0342 "Il cordone in fin della scarpa fa bel vedere": On the Purpose of the Cordon in Fortification Architecture

In Early Modern fortifications, the cordon typically takes the form of a semi-circular projecting band positioned at the top of the scarp, marking the transition between the sloped base and the upper vertical wall. This study focuses on the controversial question of whether the cordon served an aesthetic purpose or rather a strictly functional one. The idea of a practical function originated with Francesco di Giorgio Martini (15th century), who imagined that a specially shaped cordon could prevent the enemy from scaling the ramparts with ladders. Through an analysis primarily of treatises by 16th- and 17th-century engineers, this paper shows how they understood the role of the cordon in the fortifications of their time.