter in an independent design.

=Pastophori=, Gr. and Egyp. (παστο-φόροι). Priests who, at certain ceremonies, carried small shrines (ναὸς) containing the image of a deity, which were hidden from the eyes of the crowd by a veil of different colours called παστὸς, whence παστὸν φέρειν (to carry the _pastos_), the term applied to the priests who performed this duty. The keepers of the temple were also so called.

=Pastophoria=, Chr. Small apses flanking the principal apse in a basilica, in which the consecrated bread was kept.

=Pastoral Staff=, Chr. The _pedum_ of antiquity and emblem of a bishop’s pastoral responsibility is distinct from the CROZIER (q.v.) of an archbishop, and has a crook head.

=Pastouraux=, Cubical stones, usually of two colours, applied in the ornamentation of Romano-Byzantine architecture.

=Patagium=, R. A band of purple, or with gold ornaments or embroidery, which was placed round the neck and down the front of a woman’s tunic (_tunica muliebris_).

=Patee= or =Pattee=, Her. A small cross with the arms widening towards the ends.

=Patella.= Diminutive of PATERA (q.v.).

=Patena=, R. and Chr. A manger of wood, stone, or marble for holding food for horses; when it was divided into several compartments, these were called _loculi_. (See LOCULUS.) In Christian archæology, _patena_ was the term applied to a small plate of gold or silver, used in the celebration of mass to cover over the chalice, and to hold the pieces of the host after it has been broken by the priest.

=Patent Yellow.= (See TURNER’S YELLOW.)

=Patera=, dimin. =Patella= (φιάλη). Flat plates or dishes for holding fluids for domestic use, and wine for libations in the sacrifices. The common kinds were of red earthenware, ornamented with designs in black. Others were of bronze or silver, often richly decorated with chasing, &c. (Compare PATINA.) In Architecture, a great variety of flat ornaments used in all styles of architecture are improperly called _pateræ_, the word applying properly to circular ornaments resembling the classical dish often found on friezes of classical architecture. (Fig. 521, 522.)

=Paternosters= or =Bead-ornament=. (1) A rosary. (2) Architectural ornaments in the form of berries or beads (Fig. 523), which decorate bands or other mouldings, and which often occur above ovolos.

=Patibulum=, R. An instrument of punishment in the form of a fork (_furca_), between the prongs of which the criminal’s neck was placed. His hands were fastened to the prongs of the fork, and in this condition (_patibulatus_) he was flogged through the city. The name of _patibulum_, or _crux patibularia_, was also given to a cross to which criminals were nailed.

=Patina.= The rust of antiquity found on bronzes and coins; it cannot be removed by rubbing or wetting it. It varies with the nature of the soil, and in some cases the surface acquires the smoothness and colour of malachite.

=Patina=, R. An earthenware vessel, used generally for cookery. It was deeper than the _patera_, but less deep than the _olla_.

=Patonce=, Her. A variety of the heraldic cross.

=Patriarchal=, Her. A variety of the heraldic cross, with a short cross-bar on the upper limb.

=Patrick, Order of St.=, indicated by the letters K.P., was instituted by George III. in 1783. The badge or jewel is of gold enamelled and oval in form, and is worn suspended from a collar formed of alternate roses and harps, or from a broad sky-blue ribbon.

=Patten=, Fr. (1) A woman’s clog. (2) The base of a column.

=Patulous.= Spreading.

=Paul Veronese Green.= An _arsenite_ or _arseniate of copper_. A fine and durable colour, used either for oil or water-colour painting. (See EMERALD GREEN.)

=Pavilion=, Arch. A projecting apartment, usually with a dome or turret.

=Pavimentum=, R. A pavement formed by means of pieces of tile, crushed stones, flints, and other materials set in a bed of ashes or cement, and consolidated by beating down with the rammer (_pavicula_), whence its name of _pavimentum_. There were various kinds of pavimenta: the sectile (Figs. 525, 526), the _tessellatum_ or _tesseris structum_, the _vermiculatum_, the _sculpturatum_, and the _testaceum_, &c.

