Fig. 563. Entrance (Prothyrum) of a Roman house.
Fig. 563. Entrance (Prothyrum) of a Roman house.
Fig. 563. Entrance (Prothyrum) of a Roman house.
Prothyrum, Gr. (πρό-θυρον). With the Greeks, the vestibule in front of the door of a house, where there was generally an altar of Apollo, or a statue or laurel-tree; with the Romans, the prothyrum was the corridor or passage leading from the street to the atrium (Fig.563).
Prototype(πρῶτον, first;τύπον, mould). The model of a plastic design; hence figuratively, atypeor forerunner.
Protractor.An instrument for laying down and measuring angles upon paper.
Protypum, Gr. and R. (πρό-τυπον). A model, first model or mould for making any object in clay, such as antefixæ.
Prussian Blue.A valuable pigment of a greenish-blue colour, of great body, transparency, and permanency; a mixture of prussiate of potash and rust, or oxide of iron. (SeeCyanogen.)
Prussian Brown.A deep-brown pigment, more permanent than madder.
Psaltery.A stringed instrument or kind of lyre of an oblong square shape, played with a rather large plectrum.
Pschent, Egyp. The head-dress of the ancient kings of Egypt, which should properly be calledskhent, since theponly represents the articlethe. This head-dress is the emblem of supreme power, the symbol of dominion over the south and north. It is a diadem composed of the united crowns of the Upper and Lower Egypts.
Psephus, Gr. (ψῆφος). A round stone used by the Athenian voters to record their votes.
Pseud-iso-domum(opus). (SeeOpus Pseud-iso-domum.)
Fig. 564. Ground-plan of a Pseudodipteral Temple.
Fig. 564. Ground-plan of a Pseudodipteral Temple.
Fig. 564. Ground-plan of a Pseudodipteral Temple.
Pseudodipteros, Gr. and R. (ψευδο-δίπτερος). A building or temple which presents the appearance of being surrounded by a double colonnade, though it possesses only a single one, which is separated from the walls of the cella, as in the dipteral arrangement. (Fig.564.)
Pseudoperipteros, Gr. and R. (ψευδο-περίπτερος). A building or temple which presents the appearance of being surrounded by a colonnade, although in reality it does not possess one, the columns being embedded in the walls of the cella. (SeePeripteros, under which an example of this kind of temple is given.)
Pseudothyrum, Gr. and R. (ψευδό-θυρον). Literally, a false door, and thence a secret door, or door hidden by some means or other.
Pseudourbana(sc.ædificia), R. The dwelling-house of the owner of a farm, which was distinct from the buildings set apart for the farm people and the slaves, thefamilia rustica.
Psili, Gr. (ψιλοί). Light-armed troops, who wore skins or leather instead of metal armour, and fought generally with bows and arrows or slings.
Psychè, Fr. A cheval-glass or mirror.
Psycter, Gr. (ψυκτήρ). A metal wine-cooler, often of silver, consisting of an outer vessel to contain ice, and an inner vessel for the wine.
Pterotus, R. (πτερωτός). That which has wings or ears; an epithet applied to the drinking-cup calledcalix.
Puggaree, Hind. A piece of muslin worn as a turban.
Pugillares, R. Writing-tablets small enough to be held in the hand (pugillus), whence their name.
Pugio, R. (Gr.μάχαιρα). A short dagger, without a sheath, worn by officers of high rank.
Pulpitum, R. The tribune of an orator, or the chair of a professor. In a theatre the term was used to denote the part of the stage next to theorchestra. (SeeProscenium.)
Pulvinar, R. (pulvinus, a cushion). A cushion or bolster, and thence a state couch or a marriage-bed.
Pulvinarium, R. (1) A room in a temple, in which was set out thepulvinaror couch for the gods at the feast of theLectisternium. (2) SeeOpus Pulvinarium.
Fig. 565. Pulvinatus.
Fig. 565. Pulvinatus.
Fig. 565. Pulvinatus.
Pulvinatus, R. Having a contour similar to that of a cushion or bolster, and thence the cylinder formed by the swelling of the volute at the side of the Ionic capital. (Fig.565.)
Pumice-stone.A kind of lava of less specific gravity than water. The dome of the mosque of St. Sophia at Constantinople is built of pumice-stone.
Punchau.(SeeInti.)
Punctum, R. A vote or suffrage, because in early times each citizen, instead of laying down atesseraor tablet with his vote, passed in front of therogator, or voting officer who had the list of candidates before him, and pricked a hole (punctum) in the tablet against the name of the candidate for whom the vote was given.
Punkahs.Swinging fans suspended from the ceilings of houses in India, often richly embroidered and decorated with feathers, brilliant insects, gold and silver, &c.
Puntilla, Sp. A narrow point-lace edging.
Pupa, R. A doll; a child’s plaything. Dolls of terra-cotta have been found in various countries. In Egypt dolls have been found, made out of wood, painted, and in perfect proportion, with glass beads on the head in imitation of hair. As a rule, the ancient dolls are made with movable joints.
Puppis, R. The poop or after-part of a vessel as opposed to theproraor prow. (SeeProra.)
Purbeck-stone.A rough grey sandstone from Dorsetshire, largely used for building purposes in London.
Purim(Festivals of), Heb. Jewish festivals calledFestivals of the Lots, instituted in memory of Esther, who had averted the peril with which Haman threatened the Jews; they were so called because the favourite of Ahasuerus was to have decimated the Jews by casting lots to see who should be put to death.
