Esther M. Zimmer Lederberg: Terminology of Classical Orders

Term	Meaning
Abacus	The abacus is a square slab of stone on top of the capital, that provides additional support for the architrave.
Acroterion	An acroterion is an ornament placed at an acroter (plinth) at the apex of of a pediment.
Architrave	The architrave is positioned above the column capitals. It is composed of the taenia (below metopes and triglyphs), guttae (a strip with 'drops' below the triglyphs).
Astragal	An astragal is small, convex molding.
Base	The columns styles (Doric, Ionian, etc.) have different bases, composed of several components such as Tori, and Scotia.
Caryatid	A caryatid was a support for the pagan ideology in ancient societies.
Cornice (geison)	A cornice is a triangular portion of pediment that projects horizintally from the frieze/architrave. The cornice is composed of soffit, corona, and cymatium. The cornice is the eaves.
Corona	Doric and Ionic entablatures have triangular pediments, but Corinthian entabulatures have a flat roof, the top layer of which is called the "cymatium". Just under the "cymatium" is the "corona". Another flat layer beneath the corona are mutules or "dentils" (that look like teeth). These dentils are separated by viae.
Crepidoma	The crepidoma is comprised of all the steps under the columns of an edifice, lying upon the euthynteria (earth foundations) under the edifice.
Cymatium	When a cyma shaped molded stone is used as the top of an entablature, it is called a cymatium.
Dentils	Tooth-like blocks used in a close repeating pattern, with spaces, or viae, between each dentile.
Echinus	The echinus is decorative molding that is positioned between the abachus and the necking.
Entablatures	Structure of pediments, friezes, architraves, ornaments, that lie above the columns.
Euthynteria	The foundation under the stairs (crepidoma) of an edifice with columns.
Frieze	Unmolded entablature strip that may be ornamented.
Guttae	Strip with cylindrical 'drops' below triglyphs — part of the architrave.
Horizontal Geison	Horizontal portion of the pediment.
Horizontal Sima	Horizontal portion of the side of the roof.
Hypoachelion	The hypoachelion is a separate piece of the column shaft. As it is a separate piece of the column shaft, there is an edge that separates the hypoachelion from the rest of the column shaft.
Metope	Flat spaces between triglyphs (may be ornamented with a zoophorus: carved human, animal or mythical figures).
Modillion	Ornate brackets often in the shape of acanthus leaves.
Mutules	A rectangular block that hangs from the soffit of the cornice (Doric order) and mutules appear over the triglyphs.
Necking	The necking is an unornameted area of stone between the echinus and the astragal.
Pediment	The pediment is often a triangular shaped end of the roof.
Raking Geison	Rising portion of the pediment.
Raking Sima	Rising portion of the front of the roof.
Regula	Thin rectangular bands with guttae, beneath triglyphs, the taenia separating each triglyph and regula.
Soffit	The cornice is often a triangular portion of pediment that projects horizintally from the frieze/architrave and is composed of the soffit, corona, and cymatium. The soffit is the basal ledge of the overhanging cornace eaves.
Scotia	A scotia is an annulus that forms part of the base of a column.
Stereobate	All stairs other than the top stair at the entrance to edifice with columns.
Stylobate	Top stair at the entrance to edifice with columns.
Taenia	Band or ribbon 'fillet' molding at the top of a Doric architrave, separating the architrave from the frieze.
Torus	Tori formed part of the base of a column.
Triglyph	Vertically-channeled stone, in three fascia.
Tympanum	The tympanum is the area within the (often) triangular shaped end of the roof.
Viae	Dentils are tooth-like blocks used in a close repeating pattern, with spaces or viae between each dentile.
Volute	Volutes are spriral forms which are a distinguishing element of the capital of Ionic columns.
Zoophorus	A carved ornament of a human, animal or mythical figure often found on the metope of a Doric frieze.

Esther M. Zimmer Lederberg Terminology of Classical Orders

Esther M. Zimmer Lederberg
Terminology of Classical Orders