A tabula ansata or tabella ansata (Latin for "tablet with handles", plural tabulae ansatae or tabellae ansatae) is a tablet with dovetail joint handles.[
] It was a favorite form for Votive offering tablets in Roman Empire.[
]
Overview
Tabulae ansatae identifying soldiers' units have been found on the
tegimenta (leather covers) of shields, for example in
Vindonissa (Windisch,
Switzerland).
[See picture ( source page )] Sculptural evidence, for example on the metopes from the
Tropaeum Traiani (
Adamclisi,
Romania), 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, attributed to Francesco Laurana, in Le Mans Cathedral.
[
]
The Statue of Liberty by sculptor Auguste Bartholdi is holding one such tablet on which "July IV MDCCLXXVI" is inscribed.
==Gallery==
, Archaeological Museum of Istanbul]]
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Footnotes
External links
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