Chapter M (4)

=Per=, Her. In blazoning the divisions of a shield the term “_per_,” signifying “by” or “by means of,” is employed sometimes alone, and sometimes (having the same signification) with the word “party” or “parted.” The following are the primary divisions of a shield:—Fig. _a_, _Per Pale_, or _Parted per Pale_, or _Party per Pale_; Fig. _b_, _Per Fesse_ or _Parted per Fesse_; Fig. _c_, _Per Cross_ or _Quarterly_ (_Per Pale_ and _Per Fesse_ together); Fig. _d_, _Per Bend_; Fig. _e_, _Per Bend Sinister_; Fig. _f_, _Per Saltire_ (_Per Bend_ and _Per Bend Sinister_); Fig. _g_, _Per Chevron_; Fig. _h_, _Per Tierce_ or _Tiercée_ (divided into three equal divisions by two vertical lines). (_Boutell._)

=Pera=, R. (πήρα). A wallet or haversack of leather or hide, which was carried, slung over the shoulder, by travellers, peasants, and beggars. The Cynic philosophers, anticipating the fraternity of the GUEUX, adopted the wallet as a distinctive part of their costume.

=Pergula=, R. (_pergere_, to continue on). Generally, any construction added to another beyond the original plan, generally in the way of a lean-to; e. g. a balcony built over the colonnades of a forum, or a gallery placed on a house-top; a room in which paintings were exhibited; a lecture-room, &c.

=Periactos=, R. (περί-ακτος, i. e. that turns round). A theatrical machine used by the ancients; it was of very simple construction, being formed of three frames arranged so as to form a triangular prism, on each face of which a different scene was painted. At each side of the stage there was a _periactos_ which turned on pivots as required, so as to admit of a rapid change of scene.

=Periapts=, O. E. Charms worn about the neck. (_Shakspeare._)

=Peribolê=, Gr. and R. (περιβολὴ, an enclosing). The sacred enclosure of a temple, which was in some instances of sufficient size to contain not only altars and statues of the god, but shrines and a sacred wood. In Christian architecture the word was used for the wall of enclosure of the choir, &c.

=Peridot=, Fr. A yellow gem supposed to be the _topaz_ of the ancients.

=Peridromê=, Gr. and R. (περι-δρομὴ, a running round). A gallery or covered promenade which ran round a temple or other building.

=Perigee.= Near the earth; _figuratively_ “at its lowest.”

=Perihelion.= Near the sun; _figuratively_ “at its highest.”

=Perimeter.= The outline of a rectilinear figure.

=Peripatetics.= Disciples of Aristotle, who _walked about_ during his lectures in the Lyceum at Athens.

=Peripetasma= (περι-πέτασμα). A general term including anything that is flat and hung up or spread out, such as a covering, tapestry, hangings, curtains, &c.

=Periphery=, Gr. and R. (περι-φέρεια). (1) The circumference of a curvilinear figure. (2) Ornaments in relief executed on the sides of vases, _running round_ them. (See CRUSTÆ.)

=Periptery=, Arch, (περί-πτερος, lit. with wings around). A building surrounded by columns at equal distances one from the other; the distance between the wall of enclosure and the colonnade being equal to that between the columns. _Peripteral temples_ are distinguished as _monopteral_, or those with a single row of columns; _dipteral_, those with two rows; _pseudo-dipteral_, or buildings with one row of columns standing apart and one embedded; lastly, _pseudo-peripteral_ (Fig. 535), or buildings whose columns are embedded in the wall.

=Periscelis=, Gr. (περι-σκελίς). (1) An anklet worn by Oriental and Greek women, and less frequently by Roman ladies also. (2) The word is sometimes used for _feminalia_ (q.v.).

=Peristerium=, Chr. A kind of canopy surrounding the sacred vessels containing the host. The eucharistic doves are called _peristera_.

=Peristroma=, R. (περί-στρωμα). In general, anything used as a covering, in especial that which is spread over a bed, and thence curtains, carpets, or hangings.

=Peristyle=, Arch. (περί-στυλον). A building the _interior_ of which is surrounded with columns, the opposite of PERIPTEROS; a building may, however, be peripteral and yet possess a peristyle. The term is also a Greek name for the ATRIUM.

=Perivalium=, Med. A Latin word used in the Middle Ages to denote the choir of a church, or the stalls of the choir.

=Permanent White.= (See CONSTANT WHITE.)

=Pero=, R. A tall boot reaching to the calf, made of untanned leather with the fur on, worn by shepherds and agricultural labourers, and still common in Italian villages.

=Perogue.= (See PIROGUE.)

=Perpend-stone=, Arch. A large stone reaching through the wall, visible on both sides.

=Perpendicular Style of Architecture.= The third and last of the pointed or Gothic styles of architecture used in England. It was developed from the Decorated during the latter part of the 14th century, and continued in use till the middle of the 16th, when it gave way to the style called ELIZABETHAN. It is peculiar to England. Its chief characteristics are a general prevalence of perpendicular lines, panelling of flat surfaces, and the multiplicity of small shafts with which the piers, &c., are overlaid.

=Perron=, Arch. A staircase, or flight of steps, outside a building.

=Perse=, Fr. Chintz.

=Persian.= A thin inferior _silk_ used for lining garments.

=Persian Blinds= (Fr. _Persiennes_). Venetian blinds.

=Persian Pottery.= The illustrations (from Jacquemart’s _History of the Ceramic Art_) are (Fig. 536) a bowl of soft porcelain, blue externally and decorated with abundant vegetation and fantastic birds with peacocks’ tails; (Fig. 537) a flask, also of soft porcelain, characterized by a blackish-blue scroll encircling the principal subject; and (Fig. 538) a faience tile which M. Jacquemart considers pure Mohammedan art, is very interesting for the subject that it represents—the caaba or sacred mosque of Mecca, the object of the Mohammedan pilgrimage. (Consult _Souvenir d’un voyage en Perse_, _Comte de Rochchouart_.)

=Persian Red.= (See INDIAN RED.)

=Persiana=, It. (1) A silk with a pattern of large flowers. (2) Venetian blinds; Persiennes.

=Persians=, Gr. and R. (περσικά). Columns the shafts of which consist of figures of Persian slaves; they are also known as _Persian columns_.

=Persona=, Gr. and R. A mask worn by actors upon the stage; there were _personæ tragicæ_, _comicæ_ (Fig. 539), _mutæ_, &c., that is, masks for tragic, comic, or mute persons, &c. The custom is attributed to that of smearing the face with certain juices and colours, and appearing in disguise at the festivals of Dionysus; and is probably as old as the drama itself.

=Perspective.= The art of representing on a flat surface the appearance of objects from one given point of view. _Linear perspective_ is the science by which the principles of geometry are applied in this art. (See AERIAL and ISOMETRICAL PERSPECTIVE.)

