Chapiter refers to the uppermost part of a column (also called Capital), pillar, or pilaster, forming the head or crown and placed immediately over the shaft and under the entablature. Because of the highly ornamented and peculiarly constructed chapiters of the two pillars which stood in the porch of King Solomon's Temple, they are largely referred to and explained in the Fellow-Craft's Degree. ( Exodus 38:17,19 - 1 Kings 7:16 )
See also: Pillars of the Porch
Biblical References
Exodus 38:17,19
17 And the sockets for the pillars were of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver; and the overlaying of their chapiters of silver; and all the pillars of the court were filleted with silver. 18 And the hanging for the gate of the court was needlework, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: and twenty cubits was the length, and the height in the breadth was five cubits, answerable to the hangings of the court. 19 And their pillars were four, and their sockets of brass four; their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of their chapiters and their fillets of silver.
1 Kings 7:16
And he made two chapiters of molten brass, to set upon the tops of the pillars: the height of the one chapiter was five cubits, and the height of the other chapiter was five cubits:
~~ooOoo~~
This page is adapted from the Glossary at Phoenixmasonry — Used with permission.