=Baccalarii=, Med. Lat. A contraction of bas-chevaliers: poor knights;
distinct from knights bannerets, who were also termed rich knights.
=Baccelleria=, Med. Lat. The order of bachelors. Thus we read,
“La flor de France et la bachelerie.”
Bachelor or Bachelier has been derived from _bas échelle_, the lowest
step of the ladder. (_Meyrick._)
=Baccha=, Gr. and R. A Bacchante; a woman who celebrates the mysteries
of Bacchus, in the temples of the god, or in the Bacchic orgies. In the
numerous representations of Bacchantes which occur on monuments of
ancient art, they carry the _thyrsus_ in their right hands, and wear a
wreath of ivy or vine-leaves on their heads. They appear also in the
disguise of Lenæ, Thyades, Naiads, Nymphs, &c.
=Bacchanalia=, R. (Greek, _Dionysia_). Festivals held in honour of
Dionysus or Bacchus.
=Bacchos=, Gr. and R. A short, richly ornamented _thyrsus_, carried by
the Mystæ, at Eleusis, on occasion of their being initiated in the
mysteries. There was a proverb in Greece which said: “Many carry the
_Bacchos_, but few are inspired by the gods.”
=Bacillum= (dimin. of BACULUM, q.v.). A small wand, especially the
lictor’s wand.
=Backgammon=, originally called _table board_, is mentioned in a MS. of
the 13th century. The name of _bag-gamon_ is first found in 1646.
=Baculum=, =Baculus=, R. A general term to denote any kind of staff,
except such as form the insignia of any rank or office, or are employed
in certain professions.
[Illustration: Fig. 54. Badge of King Henry V. in his chantry in
Westminster Abbey.]
[Illustration: Fig. 53. Planta genista, or broom.]
=Badges.= Small heraldic shields, worn by servants and others, showing,
in embroidered cloth or silver, a figure or device; common also “in the
furniture of houses, on robes of state, on the caparisons of horses, on
seals, and in the details of Gothic edifices.” (_Lower_, “_Curiosities
of Heraldry_.”) Fig. 54 from the cornice of King Henry’s chantry in
Westminster Abbey shows the adaptation of heraldic badges in
architectural ornament. (The description is inserted under BLAZON, q.v.)
The Badges worn by the military followers of the feudal leaders answered
the purpose of our modern uniforms. Among remarkable badges are the
“Bear and ragged staff” of the Earls of Warwick, the red and white roses
of Lancaster and York, the sprig of broom (Fig. 53) of the Plantagenets.
=Badgers.= Brushes of badger’s hair, for blending or softening. (See
BLENDING.)
=Bagordare=, Med. It. A burlesque tournament in which the combatants
were attended by fools instead of heralds and esquires.
=Bagpipe.= This ancient and favourite instrument of the Celtic races is
represented in an O. E. MS. of the 14th century. Several of the Hebrew
instruments mentioned in the Bible and in the Talmud were kinds of
bagpipes. So was a Greek instrument called “Magadis.” In Russia and
Poland, and in the Ukraine, it used to be made of a whole goat’s skin,
and was called “Kosa,” a goat. It is of high antiquity in Ireland, and a
pig playing the bagpipe is represented in an illuminated Irish MS. of A.
D. 1300.
=Baijoire.= (1) A medal or coin on the obverse or reverse of which were
two faces in profile, placed one over the other. (2) An ancient silver
coin of Genoa, and an ancient Dutch gold coin. The term is certainly
derived from an old word Baisoire [_baiser_, to kiss].
=Bai-Kriem=, Hindoo. Literally, roasted rice; a stone employed in some
of the monuments of the ancient Cambodia. (See BIEN-HOA.)
=Bailey.= (See BALLIUM.)
=Bainbergs= (Germ. _Bein-bergen_). Shin-guards or modern greaves.
=Baisoire.= (See BAIJOIRE.)
=Balance= or =Scales=. In Christian symbolism the balance symbolizes the
Last Judgment. The Scales and Sword are also, generally, the attribute
of personified Justice.
=Balandrana.= A large cloak, of the 12th and 13th centuries.
=Balayn=, O. E. Whalebone for crests of helmets.
=Baldachin=, It. A canopy of wood, stone, or metal over seats and other
places of honour, common also over fireplaces and beds, and carried in
coronation and other processions over the most honoured persons.
=Baldric=, =Baudrier=, or =Baudrick=, O. E. A girdle or sash, usually a
belt of leather, and worn over the shoulder. They were sometimes hung
with bells. (See BALTEUS.)
=Balea=, =Balia=, Med. Lat. (from βάλλω, to throw). (1) A sling. (2) A
_ballista_. From their skill in the use of slings, the inhabitants of
Majorca, Minorca, and Ivica had the appellation Baleares.
=Bales=, O. E. (Lat. _balascus_; Fr. _balais_). An inferior kind of
ruby.
=Baleyn.= (See BALAYN.)
=Balista.= (See BALLISTA.)
=Balista a pectore=, Med. Lat. A hand cross-bow.
=Balistrariæ=, Med. Lat., Arch. Cruciform openings in the wall of a
fortress to shoot quarrels through from cross-bows.
=Balletys= or =Tuptai=, Gr. A ceremony consisting in a mock combat with
stones, which took place at the Eleusinian festival.
[Illustration: Fig. 55. Ball-flower.]
=Ball-flower.= An ornament characteristic of the Decorated style of the
14th century. It represents the “knop” of a flower. _Ball-flowers_ may
be seen in the Cathedrals of Bristol, Gloucester, and Hereford.
=Ballista= or =Balista=, Gr. and R. (βάλλω, to throw). A military engine
for hurling large missiles. It was constructed of wood, and consisted of
two uprights connected horizontally by a double cross-beam. Strands of
twisted fibre formed the motive power of the engine, which was fitted
with an iron groove. The cord was drawn back by men, with the aid of a
drum or pulleys. The ancient balista was used to shoot _stones_; the
catapult to project _heavy darts_. Some balistæ threw stones weighing
three cwt. The mediæval balistæ threw _quarrels_ or stones.
=Ballistarium= or =Balistarium=, Gr. and R. A shed or magazine in which
_ballistæ_ were kept.
=Ballium=, Med. Lat. (1) (from Ital. _battaglia_). The _Bailey_ or
courtyard of a castle. (2) The bulwark which contained such a Bailey.
=Balneæ= or =Balineæ=. (See BALNEUM.)
=Balnearia=, R. A general term for all the utensils used in a bath, such
as strigils, _unguentaria_, _guttæ_, oils, perfumes, essences, &c.
[Illustration: Fig. 56. Balneæ. The Caldarium.]
=Balneum=, =Balneæ=, =Thermæ=, Gr. and R. _Balneum_ meant originally a
tub or other vessel to bathe in; next, the room in which it was placed;
when there were many such rooms the plural _balnea_ was used. _Balneæ_
were the public baths, under the Republic, when they consisted of
ordinary baths of hot and cold water. _Thermæ_ were the magnificent and
luxurious buildings adapted for the hot air system. They contained (1)
the _Apodyterium_, or dressing-room; (2) the _Frigidarium_, where the
cold bath was taken; (3) the _Tepidarium_, a bath of warm air; (4) the
_Caldarium_, with a vapour bath at one end, a warm water bath at the
other, and a _Sudatorium_, or sweating bath in the middle. The pavement,
called _suspensura_, was over a furnace, _hypocaustum_. The bathers were
currycombed with _strigils_, which the Greeks called _stlengis_ or
_xystra_; and they dropped oil over their bodies from narrow-necked
vessels called _guttus_ or _ampullæ_. The _Thermæ_ contained _exedræ_,
or open air chambers, where philosophers lectured, and libraries, and
had gardens, and shady walks, and fountains, with statuary attached to
them. The ruins of the _Thermæ_ built by Titus, Caracalla, and Domitian
remain visible (Fig. 56).
=Balon=, =Balein=, =Balayn=, O. E. Whalebone.
=Balsam of Copaiba.= An oleo-resin, used as a _varnish_, and as a
vehicle, for oil painting.
=Balteolus.= Dimin. of BALTEUS (q.v.).