=Pertica=, R. A rod, pole, or stick; a foot, or measure of length divided into twelve inches (_unciæ_) and sixteen fingers (_digiti_).

=Perticæ=, Chr. In mediæval architecture, beams behind the altar in a church, from which relics were suspended on days of festival.

=Peruque.= (See WIGS.)

=Peruvian Architecture.= The Peruvian temples and palaces were generally low and spacious, constructed of great blocks of stone often 38 feet by 18 and 6 feet in thickness. The interiors were richly ornamented, the sides of the apartments being thickly studded with gold and silver. Niches in the walls were filled with images of plants and animals, also of the precious metals. The Western wall of the temple was placed to receive the first rays of the rising sun upon a statue of the god engraved on a plate of gold and thickly studded with emeralds and precious stones.

=Pes=, R. A foot; the standard measure of length, composed of 12 _unciæ_ or _inches_, or 16 _digiti_, _finger-breadths_. It equalled 11·6496 inches English.

=Pesante=, It. A weight = half a drachm.

=Pesaro Ware.= The particular characteristic of the mother-of-pearl majolica of Pesaro is a pale, limpid yellow, associated with a pure blue; under the effect of luminous rays these colours become animated and shoot out in pencils of red, golden yellow, green, and blue of remarkable intensity. (_Jacquemart._) (Fig. 540.)

=Peseta=, Sp. A silver coin, about the fourth of a Mexican dollar; about 10½_d._

=Pesillo=, It. Small scales used for weighing gold and silver, and gems.

=Pessi= (Gr. πεσσοί). Draughts. (See LATRUNCULI.)

=Pessulus=, R. A bolt for a door.

=Petasus=, Gr. and R. (πέτασος, i. e. that which spreads out). (1) A soft felt hat with broad brim. (2) The winged cap of Mercury. Most of the horsemen in the Panathenaic procession (see ELGIN MARBLES) wear the petasus. In Greek art it is a conventional sign of a traveller. (Compare PILEUS.)

=Petaurum=, R. (πέταυρον, lit. a perch for fowls). A machine employed in the Roman games; probably a fixed “see-saw.”

=Peter-boat=, O. E. A river _fisherman’s_ wherry.

=Petit Canon=, Fr. A kind of printing-type; _two-line_ in English.

=Petit Gris=, Fr. Minever fur. (See VAIR.)

=Petit Texte=, Fr. A kind of printing-type; _brevier_.

=Petoritum=, R. An open four-wheeled carriage, a kind of cart used for conveying slaves. Its Gallic origin is indicated by the etymology of the word, viz. _petoer_, four, and _rit_, a wheel.

=Petronel= (Fr. _poictrinal_). A piece of artillery or fire-arm, used in the 16th century, which was afterwards converted into a clumsy gun called a _blunderbuss_. It was the medium between the arquebus and the pistol.

=Petunse=, Chinese. A fine clay used for porcelain; a kind of kaolin.

=Peulvan=, Celt. (See MENHIR.)

=Pewter.= An alloy of 100 parts of tin to 17 of antimony; or 89 tin, 7 antimony, and 2 copper. Tin and zinc, and lead and tin, are sometimes used to make pewter. The ancient guild of the Pewterers’ Company have their hall in Lime Street.

=Phæcasia=, Gr. and R. (φαικάσιον). White shoes worn by different classes among the Greeks and Romans, but more especially by the priests and gymnasiarchs.

=Phalæ= or =Falæ=, R. Wooden towers which were erected temporarily in a circus for the display of sham fights and captures of cities. (Compare PEGMA.)

=Phalangæ=, =Palangæ=, R. (φάλαγξ). A pole employed for carrying purposes. Two men took the ends of this pole upon the shoulders, the burden being suspended from it in the middle. The same term was also applied to the rollers placed beneath objects whose weight rendered them difficult to move. The persons who made use of _phalangæ_ for carrying anything were called _phalangarii_.

=Phalanx=, Gr. A close compact mass of infantry soldiers drawn up in files, usually eight deep. The Theban phalanx was twenty-five in depth.

=Phalarica.= (See FALARICA.)

=Phaleræ=, R. (φάλαρα). Medals of gold, silver, or bronze (Fig. 541), worn upon the breast as a military decoration, and frequently displayed on the harness of the horses.

=Phannel=, O. E. (See FANON.)

=Phantasmagoria.= Literally, a procession of images. A name applied especially to dissolving views shown by the alternate use of each of two magic lanterns.

=Pharetra=, Gr. and R. (φαρέτρα). A quiver. This was made of hide or leather, often richly ornamented with gold, painting, or braiding. It had a lid, and hung, from a belt over the right shoulder, on the left hip. (See CORYTUS, QUIVERS.)

=Pharos=, =Pharus=, Gr. and R. (φάρος). A lighthouse; the name was derived from that which Ptolemy Philadelphus erected in the island of Pharos, at the entrance to the harbour of Alexandria, in Egypt.

=Phaselus=, Egyp. (φάσηλος). A light Egyptian boat, long and narrow in shape, and made of very slight materials, such as osier, papyrus, and terra-cotta; it derived its name from the resemblance it bore to the pod of a bean (φάσηλος).

=Phaskon=, Gr. A vessel of a flattened ovoid form, with a long spout, and a handle at the top, like the askos.

=Phenakistoscope= (φενακιστικὸς, deceptive, and σκοπέω, to view), or =Spectroscope=. A toy for illustrating the duration of impressions on the retina of the eye. (See SPECTRA.)

=Phenicine.= An indigo purple pigment.

=Pheon=, Her. A pointed spear-head borne with the point in base. (_Boutell._) “The _peon_, or _pheon_, was a barbed javelin; the heads of these are still heraldic bearings, and from their figure, we find the barbs _escalloped_, or _invecked_ as the heralds term it, aside.” (_Meyrick._)

=Pheretrum.= (See FERETRUM.)

=Phiala=, =Phialê=, Gr. (φιάλη). The Greek term synonymous with the Latin PATERA. But _Jacquemart_ says, “Quant à la phiale, sorte de _petite bouteille_ qui nous a donné le mot _fiole_; elle figure assez souvent dans les mains des divinités.”

=Phigalian Marbles.= Friezes in the Hellenic room of the British Museum, from a temple to Apollo Epicurius, near the ancient Phigalia in Arcadia. There are twenty-three slabs in high relief, eleven representing the battle between the Centaurs and the Lapithæ, and the rest the contest of the Greeks and Amazons. They are attributed to the same period as the Parthenon, but are considered inferior in style and workmanship. (Fig. 544.)

=Philactery.= (See PHYLACTERY.)

=Philomel.= Poetical for the nightingale.

=Philyra= and =Philura=, Gr. (φιλύρα). Strips of papyrus used for making a sheet of writing-paper; ten or twelve strips of papyrus were first glued together lengthwise, and at the back of these a sufficient number of strips were fastened crosswise to double the thickness of the surface so obtained.

