Entasis in Fourth-Century BC Doric Buildings in the Peloponnese and at Delphi

Abstract

Entasis, the slight outward curve of the column shaft, is a constant feature of fourth-century BC Doric architecture in the Peloponnese and at Delphi. In the buildings studied, the position of the maximum entasis is usually in the middle of the column shaft and, even though the degree of entasis varies, it is usually less pronounced than in fifth-century Doric columns. The relation between different mathematical formulae and entasis curves is also discussed; if Greek architects used a particular curve in the design of the column shaft, is it currently possible to identify it? The curves considered are the conic sections (circle, ellipse, parabola, and hyperbola) and the vertical projection of a helix. All the conic sections fit almost equally well in each individual building; therefore, if any particular curve was employed in the design, the simplest method of stretching a circle into an ellipse is a likely candidate.

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