PINNACLE

A small spire-like termination to a buttre , or to any decorative shaft rising above the parapet. In buttre es, especially flying buttre es, the pinnacles are of great use in resisting the outward pre ure by their weight. They do not occur in Norman architecture; they are, in fact, a correlative of the pointed arch. The pinnacle at the temple at Jerusalem was probably the gallery, or parapet, or wall on the top of the buttre es, which surrounded the roof of the temple, properly so called. Joseph us tells us that the roof of the temple was defended by pretty tall golden spikes, to hinder birds from alighting thereon. It was not on the roof of the temple that Jesus Christ was placed, but on the wall that surrounded the roof.— Calmet’s Dict. of the Bible, ed. Taylor.