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Letter "D" Glossary


dado — Middle register of a pedestal, between the base and the cap or the lower zone of an interior wall, when given a distinct treatment sometimes resembling a pedestal in appearance.

deacon — A cleric ranking just below a priest in the Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and Roman Catholic churches or Protestant layperson who assists the minister in various functions. A female deacon is referred to as a deaconess.

depressed arch — Flattened pointed arches whose radii are located within the span of the arch, whether or not the centers are above, at, or below the springing. Also called drop arches.

diagonal rib — Slender stone moldings, or arched supports, called ribs arranged in a diagonal formation and positioned along the groins (or joins) of a vault, crossing in the center, used either to mask the groins or to support or decorate the vault.

diaper pattern — Designs composed of repeated geometric surface patterning often forming a framework designed with forms such as lozenges or formalized leaves.

diaconicum — In the Greek Church, the liturgical book specifying the functions of the deacon.

diaconica — A vestry or sacristy in a Byzantine church used by the clergy for preparation.

diocese — The district or churches under the jurisdiction of a bishop, also called a bishopric.

diptych — Book-like paired panels hinged together used as devotional objects. Diptychs may be made of wood, usually painted with Christian subjects, or ivory, carved with Christian subjects.

dome — A vault covering for a space usually resembling a half sphere or portions of a sphere, constructed such that they exert equal thrust in all directions. Domes may have either a round profile (The Pantheon) or a pointed profile (the dome of Florence Cathedral). See also melon dome, pendentive dome, umbrella dome.

donjon — The most securely fortified area of a castle, usually a tower, and thus often used as the residence. Also called a keep.

drum (ref. dome) — The vertical wall, circular or polygonal in plan, that supports a dome.

drum pier — Monumental cylindrical support.

dwarf gallery — Passageway through the exterior walls of buildings and open to the outside through small-scale or slender arcades, found mainly in Italian and German Romanesque architecture.

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