the.com/pediment
The triangular crown that turns a building into a temple worth worshipping.
means A pediment is the triangular (or sometimes curved) gable that sits atop the front of a classical building, often crowning a portico, doorway, or window.
from The word is a bit of an architectural mystery. It appears in English in the late 16th or early 17th century, and the leading guess is that it's an altered form of 'periment' or 'pyramid' — builders' jargon reshaped by the mouth and the eye. Some have linked it loosely to Latin 'pes, pedis' (foot), as if the shape stood on a base, but that's likely a later rationalization rather than the true root. In short: the origin is uncertain, probably a corruption of an earlier word, dressed up over time to look more classical than it really is.
- Greek origin
- Born atop ancient temples to shed rain and gods alike
- Tympanum
- The flat inner triangle, prime real estate for sculpture
- Broken form
- Baroque architects split the top open for drama
- Acroteria
- Statues perched on its corners like architectural exclamation marks
- Beyond temples
- Now crowns doorways, bookcases, and pretentious mansions everywhere
parthenon — ancient greek temple with famous sculptured pediments depicting athena's birth and contest with poseidon, athens 447-432 bce
lincoln memorial — neoclassical building with grand pediment containing 36-foot tall seated lincoln statue, washington dc 1922