Ailettes (little wings). Armour worn on the shoulders to protect the back of the neck; found in monumental brasses of the 13th century.
Aisle (ala, a wing). The wing of a building; the side passages of a Roman house. In buildings of vast size, such as a basilica or temple, comprising a central and two lateral naves, the latter are called aisles.
Alabarda, Med. A halberd.
Alabaster or Alabastrum, (ἀλάβαστρον). A small vase for holding precious perfumes; so called from the alabaster of which it was generally made. It was of various shapes, but chiefly assumed an elongated form resembling a long pear, a pearl-drop, &c. [Many of these perfume vessels are made of stalactite.] (2) A calcareous substance of white colour, translucent or semi-transparent, and presenting, according to the variety, undulating and continuous veins. The various kinds of ancient alabaster are very numerous; the following may be named; flowered alabaster (alabastro fiorito); golden (dorato); quince coloured (cotognino); eyed (occini); tortoise-shell (tartaruga); foam-white (pecorella); Busca de Palombara (palombara); onyx (onice), &c. The Egyptians used alabaster for making statues, phials, panegyric vases, canopea, small figures, and even sarcophagi; of which last that of Seti I., now in the British Museum, is an example. Alabaster was at one time frequently used for tombs and carved figures, and is now used for pulpits and other ecclesiastical purposes. False alabaster is the name given to a gypseous variety of this substance, of which there are rich quarries at Volterra, in Tuscany. It is called “Gesso Volterrano,” and is much used in Italy for the grounds of pictures.
Alabastrotheca, R. (θήκη, a chest). A box or casket containing alabaster flasks or vases.
Aland, Alant, Her. A mastiff with short ears.
Alapa. The blow on the shoulder in dubbing a knight.
Alba creta. Latin for white chalk, a term used by writers on art for gypsum.
Albani stone. A pepper-coloured stone used in ancient buildings at Rome before the introduction of marble.
Albarium (opus), R. (albus, white). A white coating or kind of stucco with which brick walls were covered after a previous application of ordinary cement. This stucco, which was also called simply albarium, was made by a mixture of chalk, plaster, and white marble.