About The Glossary

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F

The public, exterior, front or front elevation of a building. Derived from the same root as face: the doors and windows of many buildings are arranged in patterns that recall the eyes, nose, and mouth of the human face.


 

The finishing applied to the outer surface of a building.


 

(French) Richly colored glazed earthenware, named from the Italian town of Faënza, formerly famed for such pottery.


 

1. A rib vault in which the ribs radiate from the springing point like a fan.

2. Style of vaulting typical of England in the 16^th century, in which the ribs are of equal length and form a fan shape.


 

A plain horizontal band, usually in the architrave, which may consist of two or three fasciae oversailing each other and sometimes separated by narrow moldings.


 

[Researcher note: defenestration, a euphemism for throwing someone out a window with intent to humiliate while causing grievous bodily harm, often has religious motivation in historical narrative or fiction]


 

In Christianity: A shrine for relics designed to be carried in processions; kept behind the high altar.


 

A carved ornament in the form of a garland of fruits and flowers, tied with ribbons and suspended at both ends in a loop; commonly used on a frieze or panel.


 

Any object used to control nature (or the spirit world or an aspect of the divine) in a magical fashion, or an object venerated as the dwelling place of a spirit (or an aspect of the divine); examples include charms, talismans or amulets.


 

A formal ornament at the top of a canopy, gable, pinnacle, etc.; often a detached foliated fleur-de-lis form.


 

A slender spire, usually of wood, rising from the ridge of a roof.


 

French for lily-flower; originally the royal arms of France.


 

A series of stairs unbroken by a landing.


 

An arch or half-arch transmitting the thrust of a vault or roof from the upper part of a wall to an outer support or buttress; characteristic of Gothic style churches and cathedrals.


 

In Christian church architecture: an open-topped stone receptacle for holy water, used in baptismal rites.


 

The underground section of a building, which supports the weight above ground.


 

A late medieval-style arch composed of a pointed arch of four arcs, the two outer and lower ones springing from centers on the springing line, the two inner and upper arcs from centers below the springing line.


 

A geometric ornament of horizontal and vertical straight lines repeated to form a band; often used as a decorative band of surface ornamentation or molding.


 

frieze

1. Middle section of the entablature of a classical Order, above the architrave and below the cornice.

2. Band of relief, molded or painted decoration, usually high on a wall.

3. The decoration of the middle division of the entablature.


 

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G

The triangular upper part of a wall between the sides of a pitched roof.


 

(Punjabi) In Sikhism: a guru’s seat of authority.


 

In Christian church architecture: An upper story over an aisle, opening onto the nave.


 

The range of columns along the open side of a gallery


 

A grotesque or humorous carving of a figure, human or animal; sticking out from a building, it often disguises a waterspout, especially on a Gothic cathedral.


 

A gate frames its invitation by using precise components: an approach, twin pillars, crossbeam, door, latch, key, king and threshold. The twin pillars guard the opening to new awareness. The crossbeam spans the gulf between the pillars, uniting the space between them. The cross created by the meeting of beam and pillar is said to symbolize the passage into the transcendent, the mysterious boundary between inner and outer worlds.  Hindering the passage through the gate are the door and latch, representing the veil and challenge posed by rigid patterns of thinking. The door blocks and opens, intimidates and welcomes. Its lock is the first barrier to overcome. The key symbolizes new insights and techniques for unlocking the mind's abilities. When the catalyst for transformation has done its work, the threshold of the gate is crossed, marking the transfer of a spiritual center of gravity from the known to the unknown. The threshold is perpendicular to the path that crosses it, creating a sort of compass that points to the four corners of the world.  (adapted from The Temple in the House)


 

Most sacred Hindu scriptural verse.


 

(Hebrew: "storing") In Jewish architecture: A place, often beneath the bema of a synagogue, for storing books or ritual objects that have become unusable; often used as the synagogue's "treasury".


 

In Buddhism: Gongs are used in temples and homes to announce the time of a meeting, to mark different phases of a service, and as a symbol aiding in meditation.


 

An elaborate high gateway of a Hindu temple that is typical of South Indian architecture.


 

1. The architectural style that developed in northern France and spread throughout Europe between about 1150 and 1400 CE includes pointed arches, large windows, stone tracery, stone vaulted ceilings and flying buttresses (became popular following  Romanesque style)

2. In Midwestern vernacular use, Gothic as a description applies to buildings (especially churches, but also other public buildings and the occasional mansion) with pointed arches and vaults, windows with pointed arch tops, large amounts of glass in the walls and an overall feeling of great height.


 

A cross with four equal arms.


 

The sharp edge formed by the intersection of vaulting surfaces.


 

Two barrel vaults intersecting at right angles.


 

(Punjabi: "door of the guru"). In Sikhism:

1. A gathering place for public worship (roughly equivalent to “church”).

2. A place of worship where the Sikh scripture is installed.

3. In addition to the area for worship in which regular rituals, festivals and life cycle rites are performed, there is a communal kitchen in which food is prepared and shared. (See also diwan hall, langar.)