=Balteus= or =Balteum= (a belt), R. (1) A baldric or wide belt which
passed over one shoulder and beneath the other, for the purpose of
suspending a sword, buckler, or any other arm. (2) The ornament on the
baldric on which was marked the number of the legion to which a soldier
belonged. (3) A richly ornamented band of leather placed round a horse’s
breast, below the MONILE, or throat-band (q.v.). (4) The broad belt in
the sphere, which contains the signs of the Zodiac. (5) The bands
surrounding the volutes of an Ionic capital. (6) The _præcinctiones_, or
small walls, or parapets, separating the different tiers in a theatre or
amphitheatre. (Generally a BELT.)
=Baltheus=, Med. Lat. for BALTEUS.
=Baluster.= A small pillar, swelling in the centre or towards the base.
[Illustration: Fig. 57. Balustrade.]
=Balustrade=, Arch. An enclosure or parapet composed of ballisters
(q.v.), and by analogy, an enclosure consisting of any other ornament,
such as trefoils, carved work, &c. Fig. 57 represents a balustrade of
the pointed Gothic style.
=Bambino=, It. A babe. Image of the infant Christ.
=Bambocciata=, It. The style of genre painting of Teniers, Van Ostade,
Wilkie, and others. It was introduced into Rome in 1626 by Peter Van
Laar, who was called, from an unfortunate deformity that he had, Il
Bamboccio, or the Cripple.
=Banded=, Her. Encircled with a band.
=Banderolle.= (1) A small flag, about a yard square, upon which arms
were emblazoned, displayed at important funerals. (2) In architecture of
the Renaissance, a flat scroll, inscribed.
[Illustration: Fig. 58. Falling-Band.]
=Bands.= Originally the name given to the collars which (in the 17th
century) replaced the ruff of Elizabeth’s reign. At first they were made
of stitched linen or cambric edged with lace, stiffened so as to stand
up round the neck. Contemporary with these were the falling bands. The
engraving (by Hollar, 1640) shows a merchant’s wife with collar or
falling band of cambric edged with lace. The term bandbox has descended
to us from those days, when similar boxes were made expressly for
keeping bands and ruffs in. (Fig. 58.)
=Bands=, Arch., are either small strings round shafts, or a horizontal
line of square, round, or other panels used to ornament towers, spires,
and other works. (See BALTEUS.)
=Bandum=, =Banderia=, Med. Lat. A small banner. The French poets called
it “_ban_,” a word probably of Celtic origin, signifying “exalted.”
(_Meyrick._)
=Bankard=, O. E. (Fr. _banquier_). A carpet or cloth covering for a
table, form, or bench.
[Illustration: Fig. 59. The Royal Standard, or Banner.]
=Banner.= In heraldry, a square, or narrow oblong flag, larger than the
pennon (q.v.), charged with the coat of arms of the owner displayed over
its entire surface, precisely as it is blazoned on a shield, as in the
illustration of the Royal Standard, which should properly be styled the
Royal _Banner_. (See STANDARD.) The Union Jack is also a banner, in
which the blazonry of the two nations of England and Scotland are
combined, not by “quartering,” but by an earlier process of “blending”
the cross and the saltire in a single composition. The profusion of
banners at tournaments, in feudal times, when each noble planted his own
in the lists, was an element of picturesque effect. The term applies to
all kinds of flags, or colours, proper to individuals, or corporations,
&c., who display them. It does not appear that _military_ banners were
used by the ancients. The banners used in Roman Catholic countries bear
the representation of patron saints, or symbols of religious mysteries.
=Banner-cloth=, Chr. A processional flag.
=Banneret.= A knight entitled to display a banner.
=Baphium=, Gr. and R. (βάπτω, to dye). A dyer’s workshop.
[Illustration: Fig. 60. Baptistery of St. Jean, Poitiers.]
[Illustration: Fig. 61. Baptistery of St. Constance, Rome.]
=Baptisterium=, R. (from βάπτω, to dip). A kind of cold plunging-bath,
constructed in the FRIGIDARIUM (q.v.), or the room itself. In Christian
archæology, _baptistery_ was the name given to a building adjoining a
basilica, or situated near it, in which baptism was administered. Such
is the baptistery of St. John Lateran at Rome. One of the most ancient
baptisteries in France is that of St. Jean, at Poitiers, represented in
Fig. 60. It dates from the fourth century; that of St. Constance, at
Rome (Figs. 61, 62), belongs to the same period.
[Illustration: Fig. 62. Interior of the Baptistery of St. Constance.]
=Bar=, Her. A horizontal line across a shield.
=Barathron= or =Orugma=, Gr. (βάραθρον). A deep cleft behind the
Acropolis at Athens, into which criminals were thrown, either under
sentence of death by this means, or after they had been put to death by
hemlock or other poisons. It was situated near the temple of Diana
Aristobulê.
=Barba=, Gen. The beard, whence the attributive _barbatus_, frequently
employed to denote one who wears a beard. Thus _bene barbatus_, a man
with a well-trimmed beard; _barbatulus_, a young man whose youthful
beard had never been touched with the razor. Among many nations of
antiquity the custom prevailed of curling the beard artificially, so as
to obtain long curls or ringlets, _cincinni_. (See CINCINNUS.) The
Assyrians, Egyptians, Jews, Persians, Greeks, and Romans may be
particularly enumerated. Shaving the beard was introduced into Rome
about B.C. 300, and became the regular practice. In the later times of
the republic many persons began to wear it trimmed, and the terms _bene
barbati_ and _barbatuli_ were applied to them. Under Hadrian the
practice of wearing beards was revived, and the emperors until
Constantine wore them. The Romans let the beard grow as a sign of
mourning; the Greeks shaved. The beard is an attribute of the prophets,
apostles, and evangelists (excepting St. John); and, in ancient art, of
Jupiter, Serapis, Neptune, &c. Neptune has a straight beard; Jupiter a
curly silky one. The early Britons shaved generally, but always had long
moustachios. The Anglo-Saxon beard was neatly trimmed or parted into
double locks. The Normans originally shaved clean, but when settled in
England let all their beard grow. Close shaving prevailed among the
young men in England in the 14th century; older men wore a forked beard.
After sundry changes, clean shaving obtained in the reign of Henry VI.,
and the beard was rarely cultivated from then until the middle of the
16th century. The most extravagant fashions arose in Elizabeth’s reign,
and were succeeded by variations too numerous to detail.
=Barbatina=, It. A preparation of clay mixed with the shavings of
woollen cloth, used in the manufacture of pottery to attach the handles
and other moulded ornaments. (_Fortnum._)
=Barbed=, Her. Pointed, as an arrow.
[Illustration: Fig. 63. Barbican.]
=Barbican=, Mod. (1) A long narrow opening made in a wall, especially in
a foundation wall, to let the water flow away. (2) The term also denotes
an outwork placed in front of a fortified castle or any other military
post. In the latter acceptation the term ANTEMURAL (q.v.) is also used.
The illustration is taken from the arms of Antoine de Burgundy. In this
instance the barbican is a small double tower, or out-post watch-house,
and the shutter-like pent-house protection of the unglazed window
openings bears a striking resemblance to a modern sun-blind.
=Barbitos=, Gr. and R. (βάρβιτος). A stringed instrument which dates
from a very high antiquity; it was much larger than the CITHARA (q.v.).
To strike the long thick strings of the _barbitos_, a PLECTRUM (q.v.)
was used instead of the fingers. The invention of this instrument is
attributed to Terpander; Horace, on the contrary, says it was invented
by Alcæus, and Athenæus by Anacreon. It was a kind of lyre with a large
body.
=Barbotine=, Fr. A primitive method of decorating coarse pottery with
clays laid on it in relief. (_Jacquemart._)
=Barca.= A boat for pleasure, or for transport. It was also a long-boat.
(See BARI.)
=Barde=, =Barred=, Her. In horizontal stripes.
=Barded=, Her. Having horse-trappings, or—
=Bardings=, which were often enriched with armorial blazonry.
=Bardocucullus=, R. and Gaul. (_bardus_ and _cucullus_, i. e. monk’s
hood). A garment with sleeves and hood worn by the poorer classes among
the Gauls. It bore some resemblance to the Roman PÆNULA (q.v.).
=Barge-board=, or =Verge board=, is the external gable-board of a house;
which is often elaborately ornamented with carvings.
=Bari= or =Baris=, Gr. and Egyp. (βᾶρις). A shallow Egyptian boat, used
on the Nile to transport merchandise, and in funeral processions. The
Egyptian sacred barks, with which they formed processions on the Nile,
were made of costly woods, and ornamented with plates of gold or silver,
and carried a miniature temple (_naos_), which contained the image of a
divinity. The prow and the poop were ornamented with religious symbols
of the richest workmanship.
