antas

Antas is the term used in classical architecture to refer to the plural of anta, a projecting masonry block at the end of a wall. An anta (plural antae) forms an architectural termination that helps define the sides of openings such as doorways or temple façades and provides a transition between wall surfaces and the entablature. Antae are typically rectangular and rise from the wall; they may be plain or ornamented with capitals or mouldings to resemble freestanding columns, but they are part of the wall rather than detached elements.

In Greek and later Roman architecture, antae are often found at the ends of walls flanking entrances or porticoes. A pair of antae can frame an opening and, in some buildings, help to organize the visual proportions of a façade by providing a strengthened terminus for the wall. Although they can be elaborated to resemble columns, antae remain a feature of the wall rather than independent sculptural supports.

Etymology and usage notes: the standard Latin plural is antae, derived from the Greek anta (front or end). The form "antas" appears in some English-language texts as a variant plural, but antae is the conventional scholarly form. In architectural history and archaeology, antae are discussed within studies of temple fronts, porticoes, and other classical wall compositions, where they help articulate the boundary between wall and opening.

Overall, antæ are a traditional device for marking and reinforcing the ends of walls in classical architecture, contributing to the rhythm and framing of façades without introducing freestanding columns.