Fig. 4 exhibits an example of such pillars, and also another variety of Saracenic arches (from the Court of the Lions in the Alhambra, 13th century) very unlike any of the preceding specimens, it being circular headed, and stilted, that is, it is considerably more than a semicircle, its height in fact almost equal to its breadth, but, instead of contract ing downwards, like the horse-shoe form, it is continued down straight to the impost, whereby the arch or semicircle has the appearance of being raised or stilted, and made loftier than the arch itself would else be. It also exhibits another peculiarity which the Arabs seem greatly to have affected, namely, corbelling, or resting arches upon brackets which serve as their imposts ; owing to which such arches have the appearance of being auspeoded over the opening below, which becomes wider and the support or pillar slenderer in proportion to the projec tion given to the corbels.
The above will suffice to show the principal varieties, in which we have chiefly attended to the form of the arches themselves, without attempting to show detail and decoration, to which it would be impos sible to do any sort of justice upon so contracted a scale, although it may serve for mere explanation. As supplementary however to what has been said, it should be observed as one characteristic of the style, that whatever their shape, or however applied, arches are generally placed within a square-headed panel or compartment, variously orna mented, and frequently surrounded with a margin or border similar to the square label in Gothic architecture. Sometimes there are two margins or labels, and the space between them is filled up either with inscriptions or other decoration. This mode however was confined to large arches, not supported upon columns, but forming an opening through a wall, for a gate or door ; and it was for such purposes that the horse-shoe arch was chiefly used, particularly for entrancea to mosques. These were further distinguished by the breadth and rich ness of the archivolt or border surrounding the arch; and which was sometimes equal to the radius or semidiameter of the curve. In some instances the whole archivolt was uniformly decorated; in others only at intervals, or on the alternate voussoirs or arch-stones, some idea of which may he obtained from B, fig. 1.
Pillars are commonly of exceedingly slender proportions, almost to apparent insecurity ; but owing to the style of the embellishment this lightness of particular forms tends to heighten the general luxuriance. Some have imagined that this element of slenderness in regard to pillars indicates a tent origin of the style ; and that while the pillars themselves were fashioned in imitation of the poles which supported the awning, the idea of the latter was in a measure kept up by the general decoration of various devices in mosaic work, and painted stucco, or glazed tiles, which gave to the whole the semblance of being covered with richly-patterned carpeting or embroidered tapestry ; not indeed in exact imitation or so as to aim at illusion, but with just that degree of adherence to a prototype which is observable in all artist-like architectural decoration. This tent-like character it
has been suggested was further kept up by concave ceilings and cupolas, emblazoned with painting and gilding. The whole surface, in fact, was frequently broidered over with decoration, which consisted almost entirely of ornamental patterns composed either of foliage or geometrical figures, though occasionally with an intermixture of both. The decorations of the former class have given rise to the modern term A rabeclues, as indicating scroll-work and foliage ornament filling up a frieze or compartment, although it is not very correctly applied, being usually intended to express a combination of animal and veget able forms, human figures, and those of birds and quadrupeds termi nating in foliage and flowers ; whereas no such mixture occurs in Arabian architecture, all imitation of the human or even animal shape being interdicted by the Mohammedan law. Their geometrical pat terns exhibit singular beauty and complexity, inexhaustible variety of combinations, and a wonderful degree of harmonious intricacy, arising out of very simple elements; to which must be added the variety produced by colour also, whereby the same arrangements of lines and figures could be greatly diversified. Hence though apparently quite unmeaning, and intended only to gmttly the eye, such embellishment must have powerfully recommended itself to a people both imaginative and contemplative, and whose fancy would find occupation in patiently tracing and unravelling the manifold intricacies and involvements, the mazes of what at first sight looks like a mere labyrinth, until its scheme unfolds itself; but merely momentarily as it were, being again lost when attention is diverted from it to particular parts. It is on this account that Hessemer, Jones, and others who have paid special attention to the subject, assign so very high a value to Arabian decora tion, as being strictly ornamental and strikingly characteristic.