[Illustration: Fig. 64. Barnacles or Breys.]
=Barnacles= or =Breys=. An instrument used in breaking horses.
=Baron=, in heraldic language, signifies a husband. The rank of Baron in
the peerage corresponds with that of the Saxon Thane; it is the lowest.
=Baronet=. An hereditary rank instituted by James I. in 1612.
=Baron’s Coronet=, first granted by Charles II., has, on a golden
circlet, six large pearls; of which four are shown in representations.
=Baroque.= In bad taste, florid and incongruous ornamentation. The same
as _rococo_.
=Barrulet=, Her. The diminutive of a BAR (q.v.).
[Illustration: Fig. 66. Barry of six.]
=Barry=, Her. Divided into an even number of bars, which all lie in the
same plane.
=Barry-Bendy=, Her. Having the field divided by lines drawn _bar-wise_,
which are crossed by others drawn _bend-wise_.
[Illustration: Fig. 67. Bartizan.]
=Bartizan=, =Watch-turret=, Arch. A small watch-tower made to project
from the top of a tower or a curtain-wall, generally at the angles.
City-gates were in some instances furnished with bartizans. Originally
they were of wood, but from the 11th century they were made of masonry,
and so formed part of the structure on which they rested; they were, in
fact, turrets. (Fig. 67.) (Compare BARBICAN.)
[Illustration: Fig. 68. Bar-wise.]
=Bar-wise=, Her. Disposed after the manner of a BAR (q.v.).
=Barytes.= A heavy spar, or sulphate, the _white_ varieties of which are
ground and made into paint (_constant_ or _Hume’s white_). Mixed with an
equal quantity of _white lead_, it produces _Venice white_, and with
half as much “_Hamburg_,” or with one-third _“Dutch” white_.
=Basalt= is a very hard stone, much like lava in appearance, and black
or green in colour, used for statuary. The principal specimens are
Egyptian and Grecian.
=Basanos=, Gr. (1) (Lat. _lapis Lydius_) The touchstone; a dark-coloured
stone on which gold leaves a peculiar mark. Hence (2) trial by torture.
(3) A military engine, the form of which is not exactly known.
=Bascauda=, R. A basket, introduced from Britain as a table utensil,
considered as an object of luxury. It was the old Welsh “basgawd,” and
served to hold bread or fruits.
=Bascinet.= A light helmet, round or conical, with a pointed apex, and
fitting close to the head, mentioned in the 13th century.
=Bascule=, O. E. (1) The counterpoise to a drawbridge. (2) A kind of
trap-door. (A badge of the Herbert family.)
[Illustration: Fig. 69. Ionic Base.]
=Base=, Arch. The lower part of a pillar, wall, &c.; the division of a
column on which the shaft is placed. The Grecian Doric order has no
base.
=Base.= Her. The lowest extremity.
=Baselard=, Fr. An ornamental short dagger, worn at the girdle; 15th
century. With such a weapon the Lord Mayor of London “transfixit Jack
Straw in gutture.” The weapon is preserved by the Fishmongers’ Company.
=Bases.= A kind of embroidered mantle, which hung down from the middle
to about the knees, or lower; worn by knights on horseback. (_Narcs._)
=Basileia=, Gr. (βασίλεια). A festival instituted in honour of Jupiter
_Basileus_. It was in commemoration of the victory which the Bœotians
had won at Leuctra, and in which success had been promised them by the
oracle of
[Illustration: Fig. 70. Basilica at Pompeii (restored).]
[Illustration: Fig. 71. Ground-plan of a Basilica.]
=Basilica= (sc. aula), Gr. and R. (βασιλικὴ, sc. στοὰ, i. e. royal
hall). This term owes its original meaning to the fact that in Macedonia
the kings, and in Greece the archon Basileus dispensed justice in
buildings of this description. The Romans, who adopted the basilica from
the above-named countries, used it as a court of justice, but besides
this it became a branch of the forum, and even when it did not form a
part of the latter was constructed near it, as was the case at Pompeii.
Fig. 71 represents the ground-plan of this basilica, and Fig. 70 a view
of the same building restored. The ground-plan of the basilica is
rectangular, the width not more than half nor less than a third of the
length. It was divided by two single rows of columns into three naves,
or aisles, and the tribunal of the judge was at one end of the centre
aisle. In the centre of the tribunal was the _curule chair_ of the
prætor, and seats for the judices and advocates. Over each of the side
aisles there was a gallery, from which shorter columns supported the
roofs; these were connected by a parapet wall or balustrade. The central
nave was open to the air. Under Constantine the basilicæ were adopted
for Christian churches. The early Norman churches were built upon the
same plan, and the circular apsis, where the judges originally sat, used
for the central altar, was the origin of the apsidal termination of the
Gothic cathedrals. The first basilica was built at Rome, B.C. 182. In
the Middle Ages structures resembling small churches erected over tombs
were called Basilica.
=Basilidian Gems.= (See ABRAXAS.)
=Basilinda=, Gr. and R. (βασιλίνδα). Literally, the game of the king; it
was often played by Greek and Roman children. The king was appointed by
lot, the rest being his subjects, and bound to obey him, during the
game.
[Illustration: Fig. 72. Basilisk.]
=Basilisk.= A fabulous animal, having the body of a cock, beak and claws
of brass, and a triple serpent tail. The emblem of the Spirit of Evil.
In heraldry, a cockatrice having its tail ending in a dragon’s head.
=Basilium=, Gr. (βασίλειον). A royal diadem, of a very tall form, of
Egyptian origin. Isis-Fortuna is often represented wearing the
_basilium_ on her head.
=Basinet.= (See BASCINET.)
=Basons= for ecclesiastical ceremonies, for collecting alms or for
holding the sacramental vessels, were a favourite subject for the
goldsmith’s art. Some beautifully enamelled basons of the 13th century
represent subjects of hawking and hunting, &c.
=Bas-relief=, =Basso-relievo=, sculptured figures projecting less than
half of their true proportions; =Mezzo-relievo= projecting exactly half;
=Alto-relievo= more than half, from the ground upon which they are
carved.
=Bassara= or =Bassaris=, Gr. (a fox, or fox-skin). A long tunic of
Lydian origin worn by the Mænads of Lydia and Thrace, who were often
called, from this circumstance, _Bassaræ_ and _Bassarides_.
=Basterna=, R. A closed litter appropriated especially to the use of
ladies, as the _Anthologia Latina_ says: “The gilded basterna conceals
the chaste matrons.” It was carried by two mules harnessed in shafts,
one in front and one behind; the LECTICA (q.v.), on the contrary, was
carried by men. During the Middle Ages the same form of litter was a
common means of conveyance in England.
[Illustration: Fig. 73. Ground-plan of the Bastile.]
=Bastile=, Arch. An outwork placed so as to defend the approach to a
castle or fortified place. A famous Bastile which had been converted
into a state prison was that of Paris, destroyed in 1789. Fig. 73 shows
the ground-plan of it. The diminutive of this term is Bastillon, which
has been changed into _Bastion_.
=Bastion=, Mod. A projecting polygonal buttress on a fortification. The
anterior portions of a bastion are the _faces_; the lateral portions,
the _flanks_; the space comprised between the two flanks, the _gorge_;
and the part of the fortification connecting two bastions together, the
_curtain_.
=Bastisonus=, Med. Lat. A bastion or bulwark.
=Batagion= or =Batagium=. (See PATAGIUM.)
[Illustration: Fig. 74. Naval and Military Badge of the “Bath.”]
[Illustration: Fig. 75. Civil Badge of the “Bath.”]
=Bath, Order of the=, numbers 985 members, including the Sovereign; viz.
_First Class_: Knights Grand Cross—G.C.B.—50 Naval and Military and 25
Civil Knights. _Second Class_: Knights Commanders—K.C.B.—120 Naval and
Military and 50 Civil. _Third Class_: Companions—C.B.—525 Naval and
Military and 200 Civil.
=Batiaca= or =Batioca=, Gr. and R. A vase of a very costly description,
used as a drinking-vessel.
=Batière=, Fr., Arch. (See SADDLE-ROOF.) A roof is said to be “_en
batière_” when it is in the form of a pack-saddle; that is, when it has
only two slopes or eaves, the two other sides being gables.
=Batillum= or =Vatillum=, R. (1) A hand-shovel used for burning scented
herbs to fumigate. (2) Any kind of small shovel.
