TUSCAN an ordinance with a column and entablature the same as the Roman Doric. divested of its trigl? Alts, inntules, and giatte. the members of the entablature being continued ,throughout the whole length, without inter ruption.
It has been customary to consider this method as a sepa rate order ; but there would seem to be little reason for so doing; for indeed it is little more than a variation of the Roman Doric, which, divested of its enrichments, is to all intents and purposes Tuscan.
We find no remains of a complete Tuscan order amongst the of antiquity ; the present delineations of the order being determined by the interpretations which different architects have put upon the passage in Vitnivius. in which it is described. As this description is somewhat obscure, it is not unnatural that we should find that ditli•rent conclusions have been arrived at upon the subject : thus we have dif ferent designs by Palladio, and Scamozzi. Al though we have no remains of a perfect order, we have examples of Tuscan columns, amongst the more noted of which stands the Trajan column at Rome. Vitruvius does not speak of this as a distinct order, although he alludes to the construction of Tuscan temples. lie makes the column six diameters in height, with a diminution of one quarter of a diameter; the base and capital each one module in height.
He decides no height for the architrave or cornice, omits the frieze, but places mutules over the architrave, which are to project one-fourth of the total height of the column, includ ing base and capital. He does not provide a pedestal.
Palladio makes the total height of the order nine diameters and three-quarters, of which he gives six to the column ; the height of base and capital each measuring half a diameter ; he provides no pedestal, but places the base on a plinth NN hose height is equal to one diameter.
Serlio makes the height of the architrave half a diameter, and gives an equal height to the frieze and cornice. His pedestal consists of a plinth and base, a die and cymatium, the whole being a third of the height of the column.
Scamozzi assigns as the height of the entablature one fourth of the total height of the column, less half a diameter ; and makes his pedestal of the same height. He also places a sort of triglyph in the frieze.
Plate 1.—The entablature, capital, and base of the Tuscan order finished.
Plate 2.—Outline, with the measures of the various members.
TUSK, (from the Saxon tysos, a flung,) a bevel shoulder made above a tenon, and let into a girder to strengthen the tenon.