Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Limbus

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Rich, Anthony (1849). The illustrated companion to the Latin dictionary, and Greek lexicon. p. vi. OCLC 894670115. https://archive.org/details/illustratedcompa00rich. 

LIMBUS (παρυφή). An ornamental border woven into the fabric of a piece of cloth, in order to make a finish round the edges of wearing apparel. (Ov. Met. vi. 127. Virg. Aen. iv. 137. Servius ad l. Stat. Achill. i. 330.) It was made in a great variety of patterns, and was worn amongst the Greeks by both sexes; by males on the skirts of their tunics (woodcut s. v. HIERONIKA) and edges of the chlamys (woodcut s. v. p. 155.), and by females on most articles of their attire; as shown by an infinity of designs on the Greek fictile vases, from one of which the annexed example (Limbus/1.1) is taken. But amongst the Romans, if we may judge from the rareness of its occurrence upon the works of art executed by or for that people, even in the Pompeian paintings, it would seem to have been but seldom adopted, and its use mostly confined to females.

2. Hence an ornamental band for the hair, worked with a pattern in embroidery (Stat. Achill. ii. 76. Arnob. ii. 72.), as shown by the woodcut at p. 284. s. FIBULA 4.; or sash for the waist (Stat. Theb. vi. 367.), as exhibited by the annexed figure (Limbus/2.1) from a statue in the Royal Museum at Naples.

3. The band or zodiacal circle which contains the figures of the twelve signs, as if on an embroidered sash; like the example (Limbus/3.1) annexed, from a painting at Pompeii. Varro, R. R. ii. 3.

4. The main rope of several twists upon which a hunting or fishing net is made, and which, as being much thicker and stronger than the twine of the meshes, served as a sort of border or edging to the net, as exemplified by the annexed figure (Limbus/4.1) from a Roman mosaic. Grat. Cyneg. 25.

• 
  Limbus/1.1
• 
  Limbus/2.1
• 
  Limbus/3.1
• 
  Limbus/4.1