ATTIC

ATTIC, Atticus, something relating to Attica, or the city Athens. In matters of philology, we use Attic salt, Sales Attici, for a delicate, poignant kind of wit and humor; peculiar to the Athenian writers: Attic witness, Atticus testis, was a witness incapable of corruption: So an Attic muse was an excellent one, etc.

Attic is also used in architecture for a kind of building, wherein there is no roof or covering to be seen; thus called because usual at Athens.

Attic, or Attic-Order, is also a kind of little order, raised upon another larger one; by way of crowning, or to finish the building. See ORDER. It is sometimes also used for the convenience of having a wardrobe, or the like, and instead of regular columns, has only pilasters of a particular form. See COLUMN and PILASTER. There are also Attics used for high altars—The order takes its name from Athens, where it was first practiced.



Attic of a roof, is a kind of parapet to a terrace, platform, or the like. See PARAPET, TERRACE, etc.

Attic Continued, is that which encompasses the whole periphery of a building, without any interruption; following all the jets, the returns of the pavilions, etc.

Attic Interposita, is that situated between two tall stories, sometimes adorned with columns, or pilasters. See STORY.

Attic Base, is a peculiar kind of base used by the ancient architects, in the Ionic Order; and by Palladio, and others of the moderns, in the Doric. See DORIC and IONIC. The Attic is the most beautiful of all the bases. See BASE.

ATTIC