Lemekh
The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.
Lemekh
elongated, sometimes slightly bent, small wooden planks, usually in the form of a shovel or a small, flat, stepped pyramid. They were used in Russian wooden architecture as coverings for cupolas, cupola drums, tent-shaped spires (shatry), and other parts of buildings. The play of light and shadow on the lemekh imparts an ornamental, picturesque appearance to the roof.
The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). © 2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.