Guttae are small, cone- or droplet-shaped ornaments placed beneath the triglyph and beneath the mutule in the Doric order. The Latin word gutta literally means “drop”. The guttae always appear in rows and belong to the classical entablature of a Doric temple or building.
Place in the Doric order
The Doric order is the oldest and plainest of the classical orders. In the entablature (which rests on the columns), guttae sit in two fixed positions:
- Beneath the regula — a narrow strip directly below the triglyph in the architrave; usually six guttae hang beneath it
- Beneath the mutule — the flat, projecting blocks on the underside of the cornice; guttae sit here in rows of three, usually eighteen per mutule
Origin and meaning
Guttae are thought to be a petrified reminder of the original timber temple construction: they are believed to represent the pegs or dowels that once held beams and battens together. When Greek temples came to be built in stone, these timber details were carried over as ornament.
Guttae therefore no longer have a structural function but are purely decorative and characteristic of the Doric style. They are found not only on ancient temples but also on later buildings in the classical and neoclassical styles.
Related terms
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