Abacus

Definition

In architecture, a wide slab at the top of a load-bearing column, forming the uppermost section of the capital and helping transfer the weight of the supported beam or arch to the column’s shaft. In freestanding columns the abacus may be mounted with decorative or emblematic sculptures. From the Ancient Greek ábax, meaning ‘slab’.

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Architecture

Abacus%newline%In architecture, a wide slab at the top of a load-bearing column, forming the uppermost section of the capital and helping transfer the weight of the supported beam or arch to the column's shaft. In freestanding columns the abacus may be mounted with decorative or emblematic sculptures. From the Ancient Greek ábax, meaning 'slab'.

Chicago	MAP Academy Encyclopedia of Art. “Abacus”. Accessed October 31, 2025. https://mapacademy.io/glossary/abacus/
MLA	“Abacus.” MAP Academy Encyclopedia of Art. https://mapacademy.io/glossary/abacus/. Accessed 31, October, 2025.
Harvard	MAP Academy Encyclopedia of Art. (2022) Abacus. [Online]. Available at: https://mapacademy.io/glossary/abacus/. (Accessed: 31, October, 2025)