=Baton.= In heraldry, a diminutive of the BEND SINISTER couped at its
extremities.
=Baton.= The military baton, or staff, was of Greek origin. (See
SCYTALE.)
=Batter=, Arch. Said of walls that slope inwards from the base. Walls of
wharfs and of fortifications generally _batter_.
=Battle-axe= is one of the most ancient of weapons. The _pole-axe_ is
distinguished by a spike on the back of the axe. (See BIPENNIS.)
[Illustration: Fig. 76. Embattled.]
=Battled=, =Embattled=, Her. Having battlements.
[Illustration: Fig. 77. Battlement.]
=Battlement=, =Embattailment=, =Bateling=, O. E. (Fr. _Créneau, Merlet,
Bretesse_). A parapet in fortifications, consisting of a series of
rising parts, called MERLONS or COPS, separated by spaces called
CRENELS, EMBRASURES, or LOOPS.
=Batuz.= Norman French for _battus_, beaten with hammered up gold; said
of silken stuffs so adorned.
=Baucalia= or =Baucalis=, Gr. and R. (βαυκάλιον, βαύκαλις). A
drinking-vessel, which varied in shape and material.
=Baucens=, =Bauceant=, Med. A black and white banner used in the 13th
century. (_Meyrick._)
=Baudekyn=, O. E. A fabric of silk and gold thread.
=Baudekyn= (Lat. _Baldakinus_). Cloth of gold, brocade: “pannus omnium
ditissimus.”
=Baudrick= or =Baldrock=, O. E., of a church bell. The strap by which
the clapper is hung in the crown of the bell.
=Baukides=, Gr. (βαυκίδες). A kind of shoe worn by women; it was of a
saffron colour. This elegantly-shaped shoe was highly esteemed by
courtezans, who often placed cork soles inside their _baukides_, to make
themselves appear taller.
=Baxa= or =Baxea=, Gr. Sandals made of textile plants, such as the palm,
rush, willow, papyrus, and a kind of alfa. They were worn by comic
actors on the stage.
=Bay=, Arch. (Fr. _Travée_). A principal compartment or division in a
structure, marked off by buttresses or pilasters on the walls, or by the
disposition of the vaulting, the main arches, &c. The French word _baie_
means an opening made in a wall for a door or window.
=Bayeux Tapestry.= A roll of unbleached linen worked in coloured worsted
with illustrations of the Norman Conquest (about A. D. 1068); preserved
in the public library at Bayeux. A full-sized copy may be seen in the
South Kensington Museum.
=Bayle=, Arch. The open space contained between the first and second
walls of a fortified castle. These buildings often had two bayles; in
this case, the second was contained between the inner wall and the
donjon.
=Bayonet.= A weapon, so called after the town of Bayonne in France,
where it was invented about A. D. 1650.
=Bay-stall=, Arch. The stall or seat in the bay (of a window).
=Beads=, Arch. An architectural ornament of mouldings consisting of
small round carved beads, called also Astragal. Another name for this
ornament is Paternosters.
=Beaker= (Fr. _cornet_). A trumpet-shaped vase, or drinking-cup.
[Illustration: Fig. 78. Moulding with Beak-heads and Tooth-ornament.]
=Beak-heads= (Fr. _becs d’oiseau_), Mod. An ornament peculiar to English
architecture, representing heads and beaks of birds. The ancient
Peruvians used the same ornament in their architecture, as shown in Fig.
79, taken from the decoration of the monolithic door of Tianuaco.
[Illustration: Fig. 79. Peruvian ornament (Beak-heads).]
=Bear.= Dancing bears are represented in Anglo-Saxon MSS.
=Beards.= (See _barba_.)
=Beaver.= The movable face-guard of a helmet.
=Beds.= Anglo-Saxon beds usually consisted merely of a sack (_sæccing_)
filled with straw, and laid on a bench or board, which was ordinarily in
a recess at the side of the room, as we still see in Scotland. The word
_bedstead_ means only “a place for a bed.” _Tester beds_, or beds with a
roof, were introduced by the Normans. Early in the 13th century beds
were covered much as now, with ‘quilte,’ counterpane, bolster, sheets,
and coverlet; and stood behind curtains which hung from the ceiling. In
the 15th century the beds became much more ornamental, having canopy and
curtains, and these, as well as the _tester_ or back, decorated with
heraldic, religious, or other devices. At the sides were _costers_, or
ornamental cloths. Between the curtains and the wall a space was left
called the _ruelle_, or little street.
=Beech Black.= A blue-black vegetable pigment.
=Bees=, in Christian art, are an attribute of St. Ambrose.
=Belfry= (Fr. _Beffroi_). The campanile or bell-tower of a church.
Frequently detached from the church, as at Chichester Cathedral. (See
BELL-GABLE.)
=Bell.= An attribute of St. Anthony, referring to his power of
exorcising evil spirits. In heraldry, the bell is drawn and blazoned as
a church bell.
=Bell-cot=, Arch. A BELL-GABLE (q.v.).
[Illustration: Fig. 80. Belled.]
=Belled=, Her. Having bells attached, like the cows in the device of the
city of Béarn. (Fig. 80.)
=Bell-gable=, Arch. A turret raised over the west end of small churches
and chapels that have no towers to hang a bell in. This is distinct from
the smaller turret at the east end of the nave for the SANCTUS BELL
(q.v.).
=Bellicrepa=, Med. Lat. A military dance, of Italian origin.
=Bellows= were called in A.S. _bælg_ or _blastbælg_. A MS. of the 14th
century represents a man blowing at a three-legged caldron with a
perfectly modern-looking pair of bellows. Bellows, in Christian art, are
an attribute of Ste. Geneviève.
=Bell-ring=, Mod. The ring in the CROWN of a bell from which the clapper
hangs.
=Bells= on the caparisons of horses were common in the Middle Ages. A
passage in the romance of Richard Cœur de Lion describes a messenger
“with five hundred belles rygande.” Chaucer’s monk has also bells on his
horse’s “bridel” which “gyngle as lowde as doth the chapel belle.”
=Belt=, Chr. A girdle used to confine the alb at the waist.
=Belt of Beads=, Chr. A rosary was sometimes so called.
=Belvidere=, It. A prospect tower over a building.
=Bema=, Gr. (1) A stone platform or hustings, used as a pulpit in early
Christian churches. (2) The term is synonymous with sanctuary. (3) It
also serves to denote an ambo and a bishop’s chair. (See AMBO.) The
Athenian _bema_ was a stone platform from which orators spoke at the
assemblies (_ecclesiæ_) in the Pnyx.
=Bembix=, Gr. and R. (Lat. _Turbo_). (1) A child’s whipping-top. (2) The
whorl of a spindle.
=Benches=, for seats, are represented in the 14th century formed by
laying a plank upon two trestles.
[Illustration: Fig. 81. Bend. _Arms of Le Scrope._]
=Bend=, Her. One of the Ordinaries. It crosses the field diagonally,
from the dexter chief to the sinister base, as in Fig. 81, the arms of
Richard Le Scrope: _Azure, a bend or_.
=Bendideia=, Gr. (Βενδίδεια). A festival held in the Piræeus in honour
of the goddess _Bendis_ (the Thracian name of Artemis or Diana).
=Bendlet=, Her. The diminutive of Bend.
=Bend-wise=, or =In bend=, Her. Arranged _in the direction of a_ bend.
[Illustration: Fig. 82. Bendy.]
=Bendy=, Her. Parted bend-wise into an even number of divisions.
=Benna=, Gaul. and R. This term, borrowed either from the Welsh or the
Gauls, denoted among the Romans a four-wheeled cart or carriage made of
wicker-work. A _benna_ may be seen on the bas-reliefs of the column of
Marcus Aurelius.
=Bennoŭ=, Egyp. A mythical bird resembling the phœnix, which sprang from
its own ashes, and was made the emblem of the resurrection. It
symbolized the return of Osiris to the light, and was therefore
consecrated to that god.
=Benzoin.= A gum-resin used as an ingredient in _spirit varnishes_.
[Illustration: Fig. 83. Berlin porcelain jug.]
=Berlin Porcelain.= The manufactory was first founded in 1750, under
Frederick the Great. Fig. 83 is a specimen of Berlin hard porcelain.
=Beryl.= A gem of an iridescent green colour.
=Bes=, R. (_bi_, twice, and _as_). A fraction of value equivalent to
two-thirds of an _as_.
=Besa=, Gr. and R. A drinking-vessel, also called _bessa_ and _bession_.
