A small capital or ornamental head-stone set above a doorway or column in medieval architecture, often used to support a beam or arch.
From Old French chapitel, a diminutive form of 'chapter' or 'capital,' from Latin capitulum meaning 'small head.' It literally means 'little capital' in architectural terms.
Chaptrels are the architectural equivalent of punctuation—tiny decorative elements that signal structural importance, and spotting them on medieval buildings is like finding hidden signatures of master stonemasons.
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