Scamillus

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A structural detail used in ancient architecture is called scamillus (Latin: scamillus, the little bench) .

Firstly, it serves to protect profiles or protruding ornamental areas on the upper or lower edge of components from breaking away due to the bearing pressure. For this, the upper or lower bearing surface was worked in such a way that the actual bearing surface was left a few millimeters higher than the ornamental areas and outer edges that were at risk of breakage.

Secondly, this increase, which is only visible as a joint, can compensate for angular deviations from the horizontal that occur as a result of the curvature of a building. For this, the Scamillus had to be worked slightly wedge-shaped.

In addition, the term is used in another meaning: Vitruvius (3.4.5) uses scamilli inpares (“uneven benches”) to denote a process to give the stylobate of a building a uniform curvature. This passage gave rise to various speculations. Only a few years ago, round recesses of different depths were observed at regular intervals on the foundation of a building, which apparently served to accommodate such scamilli inpares.

literature

  • Pierre Gros (Ed. And commented, 1990) Vitruve, De L´Architecture Livre III, p. 139
  • Hansgeorg Bankel, scamilli inpares at an Early Hellenistic Ionic Propylon at Knidos - New Evidence for the Construction of a Curvature, in: Lothar Haselberger (Ed. 1999) Appearance and Essence. Refinements of Classical Architecture: Curvature