DENTILS, (from the Latin, dens, a tooth) a row of similar and equal solids in a cornice, disposed at equal intervals, each presenting fur sides of a rectangular prism, the sides parallel to the vertical face, and the one parallel to the soffit, being attached to the vertical and horizontal planes of an internal right angle.
The surfaces of the vertical flee are therefore all in the same plane : and those of the soffits are in the same hori zontal plane.
The whole series of dentils in the same range, is called the dentieulated hand.
The proportions given by Vitruvins are, that " the denti culits is to be equal in height to the middle facia of the archi trave, and its projection to be the same as its height ; the width of is one-half of its height. and the interval bet ween them two-thirds of this quantity." The proportions of some of best examples where dentils are to be found, arc as In the lonie temple of Bacchus, at Te(ei, the dentils are in height about one-fimrth of that ()I' the cornice, exclusive of the inferior bead and fillet nest to the architrave : the breadth of the (lentils is about two-thirds of their height, and the breadth of the interval about two-thirds of that of the lentil : their projection is about one-feurth of the height of that part of the cornice between their soffits and the summit of the col nice : the angle is vacant.
The dentils in the Ionic order of the temple of Minerva Polias, at Priene, are something less than one-fourth of the height of the cornice, or nearly equal to two twenty-fifths of that of the entablature ; their projection is three times the half of their height ; their breadth, two-thirds of their height ; the breadth of the interval, about four-fifths of that of the dentils : the corner is without a dentil, and the soffit over the vacant angle is enriched with a honeysuckle.
In the Corinthian order of the Choragie monument of Lyseirates, at Athens, the (lentils of the cornice are in height nearly two-sevenths of that of the cornice, exclusive of the terminating ornament ; their breadth is two-thirds of their height ; and the interval between them, two-thirds of their breadth ; the angle of the cornice at the dentil band is vacant.
In the temple of Jupiter Stator, at Rome. the height of the dentil is nearly ene-fifth of the whole cornice ; its breadth, two-thirds of its height ; and the breadth of the interval, about one-half of that of the dentml ; the angle of the dentil band is filled with a dentil.
The reader who wishes to see the rules of Vitruvius, respecting the placing of dentils, may consult the article CORNICE.
In the frontispiece of the door-way of the Tower of the Winds, at Athens, the inclined cornices, as well as the level one, have dentils, contrary to the doctrine of Vitruvius.
In the interior cornice of the same tower, both details and modillions are employed ; the (lentils occupying the superior part of the cornice, agreeably to the Vitruvian theory, but contrary to every other antique example.
The only ancient example of the Done order, in which dentils are to be found, is in the theatre of Marcellus, at Rome.
The examples of the Tonic order which have denticulated cornices, are, the temples of Bacchus. at Teos ; of Minerva Polias, at Priene ; the aqueduct of Adrian, at Athens ; the temple of Fortune, and the theatre of Mareellus, at Rome ; and the arch of Constantine; the temple of Concord, at Rome, has both dentils and modillions in the cornice.
The following edifices of the Ionic order, are without dentils in the cornice, viz., the Ionic temple upon the Ilissus, the temple of :Minerva Polias, and that of Erechtheus, at Athens ; and in the Coliseum, at Rome, the dentil-band is uncut. Examples of the Corinthian order. which have denticulated cornices, are, the monument of Lysierates. the arch of Adrian at Athens, and the ruins at Salon lea. Both dentils and modillions arc to be fimnd in the following Corinthian edifices : the temples of Jupiter Stator, and of Peace, the piazza of Nerva, and the baths of Diocletian, at Rome ; the lower range of the interior, and the porticos of the temple of.lupiter, and the vestibulum to the peristylium, at Spalatro ; all the ruined edifices at Balbee. and at Palmyra, excepting the interior order of the temple of the Sim, among the latter.
The following edifices of the Corinthian order have the dentil-band uncut, viz., the Coliseum. the portico of the Pan theon. the temple of Anti and Faustina, and the portico of Septimius Seven's, at Rome.
Examples of the Composite order, which have (lenticulated cornices, are, the arch of Septimius Severus, and that of the Goldsmiths, at Rome, and the upper range of the temple of .Tupiter, at Spalatro ; but in the arch of Titus, at Rome, both modillions and dentils are to be found.
The frontispiece to the door-way of the Tower of the Winds, at Athens, though it cannot he classed as a regular order. has (lentils in the cornice.
A denticulated cornice is employed in the Caryatic portico of the temple of Pandrosus, at Athens.
Thus it may be observed, that dentils and modillions arc frequently employed in Corinthian and Composite cornices ; and sometimes both are omitted, as in the temple of Vesta at Tivoli, and in the temple of Antonions and Faustina, and the little altars within the Pantheon, at Rome.
In very small work, it would be better to omit modillions and deutils : and, indeed, it is the opinion of some, that though the work be ever so large, it would be better to employ one of them only ; as, were all the members to be admitted in a Corinthian cornice, and if the individual parts of the cornice bear the same proportion to the whole height, as in the Doric or Ionic orders, the cornice would either be too high for the entablature, or the entablature too high for the column ; consequently, the cornice must either be too great a load fur the entablature, or the entablature too great a load for the column ; which, in either case, is contrary to the laws of strength : for it would be giving the greater burden to the slender column, and the lighter burden to the more massive. See CORNICE.