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terminal pedestal
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terminal pedestal

art
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A terminal pedestal, also known as a term, is an art element featuring a sculpted figure or bust atop a stone pillar. This pillar often tapers downwards to a square base, sometimes replacing the figure's body, with feet indicated at the base. If the pillar is a separate object supporting the sculpture, it is specifically called a terminal pedestal.1

The term originates from Terminus, the Roman god of boundaries. In ancient Rome, terms served as boundary markers along roads. The sculpture atop could be a human, animal, or mythical creature. A precursor to the Roman term is the Greek herm, a sculpture of the god Hermes, where the bust merges into the supporting pillar.1

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