Museum Loan Network

Glossary

1. aedicula
   1. a pavilion-like decorative structure imitating a temple front and often used to frame a sculpture or picture

1. apotropaic
   1. a device or object, such as an amulet, to ward off evil, to protect the wearer from harm - see bulla

1. atrium
   1. the large, main room in a Mediterranean and traditional Roman house. It might be completely roofed (testudinate), but usually had a central opening in the roof (compluvium) to catch rain in a square pool (impluvium) directly beneath

1. bulla
   1. an amulet usually worn by Roman boys around their necks. Bullae were originally worn by Etruscan children and adults of both sexes and even animals - see apotropaic

1. clientela
   1. the business clients or dependents of a Roman paterfamilias

1. compluvium
   1. a central opening in the roof of an atrium

1. cubiculum
   1. a bedroom

1. culina
   1. a kitchen

1. denarius
   1. a unit of Roman silver coinage. During the Empire certain emperors, notably Caligula, reduced its silver content while increasing its face value.

1. emblema
   1. a mosaic set in a shallow clay or stone tray. Emblemata are portable and can be moved for insertion from one floor to another or set up on easels like paintings.

1. hortus
   1. a garden

1. imago clipeata
   1. a portrait sculpted or painted on a shield or set within a round shield-like frame (pl. imagines clipeatae)

1. impluvium
   1. see atrium

1. lararium
   1. a small shrine, usually located in the atrium, dedicated to the lares and/or other household deities.

1. lares
   1. protective household deities usually represented as young men wearing short tunics and carrying animal-headed drinking vessels (rhyta)

1. materfamilias
   1. the female head of a Roman household or extended family

1. nymphaeum
   1. a decorative fountain or artificial grotto

1. oinochoe
   1. a pitcher, usually for pouring wine. Greek plural: oinochoai.

1. opus sectile
   1. literally “cut or snipped work” indicating a type of wall or floor mosaic consisting of slabs of stone cut into interlocking shapes

1. opus vermiculatum
   1. literally “worm-like work” indicating the undulating lines of stone chips used to form a floor or wall mosaic - see also emblema and tesserae

1. paterfamilias
   1. the male head of a Roman household or extended family

1. patronus
   1. a patron or benefactor in the Roman patron-client relationship

1. sarcophagus
   1. a stone coffin - the word derives from the Greek for flesh (sarx) -eating (phagein = to eat) because the limestone used for such coffins speeded up the decay of the corpse

1. strigil
   1. a curved metal or bone scraper that is used for removing accumulated oil, dirt and sweat from the body after exercising

1. tablinum
   1. a room, usually centrally located along the back wall of an atrium opposite the entrance to a Roman house. Originally the tablinum corresponded to our master bedroom but later functioned as an office, family archive and reception room where the paterfamilias could meet his clientela

1. tesserae
   1. the small cube-shaped chips of stone or glass paste used to form a mosaic. Tessera is Greek for “four” or “four-sided.”

1. triclinium
   1. a dining room. The name derives from the three (tri-) couches (klinai) arranged along the walls for pairs of reclining banqueters.

1. unguentarium
   1. a container for ointments and salves