footing
An enlargement at the base of a foundation wall or pier; its function is to transmit the superimposed load to the soil below. A footing is generally made of concrete, but may also be made of timber, iron, or large flat stones. Note that the pile foundation – a pile is a long wood or metal beam driven into the ground – is friction-supported and therefore requires no footing. Photo from Yorktown Battlefield, Yorktown, Virginia, 2019. (Phillips, 1994)