Purple, Gen. An insignia of authority pertaining to certain magistrates who wore purple robes or bands of purple on their attire. There were two kinds of purple, the amethyst and the Tyrian; the former was a deep violet, and obtained from a shell-fish (murex trunculus); the Tyrian was more brilliant and had a redder tinge; it was obtained from themurex brandaris.
Purpleis red graduated with blue, the red predominating; red with black makes purple-black. Purple pigments aremadder purple,violet mars,burnt carmine(for water-colours).
Purple LakesandGreen Lakesare made by mixingyellowlakes with blue pigments. (SeeYellow Lake.)
Purple Madder.(SeeMadder.)
Purple-wood.A beautiful deep-coloured Brazilian wood, used for marquetry and inlaid-work, but principally for the ramrods of guns.
Purpure, Her. Purple.
Purree, Hind. A bright golden yellow pigment prepared from camel’s dung. (SeeIndian Yellow.)
Pursuivants.The lowest order of officers in Herald’s College; of whom there are four, called respectively Rouge Croix, Rouge Dragon, Blue Mantle, and Portcullis. In the Middle Ages these officers were attached to the households of the nobility, and bore titles generally taken from the armorial insignia of their lords.
Puteal, R. A place struck by lightning, and thus rendered sacred; in order to keep it from the tread of profane feet, it was surrounded by a low wall similar to that which protected a well (puteus); whence the name ofputeal.
Fig. 566. Puteus. Manhole of an Aqueduct.
Fig. 566. Puteus. Manhole of an Aqueduct.
Fig. 566. Puteus. Manhole of an Aqueduct.
Puteus, R. (1) A well fed by a spring or an underground stream of water; (2) an opening or manhole of an aqueduct (Fig.566); (3) a pit for preserving grain.
Puticuli,Puticulæ, R. Common pits in which the bodies of those slaves and paupers were buried, who had not the means to pay for a funeral pyre or a private tomb.
Puttock, O. E. A base kind of hawk. (Shakspeare.)
Pyanepsia, Gr. (πυανέψια). Ancient “Beanfeasts.” Athenian festivals in honour of Apollo, instituted by Theseus after his victory over the Minotaur; they were so called because beans were cooked for the banquet in honour of the god (πύανος, a bean, andἕψειν, to cook).
Pyat, O. E. A magpie.
Pykers, O. E. A kind of fishing-boats.
Pylon, Egyp. (πυλών). A monumental gate composed of two lofty and massive pyramidal towers, forming the entrance to the enclosure of the great Egyptian temples. The interior of a pylon contained staircases and chambers. A splendid example in full preservation is that of the temple at Esneh on the Nile.
Pyra, Gr. and R. (πυρὰ, lit. the burning-place). A funeral pile before it was set on fire, in contradistinction torogus, a funeral pile which has been lighted. It was built in the form of an altar with four equal sides, which were frequently covered with foliage of dark leaves; and cypress-trees were placed in front of the pile. The corpse was placed on the top, in the bier (lectica) on which it had been borne to the place. (SeeFuneral Ceremonies.)
Pyræum, Pers. (πυρεῖον). A place in which the Persians kept the sacred fire (puros, fire). At Bactria there were seven pyræa, in honour of the seven planets.
Pyramid(Egyptian,Pi-rama, a mountain). In the hieroglyphics calledAbumer, “a great tomb,” which it essentially is, or rather a great cairn over the cave tomb excavated in the live rock immediately under its apex. This sepulchral chamber having been connected with the upper world by a passage sloping downwards from the north, the graduated structure was regularly built over it, the proportions of the base to the sides being constantly preserved, and the whole forming always a perfect pyramid; so that the building could be continued during the whole lifetime of its destined tenant, and covered and closed in immediately upon his death. It is on record that from Seneferoo, the first king whose name has been found upon monuments, to the last of the Sixth Dynasty, i. e. during the whole period of the Ancient Empire, every king of Egypt built a pyramid. (ConsultVyse,Pyramids of Gezeh.)
Pyrotechny(πῦρ, fire, andτέχνη, art). The art of making fireworks. The Chinese had great skill in this art long before its introduction into Europe, and are at this day unrivalled in it. The best English work on the subject is perhaps that byG. W. Mortimer(London, 1853).
Pyrrhica, Gr. (πυρρίχη). A war-dance in great favour with the early Greeks, and frequently represented in sculptures, in which warriors brandished their weapons and went through a mock combat.
Pythia, Gr. (πύθια). (1) A priestess of Apollo at Delphi, represented seated on the sacredtripod. (SeeCortina.) (2) Games instituted at Delphi in honour of Apollo, and of his killing the Pytho, the monstrous serpent born from the waters in Deucalion’s flood.
Pythoness.Synonym ofPythia(q.v.). The term was also used to denote certain sorceresses, such as the pythoness of Endor.
Pyx, orPix Cloths. (SeeCorporals.)
Fig. 567. Small Ivory Pyx. Ninth Century (?).
Fig. 567. Small Ivory Pyx. Ninth Century (?).
Fig. 567. Small Ivory Pyx. Ninth Century (?).
Pyx.The word in its earliest meaning included any small box or case, and often in the Middle Ages it contained relics. Thus in the Durham treasury there was “a tooth of St. Gengulphus, good for the falling sickness, in a small ivory pyx.” The pyx used for the sacrament was usually ornamented with religious subjects, other than the incidents of the lives of saints. (Fig.567.)
Pyxis, Gr. and R. (πυξὶς, lit. a box-wood box). A casket, trinket-box, or jewel-case.