In matters of detail are to be found some of the principal characteristics of the style. The shape of the arch still remains for the most part semicircular, but other forms are also found ; such are the horse-shoe, the trefoiled, and stilted arch, the last being by no means uncommon, especially in the external arcades which run beneath the gable. In some instances, the stilting is effected by raising the arch on one or inure blocks or abaci, placed upon the capitals of the columns, and upon these blocks again are sometimes added small heads or masks, so as to till up the space between the arches, and continue the vertical line of the columns. Such abaci are not ungraceful, for they give a greater appear ance of strength to the construction, than if the arch sprung immediately amend the capital ; the practice of stilting also has its advantages, in adding to the importance of small arches, which being narrow, would appear depressed and heavy it' mere semicircles. Large arches were mostly semicircular, and differed from those of the preceding period, inasmuch as they sprang directly from the columns, without the inter vention of entablature or architrave. It is true this practice had been introduced once or twice in the Roman examples, but it was not by any means common, and even in cases where the entablature was omitted, there was usually a square block between the arch and the capital. Two or more arches are frequently included under one common arch, the smaller ones being separated by small shafts : the same arrangement is not uncommon in Byzantine architecture. Arches were very often perfectly plain, without archivolt mouldings of any kind, but not unffequently finished with an archivolt, which consisted either of a simple moulding enclosing a plain band round the arch, or else divided into fiteke, and other wise enriched. Arched corbel-tables were very ffequently employed, and the arch used for every purpose of decoration. Compound arches, consisting of a series. placed in recession one behind and projecting beyond the other, are frequent in this style.
The bases of pillars were sometimes mere blocks, round at the strimnit, and square at the sides, but frequently moulded in rude imitation of the Attic base. Sometimes, as we observed in speaking of projecting porches, the pillars were supported on figures of animals, and this peculiarity is almost confined to this situation, but we have examples of it in other positions ; at Worms' cathedral, an entire colonnade is sup ported in this manner. It has been suggested that the use of this kind of base was occasioned by the employment of materials and fragments taken from the ruins of more ancient edifices. where columns being found too short for their intended situation, were raised or stilted up by being set on other fragments, tbr which purpose remains of sculpture may have been adopted, either because they chanced to be at hand, or because considered more ornamental, and as adding rich ness to the column itself; and it is supposed that this irregu larity, thus occasioned in the first instance, grew by degrees to be a matter of taste, and was adopted out of choice. This supposition is ingenious, and not without some show of reason on its side; but if such were indeed the case, it would seem strange that this practice was not adopted earlier, for it is a characteristic of late work, and seems to be almost peculiar to the projecting porches, which were not introduced tbr two centuries after the commencement of Lombardic architecture.
The tact of such columns being ahnost invariably found in this situation, and seldom in any other, would give some weight to the supposition which discovers their origin and use in symbolism, the two lions being placed at the entrance as the guardians of the church, or else as representing the strength and vigilance of the church.
The shafts were of various shapes and proportions, they are by far the most frequently cylindrical, without being tapered, but some few examples of tapered shafts are to be found, which are probably of an early date. Instances of lancitully-shaped and decorated shafts are not. uncommon, especially in the smaller columns, or such as are applied to merely ornamental purposes. Of these, some are poly gonal in plan, sonic fluted or reeled, some twisted or cut into spiral grooves or mouldings, of which some consists of more than one slender shaft rising from a common base, and twisted round each other as they rise, and others of a single shaft twisted like a spiral : other examples again are zig zagged horizontally, and sculptured in various devices. Tall slender shafts are not unfrequently banded in the middle.
Capitals are of equal diversity, and sometimes there are scarcely to be found two capitals of the same design in one building. They were frequently formed of foliage ; and these, as regards the general mass and outline. and also the decoration, bear some resemblance to the Corinthian : the foliage, however, is usually of a more flualial character than the, classic, more heavy, and not so graceful. Scroll work is frequently introduced, as a means of ornamentation for capitals; monsters, too, and grotesque and other images, are so commonly used for this purpose, as to become charac teristic of the style. Some capitals, however, are nearly plain, and these are often in the shape of an inverted cone, cut so as to present four flat faces, which are occasionally more or less ornamented. Monstrous imagery was very pre valent in this and other situations, until the eleventh century, when a more classical taste prevailed. and figures of dragons and demons gave way to sculpture of a more graceful design ; this remark applies, however, only to the south of Italy.
The bulk of columns had no reference to the height, as we find pillars of all proportions, from the low, stunted shaft to the long, slender moulding, as it may be termed ; the pilasters on the external walls are often so slender, in proportion to their height, as to have the appearance of mere strips; and half-columns of a similar proportion are not unfrequently carried up the internal walls, to support the vaulting. are often single, especially when massive, but they are nut unfrequently doubled in breadth or depth, and some times quadrupled. Compound piers, in lieu of single columns, are of very common occurrence, and serve to dis tinguish this from preceding styles ; such arrangement is very usual where great strength is required, and clustered columns are not unfrequently placed against walls. Nook shafts are common in doors, windows, and other apertures, as are also edge-shafts.