=Phimus=, Gr. (φιμός). A Greek term synonymous with FRITILLUS (q.v.).

=Phiolæ Rubricatæ.= (See SANGUINOLENTA.)

=Phœnix=, Chr. In Christian archæology the phœnix, which is consumed by concentrating the sun’s rays in its body, and immediately rises again from its ashes, represents the mystery of the resurrection after death. In this sense it was adopted frequently as a device by ecclesiastics. (See BENNOU.) In blazon it is always represented as issuant from flames. (Fig. 545.)

=Phorminx=, Gr. (φόρμιγξ). Homer’s epithet for the ancient _lyre_. It was a large lyre, and resembled the _cithara_ of later times, or the modern guitar. It was used at an early period singly, or for accompanying recitations.

=Photogalvanography.= An art invented by Mr. Paul Pretsch, of Vienna, for printing from photographs by the medium of gutta percha. For a description of the process, see the _Manual of Photography_, 5th edition, pp. 269, 270.

=Photoglyphic Engraving.= An invention of Mr. Fox Talbot (1858) for engraving on metal plates by the action of light. (See _Photographic Journal_, vol. v. p. 58.)

=Photography.= A great many processes of producing pictures by the action of the sun’s rays upon a sensitive surface are included under this general term, such as the Daguerreotype, the Talbotype, &c. [Consult in the first instance _R. Hunt’s Manual of Photography_, from which reference can be taken to other authorities.]

=Photolithography.= The art of preparing lithographic stones for printing from, by the medium of photography.

=Photometallography.= A process of etching on metal plates, by the action of light, invented by Mr. C. J. Burnett (1858). (See _Photographic Journal_, vol. v. p. 97.)

=Photometer.= An instrument for measuring the _intensity_ of light.

=Phototype.= A plate, like an engraved plate, produced from a photograph, for printing from.

=Photozincography.= The art of preparing zinc plates for printing from, by the medium of photography.

=Phrase.= In Music, a passage of melody or harmony containing a musical idea, more or less complete in respect of cadence.

=Phrygian.= Applied to music of a lively kind. (Cf. LYDIAN.)

=Phrygian Work=, O. E. Embroidery. (See ORFRAYS.)

=Phrygianum= (opus). A name given to all fine embroidery by the Romans, at a period when the work of the Phrygian women was most perfect.

=Phrygio=, R. A Phrygian, or embroiderer, because the inhabitants of Phrygia had the reputation of being excellent embroiderers.

=Phylactery=, Gen. (φυλακτήριον, a preservative). (1) A general term which included any kind of amulet worn about the person as a protection against dangers of all kinds. (2) Strips of parchment or vellum, upon which the Jews transcribed passages from the sacred books, and which they either wore upon the arm or the forehead, in a small leather box. (3) In the Middle Ages the term was applied to the scrolls held in the hands of angels or other persons represented in painting or sculpture. These scrolls bore inscriptions. (See LABELS.)

=Phylaka=, Gr. (φυλακή). A prison; a Greek term corresponding to the Latin words CARCER and ERGASTULUM (q.v.).

=Phytography.= A process of nature-printing from plants, by passing them between soft metal plates through a rolling press.

=Piazza=, It. A square or open place surrounded by buildings, generally supported by pillars, and forming a vaulted promenade; hence the term is sometimes applied to the archways of a colonnade.

=Pibroch=, Scotch. Bagpipe music.

=Pica= (_pic_). Printing-type of the size formerly used in printing the _pic_, or service-book.

=Piccadilly=, Old Fr. A high, broad, peaked collar or ruff, _temp._ James I. The tailor who made these ruffs is said to have built the street called by this name.

=Piccagium=, Med. Lat. (English use). Money paid in fairs for breaking ground.

=Piccolo=, It. A small flute. Small pianofortes are so called also.

=Pictura=, R. (_pingo_, to paint). The art of painting; _pictura in tabula_, a painting on wood; _pictura in linteo_ or _in sipario_, a painting on canvas; _pictura inusta_, a painting in encaustic or wax; _pictura udo tectorio_, a fresco-painting. Embroidery was called _pictura textilis_.

=Picturatus=, R. Painted; _tabella picturata_, a painted panel; _linteum picturatum_, embroidered linen.

=Pièce de Maitrise=, Fr. A test-work produced by an apprentice to prove his competence to become a _master_ of his art or craft.

=Piedouche=, Fr. A bracket-pedestal.

=Pieds de Hérisson=, Fr. Fabulous animals so called represented on Persian pottery, mentioned by Jacquemart (p. 152); having the legs of a stag, the tail of a tiger, and the head of a woman. The legend is that Mohamet and Ali will mount such beasts on the Day of Judgment.

=Piers=, in Architecture, are the perpendicular supports from which _arches_ spring.

=Pietà=, It. A picture or statue of the Body of Christ, attended by the Virgin Mary, or by holy women and angels.

=Pietra Dura.= Mosaic panelling of hard pebbles of variegated colours, representing fruit, birds, &c. in relief, and used as a decoration for coffers and cabinets in the 15th century.

=Pietré Commesse=, It. Costly inlaid-work representing flowers, fruit, &c., in precious stones—such as agates, jaspers, lapis lazuli, &c.—introduced in Florence in the 17th century, and still maintained in the royal manufactory of that city. The finest examples are in the chapel of the Medici attached to the cathedral church of St. Lorenzo.

=Pig.= A black pig was represented at St. Anthony’s feet, representing his victory over sensuality and gluttony. The monks of the order of St. Anthony used to keep herds of consecrated pigs.

=Pigments.= The colours used in painting. A large number are described in their order. Standard works on ancient and modern pigments are _Eastlake’s Materials for a History of Painting_; _Merrifield’s Ancient Art of Painting_; _Hundertpfund’s Art of Painting restored to its Simplest and Surest Principles_. An exhaustive catalogue of other works on the subject has been issued by the Librarian of the South Kensington Museum.

=Pike.= A celebrated infantry weapon now replaced by the bayonet, consisting of a strong spear or lance with a spike at the butt for fixing in the ground. The shape of the head has varied at different periods.

=Pila=, R. This word has different meanings, according as the first syllable is long or short. In the first case it denotes (1) a mortar; (2) a pillar or conical pier for supporting the superstructure of a bridge; (3) a breakwater. When the first syllable is short, the word denotes (1) a playing-ball. The game of ball, from the earliest times to the fall of the Roman Empire, was one of the favourite exercises of the Greeks and Romans. In the baths and the gymnasiums a room (_sphæristerium_) was set apart for the purpose. _Pila_ was a small ball; _follis_, a large one filled with air: other balls were the _paganica_ and the _harpastum_. (2) _Pila vitrea_, a glass globe. (3) A dummy made to roughly imitate the human form.

=Pilaster=, It. A square pillar on a wall, partly embedded in it, one-fourth or one-fifth of its thickness projecting.