It was wider at the bottom than at the top, and in shape much resembled
the BOMBYLOS (q.v.).
=Bessa= (Fr. _beysse ferrée_), Med. An instrument like a pickaxe or
mattock used by the pioneers of an army; 15th century. (_Meyrick._)
=Bession.= (See BESA.)
=Bestions=, Arch. This term is applied by Philibert Delorme to the
fantastic animals which occur in sculptures of the decorative or florid
period of architecture.
=Beten=, O. E. Embroidered with fancy subjects.
“A coronall on her hedd sett,
Her clothes with beasts and birdes were _bete_.”
=Beveled=, Arch. Having a sloped surface. (See SPLAY.)
=Bever.= A Norman word for “taking a drink” between breakfast and
dinner; elsewhere called “a myd-diner under-mete.”
[Illustration: Fig. 84. Bezant.]
=Bezant=, Her. A golden “roundle” or disk, flat like a coin.
=Biacca=, It. White carbonate of lead; a pigment.
=Biblia=, Med. Lat. A war engine for attack.
=Bibliotheca=, Gr. and R. (βιβλίον, book, and θήκη, case). Primarily the
place where books were kept, and hence used for the collection of books
or MSS. itself. The most celebrated library of antiquity was that
founded by the Ptolemies at Alexandria, destroyed by the Arabs, A. D.
640.
=Bibliothecula=, Gr. and R. (dimin. of _bibliotheca_). A small library.
=Bice.= The name of certain very ancient blue and green pigments, known
also as _Mountain_ (or _Saunders’_) _blue_, and _Mountain green_, and by
other names. (See CARBONATES OF COPPER.)
=Biclinium=, Gr. and R. A couch or sofa on which two persons could
recline at table.
=Bicos=, Gr. (See BIKOS.)
=Bidens=, R. (_dens_, a tooth). Literally, with two teeth, forks, or
blades. The term was applied to a hoe, a pair of scissors, and an anchor
(_ancora bidens_). A two-forked weapon of the same name occurs in some
representations of Pluto.
=Bidental=, R. (_bidens_). A structure consecrated by the augurs or
haruspices, through the sacrifice of an animal. This was generally a
sheep of two years old, whence the name _bidens_ applied to the victim.
The _bidental_ was often an altar surrounded with a peristyle, as may be
seen from the remains of one of them at Pompeii. A _bidental_ was set up
in any place which had been struck by lightning. A cippus or _puteal_
placed on the exact spot which had been struck bore the inscription:
_Fulmen_ or _fulgur conditum_.
=Bien-hoa= or =Ben-hoa=, Hind. A kind of stone employed by the Khmers or
ancient inhabitants of Camboja for their sculpture; they also called it
_baï-kriem_ (roasted rice), which it exactly resembles. Its deep yellow
colour recalls in a striking degree that of old white marbles which have
been long exposed to the sun and air in warm countries.
[Illustration: Fig. 85. Bifrons.]
=Bifrons=, R. (_frons_, a forehead). Having two fronts or faces.
Libraries and picture galleries generally contained statuary of heads or
busts coupled together back to back, but especially of Janus, emblematic
of his knowledge both of the past and the future. The illustration
represents a Greek vase, in imitation of the statuary described.
=Biga=, R. (_bi_ and _juga_, double-yoked). A car drawn by two horses.
_Bigæ_ also denoted, like _bijugus_ or _bijugis_, two horses harnessed
together. [The Greeks called this method “Synoris.”]
=Bigatus=, R. (sc. _nummus_). A silver denarius (one of the earliest
Roman coins) which had a BIGA on the reverse. Other denarii were
_quadrigati_, having a _four-horse chariot_ on the reverse.
=Biggon=, O. E. “A kind of quoif formerly worn by men;” hence
“Béguines,” the nuns at the Béguinage at Ghent, who still wear the
_biggon_.
=Bikos=, Gr. and R. A large earthenware vase adapted to hold dry
provisions, such as figs, plums, &c.
=Bilanx=, R. (double-dish). A balance with two scales. (See LIBRA.)
=Bilbo.= A light rapier invented at Bilboa.
=Bilix=, R. (double-thread). A texture like “twill,” or “dimity,” made
by a double set of leashes (_licia_).
[Illustration: Fig. 86. Bill-head.]
=Bill=, O. E. A weapon made of a long staff with a broad curved blade, a
short pike at the back, and a pike at the top, used by infantry of the
14th and 15th centuries. (Fig. 86.)
=Billet=, Her. A small oblong figure.
=Billet=, Arch. A moulding of the Roman epoch, consisting of short rods
separated from each other by a space equal to their own length. Some
billets are arranged in several rows.
=Bilychnis=, Gr. and R. A double lamp with two beaks and two wicks, so
as to give out two separate flames.
=Binio=, R. A gold coin current at Rome. It was worth two _aurei_ or
fifty silver _denarii_. (See AUREUS.)
=Bipalium=, R. A spade, furnished with a cross-bar, by pressing the foot
on which the instrument could be pushed into the ground. Representations
of this tool occur pretty frequently on tombs.
[Illustration: Fig. 87. Bipennis.]
=Bipennis= or =Bipenne=, Gen. (_penna_, a wing). An axe with a double
blade or edge, used as an agricultural implement, an adze, or a military
weapon. The Greeks, who called it βουπλὴξ, never made use of it. It was
used especially by barbarous nations, such as the Amazons, Scythians,
Gauls, &c. Fig. 87 represents a Gaulish _bipennis_ taken from one of the
bas-reliefs on the triumphal arch at Orange.
=Bird=, in Egyptian hieroglyphics, signified the soul of man, and in
Christian art had _originally_ a similar meaning afterwards forgotten.
=Bird-bolt.= A short thick arrow, with a blunt head, about the breadth
of a shilling.
=Biremis=, R. (_remus_, an oar). A pair-oared boat, or a vessel having
two banks of oars.
[Illustration: Fig. 88. Biretta. (Portrait of a Rector of Padua.)]
=Biretta=, It. A cap. In its restricted meaning the term is applied to
that worn by priests and academical persons. The illustration shows the
state costume of the Rector of the University of Padua, who wears a
sacerdotal biretta.
=Birotus= and =Birota=, R. (_rota_, a wheel). Anything having two
wheels, and so a two-wheeled carriage, car, or chariot.
=Birrus= and =Byrrus=, R. A russet-coloured capote with a hood. It was
made of a coarse cloth (_bure_) with a long nap. Such was, at first, the
meaning of the term, but in course of time _birri_ of a fine quality
were made.
=Bisaccium= (It. _bisacce_). Saddle-bags of coarse sacking.
=Biscuit=, Fr. A kind of porcelain, unglazed. The finest is the so
called Parian porcelain.
=Bisellium=, R. (_sella_, a seat). A seat of honour or state chair,
reserved for persons of note, or who had done service to the state.
There was room on the seat for two persons.
=Bishop’s Length.= Technical name for a portrait-canvas of 58 inches by
94 inches.
=Bismuth.= The pigment, called pearl white, which is the sub-nitrate of
this metal, is very susceptible to the action of sulphurous vapours,
which turn it black.
=Bisomus=, Chr. A sarcophagus with two compartments; that is, capable of
holding two dead bodies. (See SARCOPHAGUS.)
=Bistre.= A warm brown water-colour-pigment, made of the soot of
beech-wood, water, and gum. It is the mediæval fuligo and fuligine.
=Biting-in.= The action of aqua fortis upon copper or steel in
engraving.
=Bitumen.= This pigment _should_ be genuine _Asphaltum_, diluted and
ground up with drying oil or varnish. It dries quickly. There is a
substance _sold as bitumen_ which will not dry at all. (See ASPHALTUM.)
=Bivium=, R. (_via_, a way). A street or road branching out into two
different directions; at the corner there was almost always a fountain.
=Bizarre=, Fr. Fantastic, capricious of kind.
=Black= is the resultant of the combination in unequal proportions of
blue, red, and yellow.
=Black=, in Christian art, expressed the earth; darkness, mourning,
wickedness, negation, death; and was appropriate to the Prince of
Darkness. White and black together signify purity of life, and mourning
or humiliation; hence adopted by the Dominicans and Carmelites. In
blazonry, black, called sable, signifies prudence, wisdom, and constancy
in adversity and love, and is represented by horizontal and
perpendicular lines crossing each other.
