Relief orthostats from a citadel gate

myminifactory

In classical Greek architecture, stone blocks known as orthostates rise high above their depth, typically set into the lower part of a wall. Their name reflects how they stand upright rather than lying on their sides. In various contexts, this term is commonly referred to as an orthostat. It's common in Greek construction for two pairs of orthostates to form a wall's thickness, with one serving as the inner face and the other as the outer. Above each course of these blocks, a course of stones spanning the width of the wall usually follows, joining its two faces (a binder course). This term has been expanded to describe architecture from many cultures. In Hittite and Assyrian art, intricately carved orthostats are often seen. The term may also be used more broadly for upright-standing stones, including massive menhirs.