=Pile.= (1) Her. One of the ordinaries, in form like a wedge. (2) An arrow used in hunting, with a round knob below the head, to prevent it penetrating too far. (3) The nap or surface on velvet.

=Pileatus=, R. One who wears the _pileus_, or skull-cap of felt; it was specially worn by the seafaring classes, and also by the Dioscuri (Castor and Pollux).

=Pilentum=, R. A state carriage in which the Roman ladies rode when attending any ceremony, whereas for purposes of recreation or for visiting they made use of the _carpentum_ or the _harmamaxa_.

=Pileolus=, R. Diminutive of PILEUS; it was a small felt skull-cap which hardly covered the top of the head.

=Pileus=, =Pileum=, R. (πῖλος, felt). A kind of close-fitting felt cap worn more particularly by the seafaring classes. The _pileus_ varied in form amongst the different nations by whom it was adopted; it was worn exclusively by men. The most familiar form of the pileus, in art, is the Phrygian bonnet, or cap of liberty. (Cf. PETASUS.)

=Pillar Dollars= are Spanish silver coins, stamped on the obverse with the royal arms of Spain supported by two columns.

=Pillion=, O. E. A soft pad-saddle with a footrest, for a woman or child to ride on behind a man.

=Pillow= or =Head-stool=, Egyp. A kind of rest for the head, made sometimes of stone (onyx, alabaster, or sandstone), but more generally of wood, and used by the Egyptians to support and raise the head during sleep. In form it was a half-cylinder, and the base was more or less raised above the ground. This kind of pillow is still in use at the present day among various peoples, particularly the Nubians, the Japanese, and the Ashantees of Western Africa.

=Pillow-beres=, O. E. Pillow-cases. They were at all times an object of rich ornamentation.

=Pillow Lace.= Lace worked by hand, by throwing _bobbins_ upon a cushion or pillow. (See LACE.)

=Pilum=, R. A javelin; the missile weapon of the Roman infantry, but used likewise as a pike for charging the enemy. It was a thick strong weapon, 6 feet 3 inches in length, half of wood and half of iron, with a barbed head of 9 inches of solid iron. The term also denotes a heavy pestle for bruising things in a mortar.

=Pilus=, Med. Lat. (Fr. _pieu_). A pointed club or javelin.

=Pina=, Sp. An amalgam of silver.

=Pinacotheca=, Gr. and R. (πινακο-θήκη). A picture-gallery, one of the ordinary adjuncts to Greek or Roman houses of wealthy private persons.

=Pinaculum=, Gr. and R. (a ridge or crest). A roof terminating in a ridge, the ordinary covering for a temple, whereas private houses had a flat roof.

=Pinchbeck.= An alloy of 85 per cent. copper or brass, and 15 per cent. zinc; named after its inventor. It is sometimes called _tomback_.

=Pindaric.= Of verses, irregular in metre; like the verses of the lyric poet Pindar.

=Pingle Pan=, Scotch. A small tin ladle used for mixing children’s food.

=Pink Madder.= (See MADDER.)

=Pinking.= Stamping out borders and edges upon textile fabrics with a cutting instrument.

=Pinks= (Fr. _stil de grain_). These are water-colour pigments of a yellow or greenish-yellow colour produced from the precipitation of vegetable juices, such as saffron, aloes, buckthorn-berries, broom-flowers, &c., upon chalk or whiting. They are _Italian pink_, sometimes called _yellow lake_; _brown pink_, _rose pink_, and _Dutch pink_.

=Pinna=, R. (lit. a wing). (1) The top of an embattled wall, the _battlements_. (2) The blade of a rudder.

=Pinnacle=, Arch. A small spire, generally with four sides and ornamented; it is usually placed on the tops of buttresses, both external and internal.

=Pins.= Metal pins were introduced into this country from France in 1543, previous to which ladies were accustomed to fasten their dresses with skewers of box-wood, ivory, or bone.

=Pipe.= A musical wind instrument, represented in the 14th century, in _Strutt’s Sports and Pastimes_, as used with the TABOR to accompany mountebanks, &c. (See also AULOS, PITO, &c.)

=Pipe-clay.= An oily clay found in large quantities in Devonshire; used for moulding earthenware, but chiefly for tobacco-pipes.

=Piriform=, Arch. Pear-shaped. The term is applied to roofs domed in the form of a pear; the Baptistery of Parma may be cited as an example.

=Pirogue.= An Indian canoe, hollowed out of a solid tree.

=Piscina=, R. (_piscis_, a fish). (1) A fishpond, an indispensable appendage to the villa of a wealthy Roman. (2) A large uncovered tank in the open air used as a swimming-bath, and distinct from the _baptisterium_, which was under cover. (3) _Piscina limaria_ was the reservoir of an aqueduct. In mediæval archæology the name was given (1) to credence-tables; (2) to baptisteries. (See BAPTISTERIUM, NATATORIUM.)

=Pisé-work.= A method of constructing very durable walls of blocks of _kneaded earth_. It was probably suggested by the building processes of the ants, and Pliny calls such walls _formaciæ_.

=Pistillum=, =Pistillus=, R. A pestle for a mortar.

=Pistol.= Invented at Pistoia in Tuscany. (See _Pallas Armata_, _Sir James Turner_, 1670; _Meyrick_, iii. 76.)

=Pistole.= A Spanish gold coin, worth about 16_s_.; the fourth of a _doubloon_.

=Pistolese=, It. A long dagger or stabbing-knife of Pistoia.

=Pistrina=, =Pistrinum=, R. (_pistor_, a miller). Originally this term denoted a mill for grinding grain; later on it was used exclusively to denote a house of correction for slaves who had to turn the mill. The work was of a most laborious kind.

=Pistris=, =Pistrix=, R. (πίστρις). (1) A marine monster, representations of which are to be seen on the walls of several houses at Pompeii (in the legend of Theseus and Andromeda). It is always represented with the head of a dragon, and the fins and tail of a fish; and was adopted in early Christian art for the fish that swallowed Jonah. (2) A military engine.

=Pitch-blende.= An ore used in porcelain painting. It produces a fine orange colour; also a black.

=Pitch-pipe.= A sort of whistle for ascertaining the _pitch_ of a musical instrument, or for setting the key-note.

=Pithos=, R. (πίθος). A large earthenware jar with a narrow neck, used in ancient and modern times for storing wine and oil. It appears upon a bas-relief in the Villa Albani as the tub of Diogenes.

=Pito=, Sp. A Mexican name for the _pipe_ of the Aztecs, which resembled a _flageolet_. It was made of red clay, and had four finger-holes. The young man selected as a victim at the sacrifice to Tezcatlepoca was carefully instructed before his death in the art of playing this instrument, and as he ascended the temple or TEOCALLI to the sacrifice, he broke a flute upon each of the steps of the temple.

=Piu=, It. Rather; used in Music, as _piu forté_, _rather_ loud.

