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Art

Greek key ornament

grecque

Une grecque is the angular repeating ornamental pattern also called a meander or Greek key, not a Greek woman in this sentence.

From the book

The Gods Are Athirst

Anatole France · Diotimos Editions · 2026

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Meaning

Lemma.

Une grecque is the angular repeating ornamental pattern also called a meander or Greek key, not a Greek woman in this sentence. Gamelin offers it among decorations that would make Élodie’s scarf worthy of a Spartan woman. Its rectilinear geometry suits the demand to simplify her current design. The English “Greek key” prevents confusion between the proposed ornament and the imagined ancient wearer.

Places to read

  1. Chapter III, paragraph 14Frenchd’une grecque: a proposed angular ornament. Gamelin lists ivy, snakes and crossed arrows as other possibilities.