attic

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Inscribed attic surmounting the main cornice of the Arch of Titus, Rome, AD 81—A.F. Kersting

Floor of a dwelling contained within the eaves of the roof structure. The word originally denoted any portion of a wall above the main cornice (see entablature). Used by the ancient Romans principally for decorative purposes and inscriptions, as in triumphal arches, it became an important part of the Renaissance facade, often enclosing an additional story.

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