=Pix= or =Pyx=, Chr. (πυξίς). (1) A box to keep the unconsecrated altar breads in. It was generally circular, with a pointed cover, and richly enamelled. (2) The vessel in which the holy eucharist was suspended over the altar. (3) The box kept at the British Mint to contain the coins selected to be tried in assay, to ascertain whether the coinage is of the standard purity. (See CIBORIUM [3], MONSTRANCE, &c.)

=Pizzicato= (It.). An expression in music; playing on the violin like a harp.

=Placage=, Fr. Veneering or inlaying.

=Plack=, Scotch. A small copper coin formerly current in Scotland; equal to the third of an English penny.

=Placket=, O. E. A petticoat. (_Shakspeare._)

=Plafond=, =Plafonner=, Fr. Arch. (_plat-fond_). The French term for a ceiling, often the subject of elaborate architectural, carved, or painted decoration. The peculiar foreshortened perspective characteristic of figure-pictures on a ceiling is hence described as “plafonné;” and it is generally said of a painter distinguished for bold foreshortenings, “Il excelle à _plafonner_.” _Plafonds_ of different periods are found of wood, lath and plaster, or stone.

=Plaga=, R. A hunting-net, the diminutive of which is _plagula_ (small net); the latter term also denotes the curtains hung round a couch or litter, a width of cloth, a strip of paper, &c.

=Plagula.= (See PLAGA.)

=Planchet.= A name for the smooth coin prepared for stamping before it has passed under the die.

=Planeta.= A robe worn by _priests_, resembling the DALMATIC (see Fig. 236) worn by _deacons_. (See CHASUBLE.)

=Planetary Machine.= (See ORRERY.)

=Planisphere.= A projection of the sphere and its various circles on a plane surface.

=Planta Genista=, Her. The broom-plant badge of the Plantagenets.

=Plaque=, Fr. A flat plate of metal or painted china. Limoges enamels of the 15th century are described as _plaques_.

=Plasm.= A mould or matrix.

=Plasma.= A green transparent chalcedony found in India and China.

=Plaster of Paris.= The cement or plaster obtained from gypsum, originally prepared near Paris. It is usually sold in the form of white powder, and is largely used in the arts. Verrocchio (1435–1488) is said to have been the first sculptor to cast moulds in plaster of Paris. (See GYPSUM.)

=Plastic Art.= Sculpture; opposed to _Graphic Art_, or painting, &c.

=Plastron=, Fr. A fencing-pad to cover the body. _Plastron-de-fer_ was an iron breastplate worn under the hauberk, especially when the latter was of ringed mail.

=Plat-band.= (See TÆNIA.)

=Plata=, Sp. Silver (hence our _plate_).

=Plate=, Her. A silver roundle.

=Plate armour=, consisting entirely of metal _plates_, became general during the 15th century.

=Plate-glass.= A superior kind of thick glass, used chiefly for mirrors and for large windows.

=Plate-jack=, O. E. Coat armour.

=Plate-marks.= (See HALL-MARKS.)

=Plate-paper= is a thick soft paper expressly prepared for printing engravings upon.

=Platea=, Gr. and R. (πλατεῖα, i. e. broad). A wide fine street in a city, in contradistinction to a small street called _angiportus_, which means literally a narrow street.

=Platen.= Of a printing-press, the flat part by which the impression is made.

=Plateresca=, Sp. A name given to goldsmiths’ work of the 14th and 15th centuries, which reflected the complicated and delicate forms of ornament applied in the pointed architecture of the period.

=Plates= are properly illustrations taken from copper or steel engravings; _cuts_ are impressions from wood-blocks.

=Platina.= Twisted silver wire.

=Platina Yellow.= Two pigments, one of a pale yellow colour, the other resembling _cadmium yellow_, are sold under this name.

=Plating= is the art of covering metals with a thin surface of silver or gold for ornament.

=Platinum= (Sp. _plata_, silver). A white metal exceedingly ductile, malleable, and difficult of fusion. It is found in the Ural Mountains and in South America, and is much used in goldsmiths’ work in Russia.

=Plaustrum=, R. (_plaudo_, to rumble). A two-wheeled cart drawn by two oxen, and used for conveying agricultural produce; _plaustrum majus_ was a much larger cart mounted on four wheels. It had a long pole projecting behind, on which blocks of stone or other cargo could be balanced on planks attached. The wheels (_tympana_) were of solid wood nearly a foot in thickness, and their creaking was heard to a great distance (hence the name).

=Plectrum= or =Plektron=, Gr. and R. (from πλήσσειν, to strike). A short stem of ivory or metal pointed at both ends, used to strike the chords of the lyre, the _barbiton_, the _cithara_, and some other stringed instruments.

=Plemochoê=, Gr. and R. (πλημο-χοὴ, i. e. that pours a flood). A vessel in the shape of a top; it resembled the _cotylê_.

=Plenitude=, Her. Said of the moon when in full.

=Plenshing-nail.= A large nail for fastening the planks of floors to the joists.

=Plethron=, Gr. The basis of land measurement, being 100 feet square, or 10,000 square feet. As a lineal measure, 100 feet, or about 101 of English measurement.

=Plinth=, Arch. (πλίνθος). Lit. a _tile_ or _brick_, and thence the lower projecting base of a column, pedestal, or wall, which resembles a strong square tile placed beneath the last torus at the base of a column. (See ABACUS.)

=Plinthium=, R. (πλινθίον). A sun-dial, so called because its divisions were marked on a flat surface (πλίνθος).

=Plocage=, Fr. Carding-wool.

=Plombage.= Lead work.

=Plombagine.= Plumbago.

=Plostellum.= Diminutive of PLAUSTRUM.

=Ploughs= are mentioned in Deuteronomy (1451 B.C.), and represented on Egyptian sculptures of still earlier date. The Roman plough of the date of our era is described by Virgil.

=Plough Monday= was the name given by our ancestors to the first Monday after the Epiphany, the return to labour after the Christmas holiday.

=Plumæ=, R. (lit. feathers). The scales of armour, arranged to imitate feathers. (See PENNA.)

=Plumarium Opus.= (See OPUS P.)

=Plumbago.= A carburet of iron commonly known as black-lead, also called GRAPHITE, used for making crucibles and black-lead pencils.

=Plumbeous Wares.= Lead-glazed, by the addition of an oxide of lead in the preparation of the glaze. (See POTTERY.)

=Plumbum=, R. (lit. lead). A general term denoting anything that is made of lead, such as a lead pipe, a slinger’s bullet, &c.

=Pluteus=, R. A general term including anything made of boards adapted to afford a support, cover, passage, &c.; and thus sometimes used as a synonym for _musculus_ or protective shed. Fig. 547, a _pluteus_ upon three wheels, was used for protecting soldiers conducting an approach at the foot of a rampart. These _plutei_ were covered with the skins of animals, which were wetted to protect the machines from fire; and helped to deaden the shock of missiles.

