thunderbolt

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thunderbolt. Classical ornament, an attribute of Jupiter, in the form of a spiral roll, pointed at both ends, often held in the talons of an eagle, or shown winged, with arrow-headed, forked, or zig-zag lightning-flashes. It occurs on the soffits of Classical cornices (e.g. Vignola's mutule Doric Order) and in Empire schemes of decoration.

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