154 ARCHITECTURE. 
bination of a socle, a scotia, and an astragal in front and behind, the two 
astragals lying close together (jig. 19). Subsequently a thin ridge was 
inserted between the two astragals (jig. 20), and finally the archivolts were 
profiled like the girt arches and cross-vault ridges (fig. 21). 
The girt arches and cross-vault ridges always abut obliquely on their 
imposts. Owing to their limited width which never exceeds 8 inches, they 
are very simply profiled, mostly with sharp-edged astragals} scotias, and 
socles. The rich mouldings were all laid in the archivolt, which was 
sometimes very elaborately decorated (jig. 23). This degree of embellish- 
ment was the result of gradual improvement from the simple astragal 
(jig. 24); the twisted astragal (jig. 25); the wave line astragal (fig. 26); 
the zigzag astragal (jig. 28); the chevron (fig. 27); and combinations of 
two or more of these various forms. Such were the counter chevrons 
(jig. 29), and all the different ornaments which we have represented in jigs. 
30-40. The keystone at the point of intersection of the various vaults 
constituting a cross-vault was frequently made to project some distance 
below the plane of the vaults, and decorated with great splendor (pl. 40, 
jig. 39). 
All these decorations reached their highest-point of perfection in the 13th 
century. They were then mostly borrowed from indigenous plants. The 
archivolts were often interrupted by trefoil arches and their upper edges 
decorated with erect foliage. In the 14th century the general jejuneness 
and monotony in decoration also affected the architectural mouldings; and 
in the 15th century the tasteful distribution of ornaments over the entire 
buildings was discontinued to make room for a meretricious decoration of 
single parts. Henceforth ornaments appear only on the outside of arches, 
doors, windows, and on the gables which were entirely covered. In these 
places and on the edges of the spires, decorative appendices, more or less 
tasteful, were made, consisting of leaves (pl. 39, jig. 1), flowers, dogs’ heads, 
animal and human figures, &c. 
Entablatures proper are not found in the pointed-arch style owing to the 
peculiar mode of construction which left no room for them. In the interior, 
only a cornice under the windows was retained, which varied in profile 
according to the individual taste of the architect. Some are found that 
approach the classic ages in noble simplicity. We have selected as an 
example a cornice from the cathedral at Avignon (jig. 2). On the exterior, 
cornices are more frequently employed as well at the gables as in the real 
or imitation interruptions that decorated the walls. These cornices were 
often supported by cornices (pi. 36, fig. 41) the shape of which was entirely 
matter of fancy; they are found from the simplest cubes to the most 
elaborate representations of animal or human figures. The cornices were 
also varied to suit personal taste and were sometimes exceedingly rich. 
This effect was, however, attained by introducing a greater number of 
members in the mouldings, rather than by a deviation from the simplicity 
which marks the style of decorating the cornices in this period (pi. 39, 
jig.3). The recesses between pilasters were also closed above with two ormore 
small arches resting on small consoles (jig. 4), which often had the form of 
154 