 

(Punjabi) In Sikhism: The principal scripture containing devotional compositions written by the Sikh gurus and recorded during their lifetimes. It also contains hymns by Hindu and Muslims. Written in Sanskrit, Persian, Hindi and Punjabi, the compositions are set in rhymed couplets. It is printed in Gurmukhi script, an alphabet adapted by the second guru, Guru Angad, for the Punjabi language. It has standardized pagination, all copies having 1,430 pages. When closed it is wrapped in an elegant cloth (rumal). It is opened only under a canopy (chanani) and is then protected with a ceremonial flywhisk (chauri).


 

(Punjabi) In Sikhism: a small book containing the chief hymns used in Sikh devotions.


 

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H

(Japanese) Hall of worship standing to the fore of a Shinto shrine. Usually it is the largest building at a Shinto shrine, before which or in which prayers and ceremonies are held.


 

In Christian church architecture: A longitudinal plan for a church, in which the nave and aisles are of approximately equal height.


 

(Punjabi) Pudding (typically served as part of communal meal following Sikh devotions).


 

A spiral motif.


 

The external angle formed by the meeting of two sloping roof surfaces.


 

In Christianity (especially Roman Catholicism): Water that has been blessed, placed in a small basin (or stoup) near a church entrance so that worshipers may dip their fingers into this water as they enter the sanctuary, often marking themselves with the sign of the cross in remembrance of their baptism.


 

(Japanese) Inner sanctuary of a Shinto shrine, standing behind the haiden. It is smaller but higher than the haiden, not entered by the public; the (kami is presumed to reside in the honden.


 

(Japanese) A Shinto shrine building dedicated to the principal kami of the shrine.


 

An arch often found on Islamic buildings that can be either a pointed or a round horseshoe.


 

(Japanese) In Buddhism: A whisk used to flick mosquitoes away, carried ceremonially by Zen masters. (roughly equivalent to Sikhism’s chauri)


 

In Christianity: The bread (or wafers) consecrated as the body of Christ during a Mass. As such, whether it is consumed by those present or kept as a "reserved sacrament," it is regarded in Roman Catholic and some other churches as an object of veneration. (see communion)


 

(Hebrew) In Judaism: A wedding canopy, traditionally suspended from four poles, each of which is held by someone supporting it. It is also a symbolic term for marriage itself.


 

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I

(Chinese: "book of changes") One of the Five Classics in the Confucian Canon, it is a collection of texts on divination based on a set of 64 hexagrams made by various combinations of broken and unbroken lines reflecting the relationship between the two basic forces in nature and human society (yin, yang). Each hexagram is determined by casting 49 yarrow stalks, and each has a short, cryptic interpretation. These have subsequently been expanded in the appendices, which are attributed to Confucius, but which date from the Former Han dynasty.


 

In Eastern Christianity: A sacred image (usually of Jesus, Mary or the Saints) painted on wood, which, because it is regarded as partaking of the reality which it represents, is considered worthy of veneration in itself. Icons are mounted on the iconostasis of an Orthodox church, on a separate stand in the nave of the church where believers on entry can kiss it, or in the icon corner of an Orthodox home.


 

(Greek) In Eastern Christianity: The dividing wall between nave and sanctuary in Orthodox churches, usually with a central and two side entrances and panels for icons. The main icons depict Christ as Savior, Mary as Mother of God, the Last Supper, the four Evangelists, archangels and saints.


 

A member in the wall, usually formed of a projecting bracket-like molding, on which the end of an arch rests.


 

A shape chiseled out in a stone slab to receive a brass effigy.


 

The inner curve or underside of an arch.


 

One of the Classical orders of architecture, typified by capitals decorated with a spiral motif.


 

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J

The straight sides of a doorway, archway or window; the sides of an opening upon which the lintel rests.


 

In Sikhism: a collection of stories about one of the gurus.


 

(Punjabi) In Sikhism: an important hymn composed by Guru Nanak.


 

(Punjabi: “army”) In Sikhism: a group of touring musicians (often used to describe groups of musicians who play in gurdwaras.


 

(Japanese) A Shinto shrine. Taisha (grand shrine) and jungu (divine palace) are used to describe especially important shrines. The typical shrine consists of several buildings. The largest is usually the haiden, before which or in which prayers are held. Behind the haiden and not entered by the public is the smaller and higher honden, in which the kami is presumed to reside.


 

The beam supporting a floor; horizontal timbers in a building, laid parallel to each other with their upper edges rebated to receive the boards of a floor. The underside either forms the ceiling of the room below or has ceiling lathe nailed to it.


 

1. Japanese shrine temple, divine palace.

2. An especially important Buddhist or Shinto shrine.


 

The French name for rood screen. (see rood screen)


 

(Punjabi) In Sikhism: traditional topknot hairstyle worn by initiated males.


 

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K

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