DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2984#0050
ON THE INCLINATION OF THE COLUMNS OF THE PARTHENON
37
These two methods converge so as to fix the quantity sought within very narrow limits. It appears
highly probable that .228 was the original amount in the whole height of the column (namely in 34.26),
which, being at once a submultiple of the height of the column, producing an inclination of exactly
1 in 150, and proportional to the semi-diminution and entasis (see Chap. V.) (being J of the one and
4 times the other), is also identical with the increment of curvature in the fronts; which, as before
stated, measures .225 in the eastern and .230 in the western fronts, averaging .2275. We thus find
the following simple relation among these small quantities of like nature; semi-diminution 12, incre-
ment in front 4, inclination also = 4, entasis 1.
The vertical faces of the architrave and frieze have an analogous and parallel inclination, only
rather greater in amount. In Plates VII. and VIII. the plumbs are given exactly as they were taken.
In Plate XVI. the horizontal shifts are corrected. The result thus obtained seems to point out an
inclination of 1 in 80 as the original amount of batter. The tympanum appears to incline backwards
1 in 100 ; and the steps at a less angle, not exceeding 1 in 250, which is about half the initial angle
of the horizontal curvature on the stylobate. The vertical faces, on the other hand, of the cornice
and the members above it, namely, the fillet of the wall tile, the acroteria, and the antifixas, incline
forwards in the same direction as the face of the abacus which has been before mentioned. The
amount in the depth of the face of the cornice appears to have been .012, which is just 1 in 100,
about equal to twice the initial angle of the horizontal curvature in the architrave. The faces of
the acroteria towards the flanks, and the antifixae, lean forwards ,'„ of their height. The upper surface
of the acroterium makes a right angle with the vertical face, and consequently an angle whose
tangent is -3\ with a level plane; it thus harmonises much better with the raking lines of the pediments
than it would have done had it been itself level. This is best shown in the section in Plate XVII.
All the inclinations which have been observed in the Parthenon are found in similar parts of the
Propylasa, and generally also in the Theseum. (See Chaps. X. and XI.) The sides of the beams of
the ceiling, and almost all the other flat surfaces, are inclined backwards or forwards according to the
situations where they are placed; and generally we may remark that perpendicular faces are the
exception and not the rule. In his third book Vitruvius distinctly mentions these modifications of the
perpendicular, and gives the following rule for the inclination of columns—
" Spiris perfectis et collocatis, columnar sunt medianae in Pronao et Postico ad perpendiculum medii
centri collocandae. Angulares autem, quasque e regione earum futurae sunt in lateribus aedis dextra ac
sinistra, uti partes interiores quae ad parietes cellae spectant, ad perpendiculum latus habeant collocatum."
Thus translated by Mr. Wilkins—
" The bases being fixed in their places we must proceed to rear the columns of the Pronaos and
Posticus; all of which, excepting those at the angles, should have their axes in a vertical line ; but
the columns at the angles, as well as those which are intended to be placed in the flanks, should
have their axes inclined, so that the faces next the walls of the cella may become perpendicular
to the stylobate" (may have their inner sides perpendicular).1
We find that the axes of the four middle columns of the inner order of the Posticum differ
from the perpendicular by only a very small quantity, and that easily accounted for, while at the
same time their scamilli impares (see Plate XIII.) have only a difference sufficient to correct the
curvature of the horizontal lines. Hence we must conclude that they were originally perpendicular,
while the axes of the angle columns, although now somewhat disturbed, can be satisfactorily shown
to have had about the same inclination towards the centre of the portico as the external columns
of the peristyles. This is also distinctly confirmed by the measurements of the scamilli, of which
the difference north and south is greater than it is east and west. The average of the two measurements
recorded indicates an inclination of 1 in 148 in the shaft of the column. So these columns (namely
the angle columns of the inner order) would have appeared perpendicular when viewed from the north or
south, but inclined when seen from the east or west. Vitruvius in another passage (iii. 3), in which,
1 The inclination of the columns in the Athenian buildings is not 50 inclination in the Doric examples. In the column from the northern
great as that which would result from the rule here given by Vitruvius; portico of the Erechtheum indeed, given in Plate XIV, the inclination is
but, as he is speaking of the Ionic order, in which the diminution is so much much less than the semi-diminution, and I believe it is near the correct
less than in the Doric, it is evident that in some very good examples this amount. This temple, however, was not subjected to so thorough an
method may have been applied without exceeding the actual angle of examination as the Parthenon and Propyljea.
