Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Puteal

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. 

PUT'EAL. A dwarf wall or circular shell of marble or other materials surrounding the mouth of a well (puteus) as a protection against the danger of falling in. Many of these have been found in excavations, and may be seen in the various collections of antiquities, oftentimes richly decorated with figures or other devices in relief (the putealia sigillata of Cic. Att. i. 10.); and the annexed woodcut (Puteal/1.1) shows one of the same description still covering the mouth of a well, as it now exists in the cloisters of the convent attached to the basilica of St. John in the Lateran at Rome.

2. When any spot was struck with lightning it was immediately deemed sacred, and venerated as such by the Romans, being surrounded by a shell of the same character and name as last described, in order to preserve it from the tread of profane feet (Cic. Sext. 8. Ov. R. Am. 561). Amongst these the puteal Libonis or Scribonianum in the Roman forum, was much celebrated, as the spot near which usurers met and money affairs were negotiated. It is represented by the annexed woodcut (Puteal/2.1) from a medal of the Scribonian gens, and has the inscription, PUTEAL LIBONIS, underneath.

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  Puteal/1.1
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  Puteal/2.1