Feersum Endjinn

Terminology

Note this section is not in the book, but may prove helpful for some of the unusual terms. It is not intended as a guide to the book.

Allure

A walkway along the top of a wall.

Ashlar

Hewn squared and shaped blocks of building stones.

Bailey

The outer courtyard or ward inside the castle walls used for outdoor activities.

Balustrade

A railing topping a row of small columns placed along a walkway or an outside stairway.

Barbican

The gateway or outworks defending the drawbridge.

Bartizan

An overhanging battlemented corner turret, corbelled out; sometimes as grandiose as an overhanging gallery.

Bastion

A small enclosed tower placed at the edge of a curtain wall and used primarily as watch or guard post.

Breccia

Rock composed of sharp-angled fragments embedded in a fine-grained matrix.

Bretasche

A timber gallery built out at the top of a wall or tower.

Buttery

The storeroom for wine and other beverages.

Buttress

A projection of masonry or wood used to enforce and strengthen a wall.

Type 1: Flying buttresses are a narrow arched bridge built against the wall.

Type 2: Pilaster buttresses gradually recede into the wall as it ascends.

Chamber

An arched roof. A bedroom. A hall for meetings

Chancel

The space surrounding the altar of a church.

Chevron

A pattern having the shape of a V or an inverted V.

Cistern

A storage place for water.

Concentric

Two set of high defensive walls, with one totally inside of the other.

And with both enclosed areas having a common centre.

Crenels

The open spaces between the merlons on an battlement fortifications.

Also some are known and used as embrasures.

Crenelation

That which the crenels and merlons form as an battlement fortifications

Curtain wall

A castle wall enclosing the entire castle or a courtyard.

Drawbridge

A wooden bridge, capable of being raised or lowered, used to open a passageway or gate.

Embrasure

An opening through which arrows or bolts may be fired.

Frieze

A plain or decorated horizontal part of an entablature between the architrave and cornice.

A decorative horizontal band, as along the upper part of a wall in a room.

Gable

The generally triangular section of wall covering the end of a roof ridge.

Gallery

An outdoor roofed balcony used for patrolling the castle walls.

A corridor or room devoted to the exhibition of castle portraits and treasured trophies.

Groined

A roof with sharp edges at the intersection of cross-vaults.

Hoarding

A covered gallery built on or near the top and outside of a curtain wall or tower to defend against attackers.

Lammergeier

A large predatory bird (Gypaetus barbatus) of the vulture family, ranging from the mountainous regions of southern Europe to China and having a wide wingspan and black plumage. Also called bearded vulture, ossifrage

Lancet

A long, narrow window with a pointed head.

Lintel

A horizontal stone or beam bridging an opening.

Machicolation

A masonry projection from a curtain wall or tower supported by corbels with an opening in the floor through which rocks, boiling water or arrows could be rained down upon attackers.

Merlon

That solid part of the wall or tower battlement that with the crenels form the crenelations.

Provides protection to the castle defenders.

Mullion

The vertical division of windows.

Mural Tower

A tower built on the top of the curtain wall.

Narghile

A pipe with a long flexible tube connected to a container where the smoke is cooled by passing through water.

Narthex

An enclosed passage between the main entrance and nave of a church; also, vestibule

Nave

The principal hall of a church, extending from the narthex to the chancel.

Oubliette

A secret dungeon with a trap-door opening only in the ceiling.

Parapet

A protective wall built along the outer top of a wall or tower.

Pilaster

An auxiliary mass of masonry designed to strengthen a wall.

Pinnacle

An ornamental crowning spire, tower, etc.

Piscina

A hand basin with drain, usually set against or into a wall.

Plinth

A projecting base of wall.

Refectory

Communal dining hall.

Revetment

To face a slope of earthwork with a layer of stone to stabilized and strengthen the slope.

Roc

A mythical bird of prey having enormous size and strength.

Septentrional

Northern.

Shingle

A tile made from wood and used for roofing material.

Sill

The lower horizontal face of an opening.

Simurg

A mythical Persian bird. It was an agent of the good will of the gods. It killed harmful snakes and its feathers had healing powers.

Solar

A term commonly used for a small chamber or private sitting room usually off of the great hall.

Originally referred to a private chamber located high up in the keep, with a window that allowed direct sun to enter to warm the room

Tracery

Intersecting ribwork in upper part of window.

Vault

An arched structure of masonry usually forming a ceiling or roof.

Ward

The inner courtyard of a castle or an open space within the castle's walls.