PARAPET (Ital. parapetto, Fr. parapet, from

See also:

• PARA
• PARA (officially BELEM; sometimes BELEM DO PARA)

para, imperative of Ital. porare, to

See also:

• COVER (from the Fr. convert, from couvrir, to cover, Lat. cooperire)

cover, defend, and petto,

See also:

• BREAST (a word common to Teutonic languages, cf. the Ger. Brust, possibly connected with an O. Sax. brustian, to bud)

breast,

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• LAT

Lat. pectus; the

See also:

• GERMAN
• GERMAN, DUTCH AND SCANDINAVIAN

German word is Brustwehr)  , a dwarf wall along the edge of a roof, or round a lead flat, terrace walk, &c., to prevent persons from falling over, and as a protection to the defenders in case of a siege . Parapets are either plain, embattled, perforated or panelled . The last two are found in all styles except the Romanesque . Plain parapets are simply portions of the wall generally overhanging a little, with a coping at the top and corbel table below . Embattled parapets are sometimes pan lied, but oftener pierced for the discharge of arrows, &c . Perforated parapets are pierced in various devices—as circles, trefoils, quatrefoils and other designs—so that the light is seen through . Panelled parapets are those ornamented by a series of panels, either oblong or square, and more or Iess enriched, but are not perforated . These are common in the Decorated and Perpendicular periods .