=Pavo.= (See PEACOCK.)

=Pavonaceum= (sc. _opus_), R. An arrangement of materials placed so as to overlap one another, and bearing more or less resemblance to the feathers in a peacock’s tail.

=Pavonine.= Coloured like a peacock’s tail.

=Pax=, =Paxboard=, Chr. A representation of the Crucifixion upon a piece of wood or metal, with a handle at the back. It was kissed by the priest in the mass at the words “_Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum_,” and afterwards passed round to be kissed by the congregation. It was also spelt _Paxbrede_. Also called OSCULATORIUM.

=Peach-stone Black=, prepared from calcined stones of fruits, is a handsome colour, but has a reddish tinge. Ground with oil and white lead, the colour called _old gray_ is obtained.

=Peacock=, R. and Chr. In antiquity the peacock was sacred to Juno, and is called _Junonia avis_. It is represented on Roman imperial coins bearing the empresses up to heaven, as the eagle does the emperors; and hence in Christian archæology is the symbol of the resurrection. (Her., see Fig. 398, IN PRIDE.)

=Pea-green.= (See CHRYSOCOLLA.)

=Pean=, Her. One of the furs; represented in gold spots on a black ground.

=Pean= or =Pæan=. A song or shout of triumph.

=Pearl.= A secretion of the mollusc; in its normal development a thickening of the shell, which supplies _mother-of-pearl_; abnormally, forming globules for the purpose of encysting foreign substances intruded within the shell, which are the precious pearls used in jewellery.

=Pearl=, in Chinese the emblem of _talent_, is put by the Chinese on porcelains destined for rewards of poets and other _laureati_ in China.

=Pebble.= A name given by lapidaries to many different stones.

=Pechblende= or =Pech-urane=, Germ. An ore of uranium and iron, used in porcelain painting and glass, producing a handsome greenish-yellow pigment.

=Pecten=, Egyp. and R. (_pecto_, to comb). (1) A comb for the hair; among the Egyptians and Romans they were made of box-wood or ivory. (See COMB.) (2) A weaver’s comb for pressing the threads of the web firmly together. (3) A comb for carding flax or wool. (4) A reaper’s “comb,” used in several countries, especially Gaul, instead of a sickle, for plucking the ears of wheat from the stalk. (5) A haymaker’s rake, &c.

=Pectinated.= Having teeth like a comb.

=Pectoral=, Gen. (_pectus_, the breast). A plate forming the front of a cuirass, and thus covering the chest.

=Peculium=, R. Property or earnings which a slave or a _filius familias_ was permitted to acquire and consider as his own, although in strict law it belonged to the master or father. The slave was sometimes allowed by agreement to use this peculium for the purpose of purchasing his liberty.

=Pecunia=, R. Money; so called from _pecus_, a herd of cattle, Man’s primitive medium of exchange.

=Pedal.= In Music, a passage where the harmony moves upon a sustained sound, which is either the dominant or the tonic of the key.

=Pede-cloth=, Chr. A carpet laid on the space between the altar and the rails.

=Pedestal=, Gen. The base of a structure; the base supporting a statue, group, or monumental column. A pedestal has three parts: the _base_ or _foot_ next the ground, the _dado_ or _die_ forming the centre, and the _cornice_ or _surbase_ mouldings at the top. Fig. 527 represents a half-section of the base of Trajan’s column at Rome; Fig. 528 a half-section of the base of the column dedicated to Antoninus Pius, and preserved in the Pio Clementino Museum at Rome; lastly, Fig. 529 gives a part of the pedestal or base of the Pandrosium at Athens; when, however, pedestals support caryatides or columns, they are more commonly called STYLOBATES (q.v.).

=Pedica=, R. (1) A snare by which an animal is caught by the foot (_pes_). (2) Fetters or irons worn on the feet by slaves.

=Pediculated=, Arch. Sustained or supported by a PEDICULE (q.v.).

