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  Abutment
end plate of a pillar, column or pilaster; zone where the bending of an arch or a vault begins. Here, the load of the bearing elements are absorbed from the supporting elements

Agnus Dei
(Lat. Lamb of God) symbol of Christ according to numerous passages in the book of Revelations. Often depicted with a cross nimbus or a monogram of Christ

apotropaic
Gk. for averting a disaster

Archivolts
the curvatures in the stepped portal that continue the jamb structure. The archivolts can be decorated with fascia friezes or figures

Basilica
(Gk. basiliké – „king’s hall“, complete Lat. word: basilica domus) church building with several naves, in which the nave is higher than the aisles and the high nave wall of which is brimmed with windows, the so-called clerestory

Bishop’s staff
also croiser or croizer. Highly adorned staff, at the bottom end, it narrows into a tip; at the top end, it is furnished with a crook. Symbol of the shepherd’s power of the bishop over the community

Capital
(Lat.) cantilevered headpiece of a column or a pilaster that consists of abacus, body (kalathos) and torc

Clerestory
upper level of the architectural wall structure (particularly the raised part of the nave with windows)

Clipeus
geometric figure from number symbolism. Medallion-like disk that serves as a frame

Console
(Fr.) a corbel stone that emerges from the wall on which arcs, cornices, sculptures, beams, pillars, etc. rest

Cross-shaped staff
Latin cross, the vertical axis of which is extended staff-like towards the bottom end

Diadem
jewellery for the forehead that can also feature decorative elements

Faldistorium
folding chair

Frieze
usually horizontal and ornamented strips to distinguish or separate surface areas

Helix/Helices
(Gk./Lat. convolution, coil; sg. helix, pl. helices) stalks that are depicted growing on a Corinthian capital between acanthus leaves. Their ends are rolled into volutes

Jamb
inclined walls at portals (or windows). The jamb can be molded and decorated with columns and jamb figures

Melon canopy
canopy-like headdress with the characteristic curvatures of a melon

Nimbus
Lat. for halo

Palmette
(Fr.) abstract vegetable ornament; leaves are arranged in a fan-shape

Psalterium
prototype of cittern and dulcimer; in the Middle Ages widely-used, mostly trapeze-shaped or triangular resonating instrument with up to 30 strings

Reel frieze
frieze that consists of horizontal, cylindrical reels that alternate with hollow spaces; consists of several superimposed and offset layers

Rosette
(Fr.) abstracted form of a blossom turned into an ornament

Sagitta
wedge-shaped stone in brick-built arches or vaults

Torc
ring on the capital that separates the column shaft from the neck of the column

Tympanum
area above a portal, often containing a relief

Volute
(Fr.) spiral form, often appearing on consoles, gables, and capitals