Small
circular
decorative circular panel, window, or niche, often serving
as a decorative medallion on a building
Used
extensively in
Renaissance courtyards and arcades
A glass
roundel is
a round, flat circle of glass. The glass can be
colored or clear. The size of a glass roundel
varies: Traditionally they were limited by how
large the glass could be spun by hand. Typically,
roundels are rarely larger than a foot in
diameter, but ones that are handmade by skilled
craftsman in specialized studios can actually get
quite big! Today they are used mostly as
decorative objects and sometimes as ornamental
windows. But historically, glass roundels were a
very common feature of buildings.
The root of
both of the words Roundel and Rondel
come from an Old French word: “roont”. It means,
you guessed it, Round. While these words have
the same background, they have alternative
meanings that are distinct from one another. For
example, Roundels and Rondels are also types of
poems, the structures of which are different.
Also, when talking about military insignia, the
term Roundel always seems used.
So, when it
comes to glass, what’s the right term? We have
seen both words used interchangeably to describe
these round glass discs. Sometimes, even the
variation Rondelle is used! It seems
to just be a matter of preference, and most
people who have an interest in glass will know
what you are talking about if you use either
term.
