BASE, has ( Fr. and It., from Lat. basis, Gk. haver, basis, a stepping, step). In architecture, the foot or lowest part or division of any archi tectural construction, such as a wall, pier, or col umn. We speak of base-molding, base-course, base-block, to designate different parts of a base. Its most popular and definite use is to designate the third and lowest member of a column or pier, the other two being the capital and the shaft. (See COLUMN.) When Egyptian columns had a base, it was merely an unmolded block; the Assyrians went further, and invented a base with torus and scotia moldings. The columns had bases; but of the two great styles that divided the Hellenic world in the historic age, the Doric had no base, while the lonie de veloped a very clear type, which was at first extremely rich in Asia Minor (Seventh and Sixth centuries), and became simplified and of a uni form type in the Attie School of the Fifth Cen tury B.C. The Persians used a modified form of the early Ionic base of Asia Minor at Persepolis and Susa, and this mixed form influenced Hel lenic, and even Roman, work in the Orient. The Corinthian and Composite orders, and the Roman Doric, used the simple Attie Ionic base, with modifications. This consisted of (I) a fillet;
(2) an upper convex molding (torus) ; (3) a seotia or concave molding between two fillets; (4) a larger convex molding; (5) a plinth or base-block; its total height was normally about half the diameter of the column. The Ionic base continued in early Christian, Byzantine, and MediaNal art, not in the stereotyped form given it by the Romans, but with increasing freedom and richness in treatment and decoration. While Italy retained this tradition throughout the Gothic period, and re-popularized it with the spread of its Renaissance style over Europe, there had been an interval when the Romanesque and Gothic styles of the rest of Europe had de veloped an unparalleled variety and richness in the designs of Ionic bases, usually with more flare; every combination of moldings and of fo liated ornament was tried, especially in France. The grouped piers of the Gothic style gave great scope to original treatment. See ARCHITECTURE.