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Dictionary
of French
Architecture
from the 11th to 16th Century
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A
ABACUS (also:"Trencher") Shelf which crowns the capital of the column. This architectural element plays a great part in constructions of the Middle Ages.
The capital receiving the springings of the arches directly, forms a corbelling intended to balance the overhang of the diagrid on the column, the abacus thus adds to the projection of the capital, giving a greater resistance; generally bevelled in the capitals of the primitive Romance time (1), it affects in flat projection, the square form according to the lower bed
