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Illustrated Architecture Dictionary.
Oculus
Plural: oculi
Pronunciations: AHK you lis; AHK you lie

A round opening or window without stone tracery (especially found in Romanesque churches)
A small circular opening, and which was a precursor of the Gothic rose window
Window that has an oval or circular shape (as of an eye)
Etymology: Latin, "eye"
Name of the round opening in the top of the dome of the Pantheon in Rome
An oculus, circular window, or rain-hole is a feature of Classical architecture since the 16th century. They are often denoted by their French name, oeil de boeuf, or "bull's-eye".
Circular windows set in dormers have been a feature of French Classical architecture since the beginning of the seventeenth century. For structural reasons, they are also found as the portholes of ships.
- Wikipedia (Nov. 2011)
Examples:
- Illustration above: Pantheon, Rome, Italy
- Forum Thermal Baths, Pompeii, Italy

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