=Black Pigments= are very numerous, of different degrees of
transparency, and of various hues, in which either red or blue
predominates, producing brown blacks or blue blacks. The most important
are _beech black_, or _vegetable blue black_; _bone black_, or _Paris
black_, called also _ivory black_; _Cassel_ or _Cologne black_, _cork
black_, _Frankfort black_, and _lamp-black_. (See ASPHALTUM.)
=Blades=, Arch. The principal rafters of a roof.
=Blasted=, Her. Leafless, withered.
=Blautai=, Gr. (Lat. _soleæ_). A richly-made shoe; a kind of sandal worn
by men.
=Blazon=, Her. Armorial compositions. To blazon is to describe or to
represent them in an heraldic manner. The representation is called
Blazonry. For example, the _blazoning_ of the BADGES on the cornice of
King Henry’s chantry in Westminster Abbey is as follows:—On the dexter,
a white antelope, ducally collared, chained, and armed _or_; and on the
sinister a swan gorged with a crown and chain. The beacon or cresset
_or_, inflamed proper. (See Fig. 54.)
=Blending.= Passing over painting with a soft brush of badger’s hair
made for the purpose, by which the pigments are fused together and the
painting softened.
=Blindman’s Buff.= Called “hoodman-blind,” _temp._ Elizabeth.
=Blind-story=, Arch. The TRIFORIUM in a church. Opposed to the CLEAR or
CLERESTORY (q.v.).
=Blocking-course=, Arch. The last course in a wall, especially of a
parapet. The surface is made slightly convex to allow of water flowing
off more easily.
=Blodbendes= (O. E. for blood-bands). Narrow strips of linen to bind
round the arm after bleeding.
=Blodius=, O. E. Sky-blue.
=Bloom.= The clouded appearance which varnish sometimes takes upon the
surface of a picture.
=Blue.= One of the three primary colours, the complementary to orange.
Blue, in Christian art, or the sapphire, expressed heaven, the
firmament, truth, constancy, fidelity. Its symbolism as the dress worn
by the Virgin Mary is of _modesty_. In blazonry it signifies chastity,
loyalty, fidelity, and good reputation. Engravers represent it by
horizontal lines.
=Blue Black=, or =Charcoal Black=, is a pigment prepared by burning
vine-twigs in close vessels. Mixed with _white lead_ it yields very fine
silvery _greys_. (See also BLACK PIGMENTS.)
=Blue Pigments.= Minerals:—see ULTRAMARINE, COBALT, BLUE VERDITER.
Vegetable:—_Indigo_. Animal:—_Prussian blue_. (See CARBONATE OF COPPER,
INTENSE BLUE.)
=Blue Verditer.= (See VERDITER.)
[Illustration: Figs. 89, 90. Boars. Gallic ensigns.]
=Boar.= In mediæval art, emblem of ferocity and sensuality. In heraldry
the boar is called Sanglier. The military ensigns of the Gauls were
surmounted by figures of the wild boar.
=Boclerus=, Med. Lat. A buckler; 14th century. The word is derived from
the German Bock, a goat. Compare ÆGIS.
=Bodkin=, Saxon. A dagger, a hair-pin, a blunt flat needle.
“With _bodkins_ was Cæsar Julius
Murdred at Rome, of Brutus, Cassius.”
(_The Serpent of Division_, 1590.)
“He pulls her bodkin that is tied in a piece of black ribbon.” (_The
Parson’s Wedding_, 1663.)
The Latin name for this classical head-dress was _acus_.
=Body Colour.= In speaking of oil colours the term applies to their
solidity, or degree of opacity; water-colour painting is said to be in
body colours when the pigments are laid on thickly, or mixed with white,
as in oil painting.
=Boedromia=, Gr. and R. A festival instituted in honour of Apollo the
Helper—βοηδρόμος. It was held at Athens on the sixth day of September, a
month thence called _Boedromion_.
=Bohemian Glass.= The manufacture of a pure crystal glass well adapted
for engraving became an important industry in Germany about the year
1600, and the art of engraving was admirably developed during the
century. Of Johann Schapper, especially, Jacquemart says that he
produced “subjects and arabesques of such delicacy of execution that at
first sight they seemed merely like a cloud on the glass.”
=Bohordamentum=, Med. Lat. A joust with mock lances called “bouhours.”
=Bojæ=, R. (_bos_, an ox). (1) A heavy collar of wood or iron for
dangerous dogs. (2) A similar collar placed round the necks of criminals
or slaves.
=Boletar=, R. A dish on which mushrooms (_boleti_) were served, and
thence transferred to dishes of various forms.
=Bolevardus=, Med. Lat. A boulevard or rampart.
=Bombard=, O. E. A machine for projecting stones or iron balls; the
precursor of the cannon. First used in the 14th century.
[Illustration: Fig. 91. Bombards worn by King James I. of England.]
=Bombards=, O. E. Padded breeches. In Elizabeth’s reign the breeches,
then called BOMBARDS, were stuffed so wide that a gallery or scaffold
was erected to accommodate members of Parliament who wore them. The
engraving shows James I. (painted 1614) attired for hawking. (Fig. 91.)
=Bombax=, O. E. The stuff now called Bombasin. “A sort of fine silk or
cotton cloth well known upon the continent during the 13th century.”
(_Strutt._)
=Bombé=, Fr. Curved furniture, introduced in the 18th century.
=Bombulom= or =Bunibulum=, O. E. (from the Greek βόμβος, a hollow deep
sound). A musical instrument consisting of an angular frame with metal
plates, which sounded when shaken like the _sistrum_ of the Egyptians.
=Bombylos= and =Bombylê=, Gr. and R. A vase so called from the gurgling
noise which the liquid makes in pouring out through its narrow neck.
=Bone Black.= (See IVORY BLACK.)
=Book.= In mediæval art an attribute of the fathers of the Church; in
the hands of evangelists and apostles it represents the Gospel. St.
Boniface carries a book pierced with a sword. St. Stephen, St.
Catherine, St. Bonaventura, and St. Thomas Aquinas also carry books.
=Bordure=, Her. A border to a shield.
=Boreasmos=, Gr. A festival held at Athens in honour of Boreas, the god
of the north wind.
=Borto= or =Burdo=, Med. Lat. A lance.
=Boss.= The centre of a shield; also an architectural ornament for
ceilings, put where the ribs of a vault meet, or in other situations.
[Illustration: Fig. 92. Greek Bossage.]
[Illustration: Fig. 93. Bossage.]
=Bossage=, Arch. An arrangement of plain or ornamental projections on
the surface of a wall of dressed masonry. Figs. 92 and 93 represent two
Greek walls finished in this manner.
=Boston=, O. E. A flower so called.
=Botéga=, It. A manufactory or artist’s workshop where pottery is made.
[Illustration: Fig. 94. Botonée Fitchée.]
=Botonée, Fitchée=, Her. Varieties of the heraldic cross, called also
treflée. (Fig. 94.)
[Illustration: Fig. 95. Coffee-pot of Bottcher Ware.]
=Bottcher Ware.= Early Dresden pottery. (1) A very hard red stone-ware,
made of a red clay of Okrilla, invented at Meissen by John Frederick
Bottcher. (2) Porcelain. Bottcher, finding his wig very heavy one day,
examined the powder upon it, and discovered it to be the fine kaolin of
Aue, from which the Dresden (or Meissen) china is made. Bottcher’s first
object was to obtain a paste as white and as perfect as that of the
COREA; he succeeded at his first trial, and produced pieces with archaic
decoration so perfectly imitated, that one would hesitate to declare
them European.
[Illustration: Fig. 96. Bottle-mouldings.]
=Bottle=, =Boutell=, =Bowtell=, or =Boltell=, Arch. An old English term
for a bead moulding; also for small shafts of clustered columns resting
against the pillars of a nave, in the Romano-Byzantine and Gothic
periods. These shafts spring from the ground and rise to the height of
the bend of the roof, the diagonal ribs of which they receive on coupled
columns. Probably from _bolt_, an arrow.
[Illustration: Fig. 97. Water Bouget.]
=Bougets= or =Water Bougets=, Fr., were pouches of leather, which were
used by the Crusaders for carrying water in the deserts. Fig. 97 is a
heraldic representation of the coat of arms of De Ros.
=Boulé=, =Bouleuterion=, Gr. An assembly composed of the foremost men of
the nation. It was a kind of senate or higher council which deliberated
on the affairs of the republic. The popular assembly, on the other hand,
composed of all the males of free birth, was called _agora_, and was
held in a place called by the same name. (See AGORA.)
