P. 204, c. 2.—“Etruscans.” A people formerly inhabiting Etruria or Tuscia, a portion of ancient Italy. Very little is known of their origin, though they are supposed to have come from the north. The people were short and heavy, their language completely isolated from any known language. They formed a confederacy of twelve cities, possessed many flourishing colonies, and carried on commerce. Their religion was a polytheism resembling the Greeks. The monuments of these people still remaining are the walls of their cities, sewers, vaults, tombs, and bridges. Their bronze statues were famous, as well as their pottery. The Etruscans were most prosperous the centuries before and after the founding of Rome. In the long wars which Rome carried on in her struggle to become mistress of Italy, the power of Etruria was finally broken.
“Romanesque,” rō´man-ĕsk.
“Byzantine,” by-zān´tïne, or byz´an-tīne.
“First Crusade.” It started out in 1096.
P. 205, c. 1.—“Buttress.” A projecting support applied to the exterior of a wall, most commonly to churches of the gothic style.
“Turret.” A small tower attached to a building and rising above it.
P. 205, c. 2.—“Pilasters,” pi-las´ters. A square column sometimes free, but oftener set into a wall at least a fifth of its diameter. A pilaster has a base, capital and entabulature, as other columns.
“Polychromy,” pŏl´y-chrō´my. The practice of making a building in many colors; also of coloring statues or other works of art to imitate nature.
“Beni-Hassan,” ba´ne-has´san. On the east bank of the Nile, about one hundred and forty miles south of Cairo, and famous for its grottoes. There are about thirty of them. They contain an almost endless number of paintings, representing scenes from the life of the ancient Egyptians. Almost our entire knowledge of ancient Egyptian life is based on them. Charles Dudley Warner says of the grottoes: “They are fine, large apartments, high and well lighted by the portal. Architecturally no tombs are more interesting; some of the ceilings are vaulted in three sections; they are supported by fluted pillars, some like the Doric, and some in the beautiful lotus style; the pillars have architraves; and there are some elaborately wrought false door ways.”
“Luxor,” lux´or. A village on the east bank of the Nile, which, with Karnak contains part of the ruins of Thebes.