Pargetting, Parge-work, O. E. In Architecture, an old term for the ornamental plasterwork common on the outside walls of timber-built houses of Queen Elizabeth’s and earlier periods.
Parhypate, Gr. (beside the longest). The second bass note of the seven-stringed lyre (See Mese.)
Parian Chronicle. A slab of Parian marble, among the so called Arundel Marbles in the University of Oxford, containing a chronological record of Greek history from B.C. 1582 to B.C. 264.
Parian Marble from the island of Paros was of extremely fine grain, easy to work, and of a creamy white. The marble now called Parian has a coarse sparkling grain, which, however, takes a high finish. (Redford, Ancient Sculpture.)
Paries, R. The wall of a house or any building, in contradistinction to murus, muri, which denoted the walls of a city.
Paris Black. A name for Ivory Black (q.v.).
Paris Blue. A very handsome dark violet-blue pigment. “Its great qualities of body and intensity of coloration will always ensure it a large sale; moreover, its mixture with chrome yellow produces a fine green cinnabar or leaf-green.” (Habich.)
Paris Lake. (See Carminated Lakes.)
Parlour (Lat. parlatorium). (1) The old “speke-house” in a convent for inmates to speak with their friends. (2) Any private room.
Parma, R. (πάρμη). A shield, usually of circular form, carried in the Roman army by the light-armed troops or light infantry (velites) and the cavalry (equites). The parma thracidica used by the class of gladiators called Thraces was not round, but in the form of a small Scutum (q.v.).