Entablature with dentil molding in the cornice at Greenfield Village Museum, Dearborn, Michigan.
Charlie explained that the dentil is one of several classical ornaments that the Greeks derived from the timber framing on which they modeled their architecture; dentils were inspired by the exposed tips of the lath used to support the roofing material — which was precisely what the ones on my building were going to do.
From A Place of My Own, Michael Pollan’s lighthearted account of building a small writing “shack” with the help of his architect, Charlie, and “master of the material world” helper, Joe.
