antefixa
ANTEFIXAterra-cottas, which exhibited various ornamental designs, and were used in architecture to cover the frieze (zophorus) or the cornice of a roof. Their proper place was thus under the eaves (sub stilicidio, Fest. s. v.) and on the sheltered entablature; and there is no occasion for Müller's conjecture super stilicidio. But they must also have sometimes stood clear of the roof, as in the case mentioned by Livy (Liv. 26.23, 4), when a statue of Victory, falling de culmine, i.e. apparently from the acroteria, was caught by other Victories which were in antefixis. [ACROTERIA. ] Etymologically the name might have been applied to any ornaments attached to the fronts of buildings; but in practice it seems to have been limited to those of baked clay (figulinum opus, Fest.; fictilia, Liv. 34.4, 4). These terra-cottas do not appear to have been used among the Greeks, but were probably Etrurian in their origin, and were thence taken for the decoration of Roman buildings.
Of the great variety and exquisite beauty of the workmanship, the reader may best form an idea by inspecting the collection of them in the British Museum.
The two imperfect antefixa, here represented, are among those found at Velletri, and described by Carloni. (Roma, 1785.)
The first of them must have formed part of the upper border of the frieze, or rather of the cornice. It contains a panther's head, designed to serve as a spout for the rain-water to pass through in descending from the roof. Similar antefixa, but with comic masks instead of animals' heads, adorned the temple of Isis at Pompeii. For additional examples of ornamental water-spouts or gargoyles, see TEGULAThe second of the above specimens represents two men who have a dispute, and who come before the sceptre-bearing kings, or judges, to have their cause decided. The style of this bas-relief indicates its high antiquity, and, at the same time, proves that the Volsci had attained to considerable taste in their architecture. Their antefixa are remarkable for being painted: the ground of that here represented is blue ; the hair of the six men is black, or brown; their flesh red; their garments white, yellow, and red: the chairs are white. The two holes may be observed, by which this slab was fixed upon the building.
Cato the Censor complained that the Romans of his time began to despise ornaments of this description, and to prefer the marble friezes of Athens and Corinth. (Liv. 34.4.) The rising taste which Cato deplored may account for the superior beauty of the antefixa preserved in the British Museum, which were discovered at Rome. A specimen of them is given in the third illustration. It represents Athena superintending the construction of the ship Argo. The man with the hammer and chisel is Argus, who built the vessel under her direction. The pilot Tiphys is assisted by her in attaching the sail to the yard. Another specimen of the antefixa is given under the article ANTYX(Müller, Etrusker, 2. p. 247; Archaeol. der Kunst, § 284.)
[J.Y] [W.W]Terra-cottas exhibiting various ornamental designs, and used in architecture to cover the frieze (zophorus) of the entablature. They were probably Etruscan in their origin, and were used by the Greeks. The specimen here given represents Athené superintending the construction of the ship Argo.