Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Trulla

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. 

TRULLA (τρουλλίον). Diminutive of TRUA. A small perforated ladle of the same use and character as the last described. Varro, L. L. v. 118. Hero, de Spirit. p. 101.

2. (τρύβλιον). Either used separately, or with the epithet vinaria. A drinking-cup, or table utensil employed for taking the wine out of a larger recipient, which contained a quantity mixed with snow. It was a species of cyathus of an improved character, being furnished with an inner case perforated as a strainer, and fitting into the hollow bowl of the cup, so that when fitted together the two would form but one body, which might be conveniently dipped into the larger vessel, and filled; when, by removing the perforated case, any sediment or impurity deposited by the snow would be removed with it from the pure liquid left in the bowl. (Cic. Verr. ii. 4. 27. Varro, L. L. v. 118. Plin. H. N. xxxvii. 7. Scaev. Dig. 34. 2. 37.) The illustration (Trulla/2.1) represents an original found at Pompeii, with a section of the perforated case in its bowl on the right. The material is bronze; but the same utensil was also made in common earthenware (Hor. Sat. ii. 3. 144.), as well as porcelain (Plin. l. c.), and pietre dure (Cic. l. c.).

3. The pan of a night-chair (Juv. iii. 107.); probably so termed when consisting of a double case, constructed upon the same principle as the vessel last described.

4. A fire-basket made of iron (Liv. xxxvii. 11.), in which ignited matter could be transferred from place to place; and so termed from the perforations drilled in its sides to create a draught of air, like the example (Trulla/4.1) on the next page, representing an earthenware trulla, discovered in an excavation near Rome, which, when found, had a lamp inside it.

5. A trowel used by bricklayers for laying the mortar between bricks (Isidor. Orig. xix. 18. 3.), and by plasterers for laying on and smoothing the stucco upon walls (Pallad. i. 15. Ib. 13. 2.). The illustration (Trulla/5.1) represents an original found amongst other building implements in a house at Pompeii. This sense of the word trulla arises from the Greek τρύω, in allusion to the manner of using the instrument; connected, perhaps, with its resemblance to a ladle (TRUA, 1); for it will be observed that the ancient trowel, as exhibited by the example, has a form very different from our own, having a flat blade otherwise shaped like a spoon, precisely like the plasterer's trowel now used at Naples, which is called a plasterer's spoon — cucchiaja da fabricatore.

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  Trulla/2.1
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  Trulla/4.1
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  Trulla/5.1