(Prologue of Canterbury Tales.)
The peculiarity of this cloth, as of that of Damascus, was in the pattern. “To diaper” is, in heraldry, to cover the field of an escutcheon with devices independent of the armorial bearings. The engraving shows a surcoat diapered, on which are embroidered armorial bearings. (Fig. [248].)
Diasia, Gr. Festivals in honour of Zeus, held at Athens, outside of the walls of the city, for the purpose of averting epidemics and other ills (ἄση).
Diastyle, Arch. An intercolumniation, in which the columns are separated from each other by a space of three diameters.
Diathyrum, Gr. A passage leading at one end to the street door of a house, and at the other to the door of the courtyard. The Romans called this space Prothyrum (q.v.).
Fig. 249. Diatonoi.
Diatoni, Diatonoi, Gr. and R. (διατείνω, to extend through). Long stones extending from one face of a wall to the other (to which modern architects give the name of perpenders or perpend-stones), and which were employed in the method of construction called Emplecton (q.v.). In Fig. [249] one is represented by the stone placed between b and c.
Diatreta, Gr. (διάτρητα, i. e. bored through). A drinking-cup made of glass, cut in such a way that the designs or ornaments upon it stand out completely from the body of the vase, and form a tracery, which is only united to the vase itself by small ties or pins left for the purpose.
Diatriba, Gr. and R. (διατρίβω, to spend time). Places in which learned discussions were held, such as lecture or assembly rooms.