Tombeau de Charles IV d'anjou, comte du Maine

A tabula ansata or tabella ansata (Latin for "tablet with handles", plural ''tabulae ansatae'' or ''tabellae ansatae'') is a tablet with dovetail

handle A handle is a part of, or attachment to, an object that allows it to be grasped and manipulated by hand. The design of each type of handle involves substantial ergonomic issues, even where these are dealt with intuitively or by following tr ...

s. It was a favorite form for

votive A votive offering or votive deposit is one or more objects displayed or deposited, without the intention of recovery or use, in a sacred place for religious purposes. Such items are a feature of modern and ancient societies and are generally ...

tablets in

Imperial Rome The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Mediterr ...

Overview

''Tabulae ansatae'' identifying soldiers' units have been found on the ''tegimenta'' (leather covers) of

shields A shield is a piece of personal armour held in the hand, which may or may not be strapped to the wrist or forearm. Shields are used to intercept specific attacks, whether from close-ranged weaponry or projectiles such as arrows, by means of ...

, for example in

Vindonissa Vindonissa (from a Gaulish toponym in *''windo-'' "white") was a Roman legion camp, vicus and later a bishop's seat at modern Windisch, Switzerland. The remains of the camp are listed as a heritage site of national significance. The city of B ...

( Windisch, Switzerland). Sculptural evidence, for example on the

metope In classical architecture, a metope (μετόπη) is a rectangular architectural element that fills the space between two triglyphs in a Doric frieze, which is a decorative band of alternating triglyphs and metopes above the architrave of a bu ...

s from the

Tropaeum Traiani The Tropaeum Traiani or Trajanic Trophy is a monument in Roman Civitas Tropaensium (site of modern Adamclisi, Romania), built in AD 109 in then Moesia Inferior, to commemorate Roman Emperor Trajan's victory over the Dacians, in the winter of 1 ...

(

Adamclisi Adamclisi () is a commune in Constanța County, in the Dobrogea region of Romania. History In ancient times, a Roman castrum named Civitas Tropaensium was settled here and in 109 AD a monument named Tropaeum Traiani was built to commemorate th ...

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Moldova to the east, and ...

), shows that they were also used for the same purpose on the shields.

Modern era

''Tabulae ansatae'' have been used by modern artists from as early as the 15th century, as shown on the tomb of

Charles, Count of Maine Charles du Maine (1414–1472) was a French prince of blood and an advisor to Charles VII of France, his brother-in-law, during the Hundred Years' War. He was the third son of Louis II, Duke of Anjou and King of Naples, and Yolande of Aragon. ...

, attributed to

Francesco Laurana Francesco Laurana, also known as Francesco de la Vrana ( hr, Frane Vranjanin; c. 1430 – before 12 March 1502) was a Dalmatian sculptor and medallist. He is considered both a Croatian and an Italian sculptor. Though born in the territory of th ...

, in

Le Mans Cathedral Le Mans Cathedral ( French: ''Cathédrale St-Julien du Mans'') is a Catholic church situated in Le Mans, France. The cathedral is dedicated to Saint Julian of Le Mans, the city's first bishop, who established Christianity in the area around the ...

. The Statue of Liberty by sculptor Auguste Bartholdi is holding one such tablet on which "July IV MDCCLXXVI" is inscribed.

Gallery

File:4545 - Istanbul - Museo archeol. - Rilievo traianeo dalla Romania sec. II d.C. - Foto G. Dall'Orto 28-5-2006.jpg, ''Tabulae ansatae'' on soldiers' shields – metope from the

, Archaeological Museum of Istanbul File:Dativius Victor Bogen.jpg, A ''tabula ansata'' on the attic of the arch of Dativius Victor ( de) in

Mainz Mainz () is the capital and largest city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Mainz is on the left bank of the Rhine, opposite to the place that the Main joins the Rhine. Downstream of the confluence, the Rhine flows to the north-west, with Ma ...

File:Fra-titusbuen.jpg, ''Tabulae ansatae'' carried on sticks –

Arch of Titus The Arch of Titus ( it, Arco di Tito; la, Arcus Titi) is a 1st-century AD honorific arch, located on the Via Sacra, Rome, just to the south-east of the Roman Forum. It was constructed in 81 AD by the Emperor Domitian shortly after the death of ...

File:Triumph1-Mantegna-picture-bearers.jpg, A ''tabula ansata'' carried on a stick – '' Triumphs of Caesar'' by

Andrea Mantegna Andrea Mantegna (, , ; September 13, 1506) was an Italian painter, a student of Roman archeology, and son-in-law of Jacopo Bellini. Like other artists of the time, Mantegna experimented with perspective, e.g. by lowering the horizon in orde ...

File:Ostia Mosaic.jpg, ''Tabula ansata'' on a mosaic in

Ostia Antica Ostia Antica ("Ancient Ostia") is a large archaeological site, close to the modern town of Ostia, that is the location of the harbour city of ancient Rome, 25 kilometres (15 miles) southwest of Rome. "Ostia" (plur. of "ostium") is a derivation ...

File:EIS PHAOS.JPG, ''Tabula ansata'' on

George Bancroft George Bancroft (October 3, 1800 – January 17, 1891) was an American historian, statesman and Democratic politician who was prominent in promoting secondary education both in his home state of Massachusetts and at the national and internati ...

's bookplate Statue of Liberty frontal 2.jpg, The Statue of Liberty (formally ''Liberty Enlightening the World'') holds a ''tabula ansata'' inscribed with " July 4 1776" in Roman numerals Happy 4th! (14572157225).jpg, Detail of the Statue of Liberty's ''tabula''

Footnotes

External links

Ancient tabula ansata
made of metal from

Italica Italica ( es, Itálica) was a Roman town founded by Italic settlers in Hispania; its site is close to the town of Santiponce, part of the province of Seville in modern-day Spain. It was founded in 206 BC by Roman general Scipio as a settleme ...

(Spain).
Tabula ansata on the Shaykh Zwaydah (Cheikh Zouède) mosaicsource page
, 4th century AD, Ismailia museum, Egypt, discovered in 1913 by

Jean Clédat Jean Clédat (7 May 1871 – 29 July 1943) was a French Egyptologist, archaeologist and philologist. He became a resident at the (French Institute of Oriental Archaeology). At various times, Clédat's expeditions was sponsored by (the Suez ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tabula Ansata Ancient Roman metalwork Inscriptions