S

sarcophagus: A stone coffin, often bearing sculpture, inscriptions, etc.

Compare with: mausoleum, memorial brass

screen facade: A facade which is so highly decorated with sculpture or other decorative elements that it acts as a screen placed in front of the facade. It may seem to hide the face of the building from view.

Compare with: narthex, westwork
See also: west end

scriptorium: Area in a monastery where books and documents were written, copied, and illuminated.

Other parts of monastery: chapter house, cloister, refectory

segmented dome or cloister vault: A dome placed over a polygonal base. It is not a semi-sphere, but is formed of curved sections which correspond to the parts of the polygon on which it rests.

Compare with squinch

semi-dome: A half dome.

Compare with dome

sexpartite rib vault: A rib vault which is divided into six sections. sexpartite rib vault: A rib vault whose surface is divided into six sections by three ribs.

See also rib vault
Other types of rib vaults: fan, net, quadripartite

shaft: The structural member which serves as the main support of a column or pier. The shaft is between the capital and the base.

See also abacus or impost block, base, capital, column, pier

socle: A low projecting base for a wall or statue.

See also jamb figures, trumeau figure

soffit: The underside of an arch, opening, or projecting architectural element.

See also: arch.
Other parts of an arch: keystone, springer, voussoir.

span (of an arch or vault): The horizontal distance between the two supporting members of an arch or vault.

See also boss, keystone, rise, spring line.

spandrel: The roughly triangular wall space between two adjacent arches.

See also arcade

spiral staircase: A staircase whose steps wind around a central, vertical axis.

spire: An elongated, pointed structure which rises from a tower, turret,or roof.

Compare with pinnacle

spring line (of an arch or a vault): The point or line at which an arch or vault begins to curve.

See also arch, rise, span.

springer: The lowest voussoir on each side of an arch. It is where the vertical support for the arch terminates and the curve of the arch begins.

See also: arch, keystone, voussoir

squinch: An arch, or a system of concentrically wider and gradually projecting arches, placed at the corners of a square base to act as the transition to a circular dome placed on the base.

Contrast with pendentive

stringcourse: A continuous projecting horizontal band set in the surface of a wall and usually molded.

Synagoga Personification of Judiasm. Often appears with Ecclesia (Personification of church). Both appear as female figures, Ecclesia crowned and holding a chalice and Synagoga blindfolded and holding the tablets of the law.