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Bible Encyclopedias
Parapet
1911 Encyclopedia Britannica
or (Ital. parapetto, Fr. parapet, from Mara, imperative of Ital. parare, to cover, defend, and petto, breast, Lat. pectus; the 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 panelled, 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 less enriched, but are not perforated. These are common in the Decorated and Perpendicular periods.
These files are public domain.
Chisholm, Hugh, General Editor. Entry for 'Parapet'. 1911 Encyclopedia Britanica. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/bri/p/parapet.html. 1910.