=Plynteria=, Gr. (πλυντήρια, washing). Festivals held at Athens in honour of Athena Aglauros, in which the statue of the goddess was stripped of its garments and ornaments and washed. It was carefully concealed in the mean time, and the city being thus in a manner deprived of its protecting divinity, the day was considered an ill-omened one.

=Pnigeus=, R. (πνιγεὺς, lit. a choker). A kind of funnel employed to stop or repress the air in a hydraulic organ.

=Pnyx=, Gr. The site in Athens where the ECCLESIÆ were held. It was a semicircular rising ground, with an area of 12,000 square yards, levelled with a pavement of large stones, and surrounded by a wall, behind which was the BEMA or platform from which speakers addressed the people.

=Pocillum= or =Poculum=, R. Any cup or glass for drinking, distinct from the CRATER for mixing, and the CYATHUS for ladling the wine. (Cf. POKAL.)

=Poddisoy=, =Padusoy=, O. E. (Fr. _pou de soie_). A rich plain silk.

=Podera=, Gr. (ποδήρης, i. e. reaching to the feet). A rich linen dress worn by Greek women, the edges of which were indented.

=Podium=, Arch. (πόδιον, lit. a small foot). A low wall or basement, generally with a _plinth_ and _cornice_, running round a room or in front of a building, forming a sort of shelf or seat. Fig. 548 shows the _podium_ of a sepulchral chamber. In an amphitheatre, _podium_ was the name for a raised basement which ran like a high enclosure round the whole circumference of the arena. Lastly, the term is sometimes used as a synonym for a socle, and a console or bracket.

=Poële=, Fr. (lit. a frying-pan). A square shield with a raised edge and a grating on it, which resembled the German baking-dish. In a tournament, the joust “_à la poële_” was the most dangerous of all, as the champions fought bare-headed and without armour. Their horses were blindfolded, and a coffin was brought into the course before the combat commenced. (_Meyrick._)

=Point Lace= _à bride picotée_ ground. This lace is made with the needle (see NEEDLE POINT), some parts of the pattern only slightly raised in relief being united by stitches called _bride picotée_. (Fig. 549.)

=Point of Sight.= The principal vanishing point, in perspective, to which the horizontal lines converge.

=Pointed= or =Christian Architecture= is generally called GOTHIC; and is a general term, descriptive of all the styles that have prevailed subsequent to the introduction of the _pointed arch_, commencing with the 11th century.

=Pointel.= The mediæval _stylus_ or _graphium_ (q.v.).

=Points.= In the 15th and 16th centuries, before the introduction of buttons, the different parts of dress were fastened with ribands, having ornamental _points_ or metal tags at the end. (See Fig. 559.)

=Poitrine=, Fr. A breastplate for man or horse.

=Pokal=, Germ. (Lat. _poculum_). A drinking-cup. (Fig. 550.)

=Poke=, O. E. A bag; modern pocket.

=Poker Pictures.= Drawings burned upon wood with hot irons; much patronized in the 18th century.

=Pol=, =Edepol=, R. A familiar oath or adjuration especially employed by the Roman women; it was an abbreviation of _By Pollux!_

=Polariscope.= An instrument for exhibiting the polarization of light.

=Pole-axe.= A weapon of the 15th century, combining a hatchet, a pike, and a serrated hammer. Used principally by cavalry.

=Poleyns=, Fr. (See GENOUILLIÈRES.)

=Pollubrum= and =Polubrum=, R. An old term for which there was substituted later on _malluvium_, _aquimanale_, _aquiminarium_, _trulleum_; it was a kind of basin for washing the hands, the χέρνιψ, χερόνιπτρον of the Greeks.

=Polos=, Gr. A kind of sun-dial. (See HOROLOGIUM.)

=Polyandrion=, Chr. (Gr. πολυ-άνδριον). A common sepulchre in which more than four bodies were buried. (See LOCULUS.)

=Polychord.= An instrument for application to the pianoforte for coupling together the strings of two octave notes.

=Polychromy.= Colouring statuary, bas-reliefs, and architecture; to be distinguished from forming them of variously-coloured materials. This was not done by painting with an opaque colour, but a sort of staining of the surface by thin, transparent colouring matter. M. de Quincy states that the fine preservation of the surface of some antique statues, such as the Apollo Belvedere, Hercules of Glycon, and Venus de Medici, is attributable to the use of wax colouring. Stones of various colours were used to represent different parts of the figure, and in busts of the Roman emperors the dress is frequently of coloured marble, while the flesh is of white. [Consult _Redford’s Ancient Sculpture_.]

=Polyhedron.= A solid with many faces or planes.

=Polyptyca=, Gr. (πολύ-πτυχα). (1) Tablets, a sufficient number of which are put together to form what we now call a note-book. (2) A polyptych; a picture with several compartments. (Cf. DIPTYCH.)

=Polystyle=, Arch. Surrounded by several rows of columns, as in Moorish architecture. The porticoes of a Greek temple had never more than ten columns in front (decastyle).

=Pomander=, O. E. (from _pomme d’ambre_, perfume apple). A scent-box worn at the end of the hanging girdles of the 16th century. (See POUNCET-BOX.) (Fig. 551.) Consult an interesting monograph by _R. H. Soden Smith_, “_Notes on Pomanders_.”

=Pomme=, Her. A green roundle.

=Pomœrium=, R. (_post_ and _mœrium_ (_murus_) behind the walls). A line enclosing a town, marked out at intervals by stone pillars. When the limits of the town were extended, the _pomœrium_ could not be changed without augury by the _jus pomœrii_, and, in any case, only by a town whose inhabitants had contributed to the extension of the limits of the empire.

=Pompa=, R. and Gr. (πομπή). A solemn procession, especially that with which the games of the circus were preceded.

=Pondus=, =Weight=, R. (_pendo_, to suspend). An object used for weighing, either with the balance (_libra_), or the steelyard (_statera_). The same term was also applied to a weaver’s weights; these were of stone, terra-cotta, or lead.

=Pons=, R. (Gr. γέφυρα). (1) A bridge; the causeway (_agger_) which traversed the Roman bridge was paved with large polygonal stones; on either side of it was a pathway (_crepido_). Fig. 552 shows the Roman bridge at St. Chamas, at the ends of which were erected triumphal arches (_fornices_). (See FORNIX.) _Pons sublicius_ was a wooden bridge built upon piles; _pons suffragiorum_, the voting-bridge over which the electors passed as they came out of the _septum_ to cast their vote (_tabella_) into the urn (_cista_). It is probable that the Greek bridges were of wood. (2) A wharf or landing-stage by the water-side.

=Poongi=, Hindoo. A curious musical instrument made of a gourd, or sort of cocoa-nut, into which two pipes are inserted. It is the instrument played by the Sampuris, or snake-charmers, to the performing cobras.

