Perticæ, Chr. In mediæval architecture, beams behind the altar in a church, from which relics were suspended on days of festival.
Peruque. (See Wigs.)
Peruvian Architecture. The Peruvian temples and palaces were generally low and spacious, constructed of great blocks of stone often 38 feet by 18 and 6 feet in thickness. The interiors were richly ornamented, the sides of the apartments being thickly studded with gold and silver. Niches in the walls were filled with images of plants and animals, also of the precious metals. The Western wall of the temple was placed to receive the first rays of the rising sun upon a statue of the god engraved on a plate of gold and thickly studded with emeralds and precious stones.
Pes, R. A foot; the standard measure of length, composed of 12 unciæ or inches, or 16 digiti, finger-breadths. It equalled 11·6496 inches English.
Pesante, It. A weight = half a drachm.
Fig. 540. Vase of Pesaro Ware.
Pesaro Ware. The particular characteristic of the mother-of-pearl majolica of Pesaro is a pale, limpid yellow, associated with a pure blue; under the effect of luminous rays these colours become animated and shoot out in pencils of red, golden yellow, green, and blue of remarkable intensity. (Jacquemart.) (Fig. [540].)
Peseta, Sp. A silver coin, about the fourth of a Mexican dollar; about 10½d.
Pesillo, It. Small scales used for weighing gold and silver, and gems.