Right image: Doric anta capital at the Athenian Treasury (circa 500 BCE).
An anta capital is the crowning portion of an anta, the front edge of a supporting wall in Greek temple architecture. The anta is generally crowned by a stone block designed to spread the load from the superstructure (entablature) it supports, called an "anta capital" when it is structural, or sometimes "pilaster capital" if it is only decorative as often during the Roman period.
In order not to protrude unduly from the wall, these anta capitals usually display a rather flat surface, so that the capital has more or less a brick-shaped structure overall. The anta capital can be more or less decorated depending on the artistic order it belongs to, with designs, at least in ancient Greek architecture, often quite different from the design of the column capitals it stands next to. This difference disappeared with Roman times, when anta or pilaster capitals have designs very similar to those of the column capitals.[1][2]
- ^ Meyer, F.S. A handbook of ornament. Рипол Классик. p. 214. ISBN 9781171715481. Retrieved 2016-11-16.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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