IONIC ORDER, one of the five or ders of architecture. The distinguish ing characteristic of this order is the volute of its capital. In the Grecian Ionic, the volutes appear the same on the front and rear ; being connected on the flanks by a baluster-like form ; through the external angles of the capitals of the corner columns, however, a diagonal vo lute is introduced. The Romans gave their Ionic four diagonal volutes, and curved the sides of the abacus. The Greek volute continues the fillet of the spiral along the face of the abacus, whereas in the Roman, its origin is be hind the ovolo. In the modern Ionic cap ital, the volutes aro placed diagonally, and the abacus has its sides hollowed out. The shaft, including the base, which is half a diameter, and the capital to the bottom of the volute, generally a little more, is about 9 diameters high, and may be fluted in 24 flutes, with fillets between them; these fillets arc semi-circular. The
pedestal is a little taller and more orna mented than the Doric. The bases used to this order are very various. The Attic base is very often used, and with an as tragal added above the upper torus, makes a beautiful and appropriate base. The cornices of this order may be divided into three divisions, the plain Grecian cornice, the (lentil cornice, and the ino &Mon cornice. The best examples of this order are the temple on the Ilissus, of Minerva Polies, and Erichthens in the Acropolis, and the aqueduct of Adrian at Athens ; the temple of Fortuna Virilis, and the Coliseum at Rome. The bold ness of the capital, with the beauty of the shaft, makes it eligible for porticoes, frontispieces, entrances to houses,