Abacus

Flat slab atop a column capital.

Overview

Abacus, made of stone, supports beams or arches in classical column design, often decorative.

Core Characteristics

• Structural support.
• Decorative element.
• Classical prevalence.

Notable Examples

• Parthenon (Greece, 438 BCE, Doric abacus).
• Pantheon (Italy, 126 CE, Corinthian abacus).

Architectural Connections

• Classical: Structural focus.
• Civic: Temples.
• Classicism: Core movement.

Influence and Legacy

Integral to Phidias’ classical designs, it defines column aesthetics.

Related Concepts & Techniques

Post and Lintel (technique), Proportion (theory), Column (element), Neo-Classicism (movement)