Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Arcula

Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary, and Greek Lexicon (Rich, 1849)

AR'CULA (κιβώτιον). Diminutive of ARCA, in its general senses; but also specially applied as follows: —

1. A painter's colour box, divided into a number of separate compartments; more especially used by encaustic painters, in which they kept distinct the different coloured waxes used in their art. (Varro, R. R. iii. 17. 4.) The illustration (Arcula/1.1) is from a Roman bas-relief, which represents {{PICTURA|Painting0} inducing M. Varro to illustrate his book with portraits.

2. A small sepulchre or stone coffin, such as was used by the Christianized Romans, and deposited in their catacombs, when the bodies were buried, without being burnt. (Inscript. ap. Grut. 1031. 4.) The illustration (Arcula/2.1) represents one of these coffins in the catacombs at Rome, a portion only being removed in the drawing to show the skeleton.

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  Arcula/1.1
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  Arcula/2.1