=Pedicule=, Arch. A small pillar which serves as a support to anything; whence the expressions _monopediculated_ (with a single pedicule) (Fig. 387), and _polypediculated_ (with several pedicules).

=Pediluvium.= (See ABLUTIONS.)

=Pediment=, Arch. The triangular crowning of a portico, usually supported by a row of columns. (Fig. 26.) The temples of antiquity generally had two pediments, one on each face. The inner part of the pediment is called the TYMPANUM (q.v.).

=Pedum=, Gen. (_pes_, a foot). A shepherd’s crook, or curved stick for catching goats or sheep by the leg. Fauns and satyrs are often represented carrying the pastoral crook, and it is the attribute of Thalia, as the muse of pastoral poetry. (See under PEPLUM.) In Egyptian archæology it is a symbol of authority, and is frequently to be seen in the hands of Osiris and the Pharaohs; the Egyptian term for it is _hyq_. (Cf. HYCSOS.) In early Christian art it is an attribute of Our Lord as the _Good Shepherd_. Representations of the pedum are of frequent occurrence in the catacomb paintings. (See PASTORAL STAFF.)

=Pegasus.= A horse with wings; emblem of fame, eloquence, poetic study, and contemplation. A bronze medal of Cardinal Bembo, the great Italian author of the 16th century, in the Museum at South Kensington, shows his device given above. (Fig. 530.)

=Pegma=, R. (πῆγμα, i. e. a thing fastened). (1) This term denotes generally anything made of a number of boards joined together. (2) In a more restricted sense it means a theatrical machine of several stages (_tabulata_), one above the other, which could be raised or lowered by balance weights. On such stages gladiators called _pegmares_ fought in the amphitheatres, and battles and other scenes were represented. When they were used in sacrifices, the victim was slaughtered in an upper stage and the priest stood in one under the ground, and was afterwards brought up to be shown to the people with the blood of the victim upon him. In theatres similar _pegmata_ were employed for the purpose of changing the scenery. (3) Lastly the term was used to denote any kind of wooden furniture or joinery in a house, such as shelves, side-boards, bookcases, &c.

=Pegola=, It. Greek pitch; boiled resin for varnishes.

=Pel=, O. E. (Lat. _palus_). A post, six feet in height, set firmly in the ground, to be hewn at with sword or mace for exercise. The weapons were double the ordinary weight, and the swordsman had to cover himself from imaginary blows in return with a shield, called a _fan_, also of double weight. (See QUINTAIN.) (Consult _Meyrick_, vol. i. 145.) The pel was in the same way set up as a mark to throw spears at, and for archery practice.

=Pelecinon=, Gr. A sun-dial so called because it ended in a “dove-tail” (πελεκῖνος).

=Pelican= tearing open her breast to feed her young with her own blood was an early symbol of the Redemption and of the virtue of Charity. As a device it was borne by William of Orange, with the appropriate motto “_Pro lege, grege et rege_” (for the law, the people, and the king); a slight modification of that of Alphonso the Wise. (Fig. 531.) It is described in Heraldry as “_a pelican in its piety_.”

=Pelisse= (from _pellis_, a skin). A robe made of fur.

=Pellet=, Her. A black ROUNDLE.

=Pellicatus=, R. (_pellis_, a skin). Literally, covered with _skin_. The term was specially applied to earthenware vessels which were covered over with skin in order to keep the provisions they held fresh.

=Pellitus=, R. (_pellis_, skin). Clothed by means of skins; dressed in furs.

=Pelluvia=, =Pelluvium=, R. (_pes_, a foot, and _luo_, to wash). A basin in which the feet were washed, in contradistinction to the vessel called _malluvium_.

=Pelta=, Gr. (πέλτη). A small shield made of some light material, such as wood or wicker-work, and covered with leather. In shape it was sometimes elliptical, but more often cut away at the top, so that at that part it resembled a crescent. (Compare CLIPEUS.)

=Pelvis=, R. A general term used in ancient times to denote any kind of circular-shaped vessel. The term corresponded to the Greek πελίκα.

