1206

GLOSSAEY.
Almo-vry.
Properly a closet or repasitory for the reception of brolccn rictuals set npart
as alms for the poor. It is more generally used to denote a house near tlie church in
abbeys, or at their gates,
provided with various offices for distributing the alms of
the convent, and for tho
dwelling of the
almoner.
Ai-MSHOUSB. A house devoted to the reception and support of poor persons, and generally
endowed for a particular
description of persons.
Altar. The name given to a flat stone found in Celtic erections.
Altar. (Lat. Altare.) A sort of pedestal whereon sacrifice was oiFered. According to
Servius there was among the ancients a difference between the am and altare, the latter
beino- raised upon a
substruction, and used only in the service of the celestial and
superior
divinities, whereas the former was merely on the ground, and appropriated to
the service of the terrestrial gods. Altars to the infernal gods were made by excavation,
and termed
scrohiculi. Some authors have maintained that the ara was the altar before
which prayers were uttered, and that the altare was used for sacrifices only. There is,
however, from ancient authors no appearance of such distinctions, but that the words
were used
indiscriminately. The earliest altars were square polished stones, on Avhich
were placed the offerings to the gods. AVhilst the sacrifice consisted only of libations,
perfumes, aud offerings of that nature, the altar was small, and even portable
;
when
man, however, began to consider he was honouring the divinity by an offering of blood,
the altar necessarily expanded in dimensions. Different fornis of it were adopted,
according to the nature of the sacrifice, and on it the throat of the victim was cut and
the flesh burnt. Of this sort is the circular altar of the Villa Pamphili at Kome, one of
the largest and most elegant of the class. On it appears the cavity for holding the fire,
and the grooves for carrying off the blnod. The varieties of altars were suitable in
form, ornament, and situation to the service to which they were appropriated :
some,
as we have already observed, being for s icrifices of blood, others for receiving offerings
and the sacred vessels; some for burning incense, others for receiving libations. Many
were set up as mere monuments of the piety of a devotee, whilst others were raised to
perpetuate some great event. They served for adjuration as well as for an asylum to
the unfortunate and evil doer. In form they varied from square to oblong, and from
tri mgular to circular. Those of metal were commonly tripodial. When of brick or
stone their plan is generally square. According to Pausanias they were occasionally
made of wood. They do not appear to have been of any regular standard height, for
they are sometimes found on bassi relievi reaching but little above a man's knee,
whereas in others they appear to reach his middle ; but it seems that in proportion,
to its diameter the circular altar was generally the highest. Vitruvius says that they
should not be so high as to intercept the statues of the gods, and ho gives the relative
heights of those used for different divinities. Thus, he says, those of Jupiter and the
celestial gods are to be the highest; next, those of Vesta and the terresti'ial gods;
those of the sea gods are to be a little lower, and so on. On festivals they were deco-
rated with such flowers and leaves as were sacred to the particular divinity. But be-
sides this casual decoration, the ancient altars furnish us with some of the most elegant
bassi relievi and foliage ornaments that are known. According to Vitruvius, their
fronts were directed towards the east, though very frequently but little regard was paid
to their position, as they were occasionally placed under the peristyle of a temple, and
not unfrequently in the open air. In the larger temples M-ere often three different
altars. The first was in the most sacred part, in front of the statue of the god; the
second before the door of the temple; and the third (called anclabris) was portable,
and on it the offerings and sacred vessels were placed.
The altars of the Catholic church are either attaclied or isolated- The former generally
stand against a wall, and are so decorated as to appear quite independent of it. The
decorations are either of painting or sculpture, or both. The isolated altar has no
sort of connection with any part either of the building or of its decorations. The high
altar is always isolated, whether placed at the end of the church or in its centre, as in the
well-known example in St. Peter's at Rome. "Whatever the situation of the high altar, it
.
should be grand and simple, and raised on a platform with steps on every side. The holy
table of the Protestant churches of England was generally of wood, but some of stone
(but not affixed) have been put up of late years
;
they are usually covered with a cloth
more or less decorated. Above it is the Eiredos.
The altars of the Greek church, tliough in other respects the religion vies in splendour
with the Romish church, are destitute of painted or sculptured ornament. In
Calvinistic
churches the name as well as the uses of an altar are unknown either as an appendage
or a decoration.
Altar PiKCE. The entire decorations of 'an altar. See Rebedos.
Altar Screen. The back of an altar, or the partition by which the choir is separated
from the presbytery and Lady chapel. The date of its introduction into English churches
we believe to have been about the close of the thirteenth century. It is
generally of