A series of stepped notches or indentations that form a decorative stair-like pattern, typically found on the gable end of a Scottish or Dutch building.
From Middle Dutch 'krauwstappen' (crow steps), combining 'krauw' (crow) and 'stappen' (steps). The name likely refers to the resemblance of the stepped pattern to a crow's footprints or the way crows appear to climb the roofline.
Medieval Scottish architects borrowed this Dutch architectural feature, and it became so iconic that crowsteps became a signature of Edinburgh's skyline—yet most people never notice they're named after birds!
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