=Boule.= A peculiar kind of marquetry, composed of tortoise-shell and
thin brass, to which are sometimes added ivory and enamelled metal.
Named from its inventor, André Charles Boule, born 1642.
=Boulting-mill.= A mill for winnowing the flour from the bran
(_crusca_); the device of the Academy of La Crusca. (See CRUSCA.)
=Bourdon.= A pilgrim’s staff. On the walls of Hôtel Cluny, at Paris, the
pilgrim’s _bourdon_ and cockle-shells are sculptured. Piers Plowman
describes a pilgrim’s
“_burdoun_ y-bounde
With a broad liste, in a withwynde wise
Y-wounden about.”
=Bourginot.= A close helmet of the 15th century, first used in Burgundy.
[Illustration: Fig. 98. Bourgogne Point Lace.]
=Bourgogne, Point de=, is a beautifully fine and well-finished pillow
lace resembling old Mechlin. No record remains of its manufacture. (Fig.
98.)
=Bovile.= (See BUBILE.)
=Bow.= Represented in the most ancient monuments. In classical art an
attribute of Apollo, Cupid, Diana, Hercules, and the Centaurs.
=Bow=, Arch., O. E. A flying buttress, or arch-buttress.
=Bowed=, Her. Having a convex contour.
=Bower= or =Bowre=, O. E. The Anglo-Saxon name for a bed-chamber, “_bird
in bure_” = a lady in her chamber. The bed-chambers were separate
buildings grouped round or near the central hall.
“Up then rose fair Annet’s father,
Twa hours or it wer day,
And he is gane into the _bower_
Wherein fair Annet lay.”
(_Percy Ballads._)
=Bowls of metal=, generally bronze or copper, found in early Anglo-Saxon
_barrows_ or graves, are probably of Roman workmanship. Some beautiful
_buckets_ (A.S. _bucas_) were made of wood, generally of ash, whence
they had another name _æscen_. They are ornamented with designs, and
figures of animals, and were probably used at festivities to contain ale
or mead.
=Bowtell= or =Boutell=, Arch. (See BOTTLE.)
=Brabeum=, =Brabium=, or =Bravium=, Gr. (βραβεῖον, from βραβεὺς, judge).
Three terms denoting the prize assigned to the victor in the public
games.
[Illustration: Fig. 99. Figures with Braccæ.]
=Braccæ=, =Bracæ=, or =Bragæ= (Celtic _breac_). Trousers worn
principally by barbarous nations, such as the Amazons, Gauls, Persians,
and Scythians. _Anaxyrides_ was the name given to close-fitting
trousers, _braccæ laxæ_ to wider pantaloons, such as those worn by the
Gaul in the left-hand corner of Fig. 99, from a bas-relief taken from
the sarcophagus of the _vigna_ Ammendola. The _braccæ virgatæ_ were
striped pantaloons worn especially by Asiatics; _braccæ picta_,
variegated or embroidered trousers. (See BREECHES.)
[Illustration: Fig. 100. Three diamond rings interlaced.]
=Braced= or =Brazed=, Her. Interlaced, as in the illustration of the
arms of Cosmo, the founder of the Medici family. (Fig. 100.) (See also
the illustration to FRET.)
=Bracelet.= Bracelets were, among the ancients, a symbol of marriage.
(See ARMILLA.)
=Bracelets.= (See PERISCELIS.)
=Brachiale=, R. (_brachium_, the arm). An armlet, or piece of defensive
armour covering the _brachium_ or forearm. It was worn by gladiators in
the circus. Some beautifully ornamented specimens were found among the
excavations at Pompeii.
=Brackets=, Arch., in mediæval architecture, are usually called Corbels.
(See Fig. 5.)
=Braconniere=, O. E. A skirt of armour, worn hanging from the breast and
back plates; 16th century.
=Bractea= or =Brattea=, R. Leaves of metal, especially of gold, beaten
out.
=Braga=, =Bragæ=. (See BRACCÆ.)
=Bragamas=, O. E. (See BRAQUEMARD.) “Un grant coustel, que l’en dit
bragamas;” 14th cent.
=Braggers=, O. E. An obsolete term for timber BRACKETS.
=Brake=, O. E. A quern or hand-mill.
=Brand=, A.S. A torch; hence, from its shining appearance, a sword.
(_Meyrick._)
=Brandrate=, O. E. An iron tripod fixed over the fire, on which to set a
pot or kettle.
=Braquemard=, O. E. A kind of sabre—“un grant coustel d’Alemaigne, nommé
braquemart;” 14th century.
=Brass=, Gen. An alloy made by mixing copper with tin, or else with zinc
or silver. Another name for it is BRONZE (q.v.). Corinthian brass is
very celebrated, but little is known of its composition even at the
present day. Mosaic gold, pinchbeck, prince’s metal, &c., are varieties
of brass differing in the proportions of the ingredients. Brass beaten
into very thin leaves is called Dutch Metal.
[Illustration: Fig. 101. Brassart.]
=Brassart.= Plate armour for the arm. (Fig. 101.)
=Brasses.= Engraved metal plates inlaid in the pavements or walls of
churches as monuments. The material was called _cullen_ (or Cologne)
plate. The engravings were made black with mastic or bitumen, and the
field or background was coarsely enamelled in various colours.
=Brattach=, Celtic. A standard; literally, a cloth.
=Braunshid=, O. E. Branched.
=Breadth= “in painting is a term which denotes largeness, space,
vastness,” &c. (Consult J. B. Pyne “_On the Nomenclature of Pictorial
Art_,” Art Union, 1843.)
=Breccia=, It. A conglomerate used by the ancients in architecture and
sculpture.
=Breeches= (_breac_ Celtic, _braccæ_ Lat.). The word breeches in its
present acceptance was first used towards the end of the 16th century;
previously, breeches were called hose, upper socks, and slop. (See
BOMBARDS and BRACCÆ.)
=Bremen Green.= (See VERDITER.)
=Breys=, Her. (See BARNACLES.)
=Bridges=, O. E. A kind of satin manufactured at Bruges.
[Illustration: Fig. 102. Bridle-device of the Arbusani.]
=Bridle.= A favourite Scriptural emblem of self-restraint and
self-denial. The illustration is the device of Benedetto Arbusani of
Padua; with the motto which, according to Epictetus, contains every
essential to human happiness. (Fig. 102.) (See “_Historic Devices_.”)
=Broach= or =Broch=, O. E. A church spire, or _any sharp-pointed
object_, was frequently so called.
[Illustration: Fig. 103. Broad arrow.]
=Broad Arrow=, now used as the Royal mark on all Government stores, &c.,
was first employed as a regal badge by Richard I. (Fig. 103.)
[Illustration: Fig. 104. Gold Brocade State or “Ducal” costume of the
Dogeressa of Venice.]
=Brocade.= A stout silken stuff of variegated pattern. Strutt says it
was composed of silk interwoven with threads of gold and silver. The
state or “ducal” costume of the Dogeressa of Venice, represented in the
illustration, consisted principally of an ample robe of the finest gold
brocade, lined with ermine. (Figs. 88, 104.)
=Broella.= Coarse cloth worn by monks in the Middle Ages.
=Bromias=, Gr. A drinking-vessel of wood, or silver, resembling a large
SCYPHUS (q.v.).
=Bronze.= _Antique_ bronze was composed of tin and copper; the _modern_
bronze contains also zinc and lead, by which the fluidity is increased,
and the brittleness diminished.
=Bronzes= (ancient Chinese) are rarely seen out of the province of
Fokien. The lines of metal are small and delicate, and are made to
represent flowers, trees, animals of various kinds, and sometimes
Chinese characters. Some fine bronzes, inlaid with gold, are met with in
this province. As a general rule, Chinese bronzes are more remarkable
for their peculiar and certainly not very handsome form than for
anything else.
=Bronzing.= The art of laying a coating of bronze powder on wood,
gypsum, or other material. Another method is the electrotype process.
(Consult Walker’s _Electrotype Manipulation_.)
[Illustration: Figs. 105 to 112. Gallic and Merovingian brooches.]
=Brooch.= (See FIBULA.) Anglo-Saxon and Irish specimens of magnificent
workmanship are described in the _Archæological Album_. In the Middle
Ages brooches bore quaint inscriptions: Chaucer’s “prioress” wore
“_a broche_ of gold ful shene,
On which was first y-wretten a crouned A,
And after, _Amor vincit omnia_.”
