History of Interiors Complete Practice Exam 2026

Wedge-shaped stones that form Roman arches are called voussoirs. Each voussoir is cut with a precise angle so multiple blocks can fit together to create the curved arch and efficiently transfer the weight outward to the supports. The piece at the top center—the keystone—locks the others in place, but the general term for all the wedge-shaped blocks is voussoirs. Lintels are horizontal beams, and architraves are elements of the entablature, so they don’t describe the wedge pieces that compose the arch.