Dentil

Small, tooth-like blocks in cornices.

Overview

Dentils, carved in stone or wood, decorate cornices in classical architecture, resembling teeth.

Core Characteristics

• Tooth-like and repetitive.
• Decorative molding.
• Classical prevalence.

Notable Examples

• Parthenon (Greece, 438 BCE, dentil cornice).
• Pantheon (Italy, 126 CE, dentil details).

Architectural Connections

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

Influence and Legacy

Defines classical ornamentation, led by Phidias.

Related Concepts & Techniques

Stone Carving (technique), Ornamentation (theory), Cornice (element), Neo-Classicism (movement)