Tabula ansata
Tabula ansata: modern name for an inscription in a rectangular form, with two "wings".
A tabula ansata is the modern name for a (almost always Latin) inscription that consists of a rectangular center with the text itself and two wing-like handles to the left and right. Like an Egyptian serekh or cartouche, this type of framework helped to stress the contents of the inscription, as if two big arrows were pointing at it.
The wings themselves could be decorated with flowers. Although the wings were usually triangular, they could be semicircular as well.
Triangular wings
Qasr Libya, East church, Annex mosaic, inscription |
Nijmegen, Inscription of an aquilifer of X Gemina |
Sirmium, Inscription of a legionary of XIII Gemina |
Mainz, Inscription of XXII Primigenia |
Constantinople, Hippodrome, First Obelisk, southeast part of the pedestal |
Nahr al-Kalb, Dedication to Caracalla by III Gallica |
Mainz, Stamp of XIIII Gemina |
Aquincum, Dedication of II Adiutrix to Antoninus Pius |
Lepcis Magna, Monument of Gavius Macer, Inscription |
Ghirza, Mausoleum North A, inscription |
Burnum, Tile of VIII Augusta |
Salona, Sarcophagus of Julia Aurelia Hilaria |
Semicircular wings
Bonn, Inscription mentioning I Minervia. The surname "Maximiniana" has been erased |
Vienna, Building Inscription of XIIII Gemina |
Aquincum, Tombstone of M. Annius |
Ghirza, Mausoleum North C, inscription |