COPING, in the pointed styles of architecture, is either inclined upon the faces, or plumb. When inclined upon the faces, the sides of the vertical section are the sides of an equilateral triangle, whose base is horizontal. This sort of coping is sometimes in one inclined plane, terminated with an astragal at the top, while at the bottom it changes its direction into a narrow vertical plane, which projects with a level soffit before the parapet. Sometimes it is in two inclined planes, parallel to each other, the upper terminated with an astragal at the summit, and projecting before the lower, and the lower before the vertical flee of the wall, in the same manlier as that which has only one inclined plane. This coping is used in plain parapets, or in battlements. When used in battlements, it is either returned on the vertical sides of the embrasures or notches, crowns the top of the ascendants, and bottom of the notches.
The coping of battlements with vertical faces, has a small po)jection beyond the the if the wall, :11)(1 the coping is (quilled on the sides of the notches.
Inclined coping is sometimes made without the astragal at the top, and the soffit bel;ire the vertical face of the parapet perpendicular to the inclined face Of the coping.
Curl NO ()VET:, is said of the soffit ot'a projecture from the naked of it wall, %Own the soffit is inclined s I as to make an acute with the vertical thee of the wall below it ; that is, \\lien the edge of the soffit in the surthee of the wall, (ur next to it, is higher than the (inter edge.
)IN; El LS (from the Latin, rorbis. a basket) a piece of work, representing baskets tilled with flowers or fruit, to finish some ornament.