=Pope.= The illustration represents the Pope of Rome in full pontificals, viz. the _tiara_, consisting of three crowns of gold decorated with precious stones and surmounted by a cross, and over a _rochet_ (surplice) of silk a mantle of gold-work plentifully ornamented with pearls. The under vestment, which is long, is of hyacinth colour. The slippers are of velvet with a cross of gold, which all who wish to speak to the Pope reverently kiss. Late mediæval artists attributed this costume to the First Person of the Trinity. It is given also to St. Clement, St. Cornelius, St. Fabian, St. Gregory, St. Peter, and St. Sylvanus.

=Popina=, R. A tavern or refreshment-place where food was sold, in contradistinction to _caupona_, which was a shop for selling wine.

=Popinjay=, O. E. A parrot.

=Poplin.= A textile of modern introduction, woven of threads of silk and worsted.

=Poppy=, Chr. This plant, the seed of which affords a soporific oil, symbolizes, in Christian iconography, death.

=Poppy Oil.= A bland drying oil, obtained from poppy-seed, and used in painting. (See OILS.)

=Poppy-head.= A term in decorative art for the carved ornaments with which the tops of the uprights of wood-work, such as the ends of benches, backs of chairs, bedposts, &c., were crowned.

=Popularia=, R. The second _mænianum_ or tier of seats in an amphitheatre.

=Porcelain= (Ancient Chinese) (from the Portuguese _porcellana_, little pigs; a name given to cowrie-shells by the early traders, and applied to porcelain, which they thought was made of them, or because it resembled the interior of a shell). A fine species of transparent earthenware, the chief component part of which is silex. (_Fairholt._) The most ancient examples of porcelain in China are circular dishes with upright sides, very thick, strong, and heavy, and which invariably have the marks of one, two, or three on the bottom thus: I. II. III. The colours of these rare specimens vary. The kinds most highly prized have a brownish-yellow ground, over which is thrown a light shot sky-blue, with here and there a dash of blood-red. The Chinese say there are but a few of these specimens in the country, and that they are more than a thousand years old. (_Fortune._) The first imitations of Chinese porcelain in Europe date from the 16th century, under the Medici family, and include specimens supposed to have been designed by the immediate pupils of Raffaelle. (See RAFFAELLE-WARE.) Among the next earliest produced is that of Fulham, by Dr. Dwight, in 1671, and of St. Cloud in France about 1695.

=Porch=, Arch. A structure placed in front of the door of a church or other building, and very variable in form. In the ancient basilicas the vestibule is more commonly called NARTHEX (q.v.). Fig. 554 shows a wooden porch also called a _pent-house porch_, and Fig. 555 a plan of what is called a _cupola_ porch, from the fact that, its ground being circular, it is surmounted by a dome.

=Porcupine= (Fr. _porc epic_). Hereditary device of the Valois family. The “Order of the Porcupine” was instituted in 1397 by Louis, Duke of Orleans, and abolished by Louis XII., who retained the badge (Fig. 556), and had his cannon marked with a porcupine. In numismatics his golden “écus au porc epic” are rare and highly valued.

=Porcupine-wood.= The ornamental wood of a palm, the markings of which in the horizontal section resemble porcupine quills.

=Porphyry.= A hard stone much used in Egyptian sculpture, and for sarcophagi. It was of a fine red colour, passing into purple and green, and susceptible of a fine polish. (See also _Rosso Antico_.)

=Porporino=, It. A yellow powder substituted for gold by mediæval artists. It was compounded of quicksilver, sulphur, and tin.

=Porta=, R. This term denotes the gate of a city, a large gate in any enclosure, in contradistinction to JANUA and OSTIUM (q.v.), which denote the doors of a building. Fig. 557 shows the ancient gate of Perugia.

=Portcullis.= A kind of iron grating, forming an outer door, which slided up and down perpendicularly in the grooves of a bay. It was suspended by a chain, which could instantly be lowered, as occasion required, in order to prevent ingress and cut off all communication. By the Greeks and Romans they were called _portæ cataractæ_, and in the Middle Ages they were known as Saracenic gates.

=Portcullis=, Her. A defence for a gateway, borne as a badge by the Houses of Beaufort and Tudor. Motto, “_Altera securitas_.” (Fig. 558.)

=Porticus=, =Portico=, R. (_porta_). A long colonnade serving as a covered promenade. In an amphitheatre, the covered gallery at the top which was appropriated to women or slaves. A wooden gallery covered over with a roof, but in some cases entirely open on the side of the country. (See TEMPLUM.)

=Portisculus=, R. A director’s staff wielded on board ship by the officer who gave the time to the rowers to make them row in unison.

=Portrait Painting.= The earliest portrait on record is that of Polygnotus, painted by himself, B.C. 400. Giotto is said to have been the earliest successful portrait painter of modern times. The different sizes of portraits are the following:—

ft. in. ft. in.
Bishop’s whole length 8 10 by 5 10.
Whole length 7 10 „ 4 10.
Bishop’s half-length 4 8 „ 3 8.
Half-length 4 2 „ 3 4.
Small half-length 3 8 „ 2 10.
Kit-cat 3 0 „ 2 4.
Three-quarter size 2 6 „ 2 1.
Head size 2 0 „ 1 8.

=Portula.= A wicket made in a large gate in order to give admittance into a city without opening the _porta_ or large gate.

=Posnett=, O. E. A little pot.

=Postergale=, Chr. A DORSAL (q.v.).

=Postern= (_posterna_, a back door). A private gate in a rampart, either upon the platform or at the angle of a curtain, and opening into the ditches, whence it was possible to pass by the _pas-de-souris_, without being seen by the besiegers, into the covered way and the glacis.

=Posticum=, R. (Gr. παραθύρα). (1) A back door to a Roman house. (2) In Architecture, the part of a building opposite to the façade; the posterior façade.

=Postis=, R. The jamb of a door, supporting the lintel or _limen superius_.

=Postscenium=, R. The part of a Roman theatre behind the stage, in which the actors dressed, and the appointments and machines were kept.

=Potichomanie.= A process of ornamenting glass with coloured designs on paper, in imitation of painted porcelain.

=Potter’s Clay=, found in Dorsetshire and Devonshire, is used for modelling and for pottery; mixed with linseed oil, it is used as a _ground_ in painting.

