Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Crotalium

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

CROTAL'IUM (κροτάλιον). Literally, a small rattle; a sort of pet or fancy name by which the Roman ladies designated a pendant to their ear-rings, when formed by two or more drop pearls (elenchi), sufficiently large to produce a sharp crackling sound (like that of the crotalum), when shaken against each other by the motions of the wearer. (Pet. Sat. 67. 9. Plin. H. N. ix. 56.) The example (Crotalium/1.1) represents an original ear-ring found at Pompeii.

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  Crotalium/1.1