Herm
|
| This hermaic sculpture depicts an old philosopher; it dates from the 2nd century BC. |
A herm (or herma) is a rectangular pillar topped with a head or bust. It is believed these structures were used in Ancient Greece to mark boundaries and were often inscribed with distances.
The word herm may be representative of the Greek phrase for blocks of stone, but it may also be linked to the Greek god, Hermes. Associated with roads and borders, Hermes was a phallic god connected to the concepts of luck and fertility. Consequently, hermae frequently included carvings of genitals at the suitable height in the otherwise plain base. This symbol was apparently meant to ward off evil.
The herm was later adopted by the Romans who used it as a boundary marker. It was also a method of indicating boundaries in Renaissance and post-Renaissance times.
Herms (or hermae) sometimes took on purely decorative functions and served as sculpture-topped pedestals, either as single units or as pillars supporting figures. This application of the herm may be linked to structural supports such as the telamon (the Roman term) or atlas (also known as atlant, or atlante or atlantid), which were architectural components (such as columns, piers or pilasters) sculpted in a human form.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
Encourage individuals to take action to save water at home, work, and in their communities.
Takes a community to support mental health and wellbeing
The why of becoming a Mental Health Instructor explained.
Mental health awareness week 13-18 May
The theme is communities, they can provide a sense of belonging, safety, support in hard times, and a sense purpose.
Mental health support on the rise but workers still struggling
CIOB Understanding Mental Health in the Built Environment 2025 shows.
Design and construction material libraries
Material, sample, product or detail libraries a key component of any architectural design practice.
Construction Products Reform Green Paper and Consultation
Still time to respond as consultation closes on 21 May 2025.
Resilient façade systems for smog reduction in Shanghai
A technical approach using computer simulation and analysis of solar radiation, wind patterns, and ventilation.
Digital technology, transformation and cybersecurity
Supporting SMEs through Digitalisation in Construction.
Villa Wolf in Gubin, history and reconstruction. Book review.
[[w/index.php?title=W/index.php%3Ftitle%3DW/index.php%3Ftitle%3DW/index.php%3Ftitle%3DW/index.php%3Ftitle%3DW/index.php%3Ftitle%3DConstruction_contract_awards_down_1bn%26action%3Dedit%26redlink%3D1%26action%3Dedit%26redlink%3D1%26action%3Dedit%26redlink%3D1%26action%3Dedit%26redlink%3D1%26action%3Dedit%26redlink%3D1&action=edit&redlink=1|Construction contract awards down £1bn]]
Decline over the past two months compared to the same period last year, follows the positive start to the year.
Editor's broadbrush view on forms of electrical heating in context.
The pace of heating change; BSRIA market intelligence
Electric Dreams, Boiler Realities.
New President of ECA announced
Ruth Devine MBE becomes the 112th President of the Electrical Contractors Association.
New CIAT Professional Standards Competency Framework
Supercedes the 2019 Professional Standards Framework from 1 May 2025.
Difficult Sites: Architecture Against the Odds
Free exhibition at the RIBA Architecture Gallery until 31 May.
PPN 021: Payment Spot Checks in Public Sub-Contracts
Published following consultation and influence from ECA.
Designing Buildings reaches 20,000 articles
We take a look back at some of the stranger contributions.
Lessons learned from other industries.