=Pottery= (=Fayence=, =Terraglia=), as distinct from porcelain, is formed of potter’s clay mixed with marl of argillaceous and calcareous nature, and sand, variously proportioned, and may be classed under two divisions: _Soft_ (Fayence à pâte tendre), and _Hard_ (Fayence à pâte dure), according to the nature of the composition or the degree of heat under which it has been fired in the kiln. What is known generally in England as _earthenware_ is soft, while _stone-ware_, _Queen’s ware_, &c., are hard. The characteristics of the soft wares are a paste or body which may be scratched with a knife or file, and fusibility generally at the heat of a porcelain furnace. These soft wares may be again divided into four subdivisions: _unglazed_, _lustrous_, _glazed_, or _enamelled_. Among the three first of these subdivisions may be arranged almost all the ancient pottery of Egypt, Greece, Etruria, and Rome; as also the larger portion of that in general use among all nations during mediæval and modern times. The _glazed wares_ may be again divided into _silicious_ or _glass-glazed wares_, and _plumbeous_ or _lead-glazed_. In these subdivisions the foundation is in all cases the same. The mixed clay or “paste” or “body” is formed by the hand or on the wheel, or impressed into moulds; then slowly dried and baked in a furnace or stove, after which, on cooling, it is in a state to receive the glaze. This is prepared by fusing sand or other silicious material with potash or soda to form a translucent glass, the composition of the glaze upon vitreous or _glass-glazed_ wares. The addition of oxide of lead constitutes the glaze of _plumbeous_ wares; and the further addition of the oxide of tin produces an enamel of an opaque white of great purity, which is the characteristic glazing of _stanniferous_ or _tin-glazed wares_. Most of the principal seats of the manufacture of pottery, and a description of the objects manufactured, and methods used in the manufacture, will be found mentioned under their respective headings.

=Poulaines=, Fr. Long-toed boots and shoes, introduced in 1384. (See CRACOWES.)

=Pounce-paper.= A kind of transparent tracing-paper, free from grease, &c.; made in Carlsruhe.

=Pounced.= In Engraving, _dotted_ all over.

=Pouncet-box=, O. E. A perfume box, carved with open work. (See POMANDER.)

=Pouranamas=, Hind. Very ancient books of India, which give a part of Hindoo history from the beginning of the Hindoo monarchy, or the time of the king Ellou or Ella.

=Pourpoint=, Fr. A quilted doublet, worn in the 14th and 15th centuries. The illustration represents a Venetian gallant of the 16th century. (See GAMBESON.)

=Powder-blue= is pulverized pipe-clay, a good “pounce” for transferring designs upon linen for embroidery.

=Powdered=, Her. (See SÉMÉ.)

=Powers=, Chr. Guardian angels, usually represented bearing a staff. (See ANGELS.)

=Præcinctio=, E. (_præcingo_, to gird). A lobby running quite round the circle formed by the _caveæ_ in the interior of a theatre or amphitheatre; the same term is also used to denote the passages between the tiers of seats comprised within each _mænianum_. According to their importance, theatres and amphitheatres were divided into two, three, and sometimes four præcinctiones.

=Præfericulum=, R. A metal basin without handles, used for holding sacred utensils.

=Præficæ=, R. Women hired as mourners at the funerals of wealthy persons.

=Præfurnium=, R. The mouth of a furnace placed beneath a _hypocausis_ or heating-stove in a set of baths. Fig. 560 shows the _præfurnium_ of a hypocausis which was drawn upon the walls of a _laconicum_ situated near the church of St. Cecilia at Rome. (See HYPOCAUSIS.)

=Prætexta=, R. A TOGA with a broad purple border. It was introduced by the Etruscans, and was the costume assigned to priests and magistrates, to boys before they came of age, and to women before their marriage. (See TOGA.) (Fig. 561.)

=Prætorium=, R. The tent of the commander-in-chief of the army; it was so called because in the earliest times of Rome the consul who commanded the army bore the title of _prætor_. The residence of a governor of a province was also called _prætorium_, and finally the name was given to any large house or palace.

=Prandium=, R. (_prandeo_, to breakfast). The midday meal, which came between breakfast (_jentaculum_) and dinner (_cœna_).

=Prastura.= (See UPAPITHA.)

=Préa-koul=, Hind. An upright stone or sacred boundary among the Khmers.

=Préasat=, Hind. The tower of the Khmers; _préasat-stupaï_ means little tower; _préasat-phradamrey_, the elephant tower of the king.

=Precarium=, Chr. A temporary benefice granted to a layman by the Church; the holder of the benefice was, however, bound to pay the Church certain dues.

=Predella=, It. A ledge behind the altar of a church on which the altar-piece was placed, containing small pictures, of similar subjects to the altar-piece.

=Prefericulum=, R. A shallow metal bowl used in sacrifices for carrying the sacred vessels. Its shape resembled the _patera_.

=Premier Coup.= (See PRIMA PAINTING.)

=Pre-Raphaelites.= A modern school of painters, who, throwing aside all conventional laws and traditions in art, direct their study to the forms and colours of Nature.

=Presentoir=, Fr. An épergne or table-stand for flowers; made very shallow, on a tall and richly-decorated stem. A favourite subject of the goldsmith’s art in the 16th century.

=Pressed Glass.= Glass pressed into a mould by a machine; differing from _blown glass_.

=Presto=, It. In Music, quickly.

=Priapeia=, R. (πριάπεια). Festivals in honour of Priapus; they were held chiefly at Lampsacus.

=Pricket.= A young stag of two years, when his horns begin to sprout.

=Prie-Dieu.= A kneeling-desk for prayers.

=Prima Painting= (in French, _peinture au premier coup_) is a modern style directed to the avoidance of extreme finish, described in a work by _Hundertpfund_, “_The Art of Painting restored to its Simplest and Surest Principles_.”

=Primary Colours.= Blue, yellow, and red, from which all colours are derived.

=Primero=, O. E. A game at cards mentioned by Shakspeare.

=Primicerii=, Chr. This term had several meanings, but it was usually employed to denote the first person inscribed on a list, because the tablet on which the names were written was covered with wax; whence _primicerius_ (from _cera_, wax), the first upon the wax. In cathedral churches the primicerius presided over the choir, and regulated the order and method of the ceremonies.

=Priming.= (See GROUNDS.)

=Prince’s Metal= or =Prince Rupert’s Metal=. An alloy of 72 parts of copper and 28 parts of zinc, which has a resemblance to gold.

=Princedoms= or =Principalities=, Chr. An order of THRONES of angels; usually represented in complete armour, carrying pennons. (See Fig. 24.)

=Principes=, R. A body of heavy-armed foot-soldiers; thus named, because, in the order of battle, they were placed first.

=Principia=, R. (_princeps_, chief, foremost). The headquarters in a Roman camp, comprising not only the tents of the general and the superior officers, but also an open space in which justice was administered and sacrifices offered to the gods; it was in the same open space that all the standards of the legion were set up.

=Priory=, Chr. A monastery attached, as a rule, to an abbey; there were also, however, priories which formed the _head of an order_. In the order of Malta each _tongue_ comprehended several great priories.

=Prismatic= (mouldings). A kind of moulding resembling the facets of a prism (Fig. 562), which is sometimes met with in archivolts of the Romano-Byzantine period. The same term is likewise applied to mouldings characteristic of the flamboyant style, which assume, especially in their base, the form of prisms.

=Proaron=, Gr. and R. (πρόαρον; ἀρύω, to draw water). A vessel of a flattened spheroid form, with two handles.

=Proaulium=, R. (_pro_, in front of). The vestibule of any building.