37
These two methods converge so as to fix the quantity sought within very narrow limits. It appears
highly probable that .228 was the original amount in the whole height of the column (namely in 34.26),
which, being at once a submultiple of the height of the column, producing an inclination of exactly
1 in 150, and proportional to the semi-diminution and entasis (see Chap. V.) (being J of the one and
4 times the other), is also identical with the increment of curvature in the fronts; which, as before
stated, measures .225 in the eastern and .230 in the western fronts, averaging .2275. We thus find
the following simple relation among these small quantities of like nature; semi-diminution 12, incre-
ment in front 4, inclination also = 4, entasis 1.
The vertical faces of the architrave and frieze have an analogous and parallel inclination, only
rather greater in amount. In Plates VII. and VIII. the plumbs are given exactly as they were taken.
In Plate XVI. the horizontal shifts are corrected. The result thus obtained seems to point out an
inclination of 1 in 80 as the original amount of batter. The tympanum appears to incline backwards
1 in 100 ; and the steps at a less angle, not exceeding 1 in 250, which is about half the initial angle
of the horizontal curvature on the stylobate. The vertical faces, on the other hand, of the cornice
and the members above it, namely, the fillet of the wall tile, the acroteria, and the antifixas, incline
forwards in the same direction as the face of the abacus which has been before mentioned. The
amount in the depth of the face of the cornice appears to have been .012, which is just 1 in 100,
about equal to twice the initial angle of the horizontal curvature in the architrave. The faces of
the acroteria towards the flanks, and the antifixae, lean forwards ,'„ of their height. The upper surface
of the acroterium makes a right angle with the vertical face, and consequently an angle whose
tangent is -3\ with a level plane; it thus harmonises much better with the raking lines of the pediments
than it would have done had it been itself level. This is best shown in the section in Plate XVII.
All the inclinations which have been observed in the Parthenon are found in similar parts of the
Propylasa, and generally also in the Theseum. (See Chaps. X. and XI.) The sides of the beams of
the ceiling, and almost all the other flat surfaces, are inclined backwards or forwards according to the
situations where they are placed; and generally we may remark that perpendicular faces are the
exception and not the rule. In his third book Vitruvius distinctly mentions these modifications of the
perpendicular, and gives the following rule for the inclination of columns—
" Spiris perfectis et collocatis, columnar sunt medianae in Pronao et Postico ad perpendiculum medii
centri collocandae. Angulares autem, quasque e regione earum futurae sunt in lateribus aedis dextra ac
sinistra, uti partes interiores quae ad parietes cellae spectant, ad perpendiculum latus habeant collocatum."
Thus translated by Mr. Wilkins—
" The bases being fixed in their places we must proceed to rear the columns of the Pronaos and
Posticus; all of which, excepting those at the angles, should have their axes in a vertical line ; but
the columns at the angles, as well as those which are intended to be placed in the flanks, should
have their axes inclined, so that the faces next the walls of the cella may become perpendicular
to the stylobate" (may have their inner sides perpendicular).1
We find that the axes of the four middle columns of the inner order of the Posticum differ
from the perpendicular by only a very small quantity, and that easily accounted for, while at the
same time their scamilli impares (see Plate XIII.) have only a difference sufficient to correct the
curvature of the horizontal lines. Hence we must conclude that they were originally perpendicular,
while the axes of the angle columns, although now somewhat disturbed, can be satisfactorily shown
to have had about the same inclination towards the centre of the portico as the external columns
of the peristyles. This is also distinctly confirmed by the measurements of the scamilli, of which
the difference north and south is greater than it is east and west. The average of the two measurements
recorded indicates an inclination of 1 in 148 in the shaft of the column. So these columns (namely
the angle columns of the inner order) would have appeared perpendicular when viewed from the north or
south, but inclined when seen from the east or west. Vitruvius in another passage (iii. 3), in which,
1 The inclination of the columns in the Athenian buildings is not 50 inclination in the Doric examples. In the column from the northern
great as that which would result from the rule here given by Vitruvius; portico of the Erechtheum indeed, given in Plate XIV, the inclination is
but, as he is speaking of the Ionic order, in which the diminution is so much much less than the semi-diminution, and I believe it is near the correct
less than in the Doric, it is evident that in some very good examples this amount. This temple, however, was not subjected to so thorough an
method may have been applied without exceeding the actual angle of examination as the Parthenon and Propyljea.