=Penates= (_penus_, food). Household gods who were believed by the ancients to be the bestowers of all the worldly blessings enjoyed by a family.

=Pencil.= A collection of rays of light converging to a point is so called.

=Pendant.= In Heraldry, drooping.

=Pendant Key-stone.= A synonym of PENDENTIVE. (See this word and FURCA.)

=Pendants=, Arch. Ornaments hanging down from the ceilings and roofs of Gothic architecture. Generally, a pair of pictures or statues appropriate to each other are called _pendant_ each of the other.

=Pendentives=, Arch. In a spherical roof intersected with groined compartments, the term _pendentives_ was applied to the surfaces included between such compartments. The same term is applied to the surfaces included in the angles formed by a groined vaulting at its spring.

=Penetrale=, R. An inner apartment. (Cf. ADYTUM.)

=Penicillum=, =Penicillus=, R. (_penis_, a tail). (Gr. ὑπογραφίς.) A painter’s pencil or brush. The brushes of the ancients were made either with hair or a kind of sea-weed or sponge.

=Peniculus.= Synonym of PENICILLUM.

=Penna=, R. A quill, a large and strong feather, in contradistinction to _pluma_, which denotes the small feathers spread over a bird’s body; and thence a writing-pen, which was used instead of the _arundo_ or _calamus_.

=Penna=, Med. During the Middle Ages this term was used to denote the battlements of a castle wall, and thence the castle itself.

=Pennon=, Her. An armorial lance-flag, pointed or swallow-tailed at the fly, borne by knights.

=Pentachord.= Any musical instrument having five strings; a system of five sounds.

=Pentacle= (It. _pentacolo_). A talisman; a figure formed of two triangles, intersecting so as to form a six-pointed star. A frequent object in early ornamental art.

=Pentagon.= A figure of five sides and five angles.

=Pentagraph.= A mechanism contrived to facilitate the copying of drawings on a different scale, invented by Christopher Scheiner, a Suabian Jesuit, in the 16th century.

=Pentahedron.= A solid figure having five equal sides.

=Pentalpha.= The pentacle was so called.

“A star of five points, composed of five A’s interlaced, was formerly
made by physicians the symbol of health, under the name of Pentalpha.”
(_Menestrier._)

=Pentaptych.= An altar painting of five or more leaves. (See DIPTYCH.)

=Pentaspastos=, Gr. (παντά-σπαστος). A kind of pulley, the _block_ of which contains a system of five pulleys (_orbiculi_). This engine was employed to lift great weights.

=Pentastyle=, Arch. A portico of five columns.

=Pentathlon=, Gr. Greek games similar to the QUINQUERTIUM (q.v.) of the Romans, frequently represented on ancient vases.

=Pentelic Marble= from a mountain of that name near Athens, of which the Parthenon and other temples are built, has a beautiful _warm_ yellowish tone, comparable to ivory. All the Athenian statues are of this marble.

=Penteloris.= (See PARAGAUDA.)

=Pent-roof=, Arch. A roof sloping only from one side; hence a _pent-house_ for a house or shed covered by such a roof.

=Penula.= (See PÆNULA.)

=Penumbra= (Lat. _pene_, almost, and _umbra_, shade). The part of a picture where the light and shade blend together.

=Peperino=, It. (_pepe_, pepper). A pepper-coloured building stone much used in the construction of ancient Rome, formerly called _Lapis Albanus_.

=Peplum= and =Peplus=, Gr. (πέπλον and πέπλος). The robe peculiarly proper to Minerva. (See PANATHENÆA.) A large full robe or shawl worn by women, corresponding to the _himation_ or _pallium_ of the men. On occasions of funerals or weddings this shawl was thrown over the head as a veil. The choicest productions of the loom in antiquity were _pepli_; and the most splendid dyes, and curious workmanship, and skilful designs were lavished upon their manufacture. They were a common form of offering to the treasures of the temples. A fine statue in the British Museum represents the Muse Thalia wearing the _peplos_ and _chiton_, and holding the pastoral _pedum_ in her hand. (Fig. 533.)