Leather brooches for hats are mentioned by Dekker in _Satiromastix_,
1602. Figs. 105, 106, 107 represent different brooches found in France
of the Gallic and Merovingian periods. (Compare FIBULA, PHALERÆ.)
[Illustration: Fig. 113. Gallic brooch.]
=Brown=, in Egyptian art, was the colour consecrated to Typhon; in
ancient times it was the sign of mourning. Regarded as a compound of red
and black, BISTRE, it is the symbol of all evil deeds and treason. In a
monastic costume it signifies renunciation. With the Moors it was
emblematic of all evil. Christian symbolism appropriates the colour of
the dead leaf for the type of “spiritual death,” &c. (Consult Portal,
_Essai sur les Couleurs symboliques_.)
=Brown Madder.= (See MADDER.)
=Brown Ochre.= A strong, dark, yellow, opaque pigment. (See OCHRES.)
=Brown Pigments= are _asphaltum_, _bistre_, _umber_, _sienna_, _Mars
brown_, _Cassel earth_, _Cappagh brown_, _brown madder_, and burnt
_terra verde_;—chiefly calcined earths. (See also INDIGO.)
=Brown Pink= (Fr. _stil de grain_). A vegetable yellow pigment. (See
PINKS.)
=Brown Red= is generally made from burnt _yellow ochre_, or _Roman
ochre_, or from calcined sulphate of iron. (See MARS.)
=Brunswick Green.= A modification of MOUNTAIN GREEN (q.v.).
=Bruny=, =Byrne=, or =Byrnan=. Saxon for a breastplate or cuirass,
called by the Normans “_broigne_.”
=Brushes.= (See HAIR PENCILS.)
[Illustration: Fig. 114. Brussels Lace.]
=Brussels Point à l’Aiguille= differs somewhat from the lace usually
known as Brussels Lace or Point d’Angleterre, but resembles Point
d’Alençon in the réseau ground. (Fig. 114.) (See POINT D’ANGLETERRE.)
=Buccina= (Gr. βυκάνη). A kind of trumpet anciently made of a
conch-shell, represented in the hands of Tritons.
=Buccula=, R. (_bucca_, a cheek). The chin-piece or cheek-piece of a
helmet, which could be raised or lowered by the soldier at will.
=Bucentaur.= A monster, half man and half ox. The name of the Venetian
state galley.
=Buckets=, Anglo-Saxon. (See BOWLS.)
[Illustration: Fig. 115. Heraldic buckle.]
=Buckle=, Her. The crest of the Pelham family, now represented by the
Earls of Chichester. It is a common ornament of ecclesiastical
buildings, houses, and other objects in Sussex. (Fig. 115.)
=Buckler.= (See CLIPEUS and SCUTUM.)
=Buckram.= A cloth stiffened with gum, so called from Bokhara, where it
was originally made.
[Illustration: Fig. 116. Bucranium.]
=Bucranium=, R. (βουκράνιον). An ox’s head from which the flesh has been
stripped; an ox-skull employed in the decoration of friezes by Greek and
Roman architects. Fig. 116 represents a _bucranium_ in the temple of
Vespasian at Rome.
=Budge=, O. E. Lambskin with the wool dressed outwards. Mentioned by
Chaucer.
=Buffett-stoole=, O. E. A stool with three legs.
=Buffin=, O. E. Coarse cloth of Elizabeth’s time.
=Bugles=, O. E. Glass beads in the hair, _temp._ Elizabeth and James I.
=Buldiellus=, Med. Lat. A baudric.
=Bulga=, R. A purse or leathern bag for money which was carried on the
arm. According to Festus the word is of Gallic origin.
[Illustration: Fig. 117. Bulla (on a door).]
=Bulla=, R. (_bullo_, to bubble). A term denoting objects of various
kinds, but all more or less approximating in shape to a water-bubble.
The heads of certain nails were called _bullæ_; Fig. 117 shows one of
the _bullæ_ decorating an ancient bronze door in the Pantheon at Rome.
The _bulla aurea_ was an ornament of globular shape, worn round the neck
by children of patrician family. The _bulla scortea_ was an ornament
made of leather, worn by freedmen or individuals of the lower orders.
=Bulting-pipe=, O. E. A bolting-cloth for sifting meal.
=Bullula=, R. (_bulla_). Diminutive of BULLA (q.v.).
=Bur.= A term in etching for the rough edge of a line, commonly removed,
but by Rembrandt and other great masters made effective.
=Burdalisaunder=, =Bourde de Elisandre=. Burda, a stuff for clothing
(mentioned in the 4th century) from Alexandria. A silken web in
different coloured stripes; 14th century.
=Burgau.= A univalve shell, _Turbo marmoratus_, producing a
mother-of-pearl; and hence all works in mother-of-pearl, of whatever
material, are called “burgau.” (_Jacquemart._)
=Burin.= An instrument for engraving on copper.
=Burnisher.= A steel instrument used by engravers to soften lines or
efface them. An agate is used to burnish gold.
=Burnt Sienna.= (See SIENNA.)
=Burnt Terra Verde.= (See GREEN EARTH.)
=Burnt Umber.= (See UMBER.)
=Burr=, O. E. (1) The broad iron ring on a tilting-lance, just below the
gripe, to prevent the hand slipping back. (2) Projecting defences at the
front of a saddle. (_Meyrick._) (3) The rough edge produced on the metal
by an incised or etched line in an engraving.
=Buskin.= (See COTHURNUS.)
=Bustum=, R. (_buro_, to burn). An open spot upon which a pyre was
raised for burning the corpse of a person of distinction. When the area
adjoined the burying-ground, it was called _bustum_; when it was
separate from it, it was called _ustrina_.
[Illustration: Fig. 118. Arch-buttress.]
=Buttress=, Arch. An abutment employed to increase the solidity or
stability of a wall; it may either immediately abut on the wall, or be
connected with it by a flying or arch-buttress (Fig. 118). In the
Romano-Byzantine and lanceolated styles buttresses are largely employed
to strengthen the walls of naves which have to support high vaulted
roofs.
=Buxum=, R. (πύξος). Box, an evergreen, the wood of which was used for
various purposes, as with us. By analogy, the term _buxum_ was applied
to objects made of this wood, such as combs, flutes, children’s shoes,
and waxed tablets for writing.
=Buzo=, O. E. The arrow for an arquebus, or cross-bow. French, _boujon_:
“a boult, an arrow with a great or broad head.” (_Cotgrave._)
=Byrrus.= (See BIRRUS.)
=Byssus=, Gr. and R. (βύσσος). The precise meaning of this term is
unknown; there is no doubt it was a texture made of some very costly
material, since we learn from Pliny that the byssus cloth which he calls
_linum byssinum_ was exceedingly dear. Everything leads us to suppose
that it was a linen material of the finest quality. This opinion would
seem to be confirmed by Herodotus and Æschylus. The word comes from the
Hebrew _butz_.
[Illustration: Fig. 120. Byzantine ornament on an English font.]
[Illustration: Fig. 119. Byzantine Font.]
[Illustration: Fig. 121. Roman-Byzantine Cross at Carew.]
=Byzantine Period.= Time, about 6th to 12th century A. D. (_Byzantium_,
the Latin name of Constantinople.) Byzantine Architecture is noteworthy
for a bold development of the plan of Christian places of worship. It
introduced the cupola, or dome, which was often surrounded by
semi-domes; an almost square ground-plan in place of the long aisles of
the Roman church; and piers instead of columns. The apse always formed
part of Byzantine buildings, which were richly decorated, and contained
marble in great profusion. St. Sophia, Constantinople (A. D. 532–537),
is the finest example of Byzantine architecture. St. Mark’s, Venice (A.
D. 977), and the Cathedral of Aix-la-Chapelle (A. D. 796–804), are also
of pure Byzantine style. Byzantine Painting was that which succeeded the
decline of the early Christian Art in the catacombs and basilicas of
Rome, and which preceded and foreshadowed the Renaissance of Art in
Italy. In style it was based on that of the catacombs, but with a
reminiscence of the excellence of ancient Greece; it was, however,
restrained and kept within narrow limits by the conventionalities which
were imposed upon it by the Church, and which almost reduced it to a
mechanical art. The mosaics of the 10th and 11th centuries in St.
Mark’s, Venice, are perhaps the best existing examples of the Byzantine
period. Specimens are also to be seen in St. Sophia, Constantinople; and
at Ravenna.