Chapter M (6)

=Roman Architecture= is a combination of the _Etruscan_ and the _Greek_, principally distinguished from the latter by the circular arch, and the _monopteral_ or circular temple unknown to the Greeks, but a favourite form with the tomb-building ancestors of the Etruscans. The _orders_ of Roman architecture were the Doric and Ionic, detrimentally modified; the Corinthian, which they greatly enriched; and the Composite, of which the upper part of the capital was Ionic, and the remainder Corinthian. The distinguishing feature of the Roman architecture is, however, less in the modifications of the orders, than in their application in _composite arcades_, or plain arches of Etruscan design, faced by and supporting a purely ornamental arrangement of a long horizontal entablature on two columns. (Consult _Fergusson_, _Hist. of Arch._, vol. i.)

=Roman Doric Order of Architecture.= A deteriorated imitation of the Grecian Doric, adopted, with considerable modifications, by modern Italian architects.

=Roman Ochre= or =Italian Earth=. A pigment of a rich orange yellow, used both raw and burnt in oil and water-colours. (See OCHRE.)

=Roman Sepia= is _sepia_ (q.v.) mixed with red.

=Romanesque.= A degenerated and hybrid style of architecture and ornament, transitional from the classical Roman to the introduction of the Gothic. In the architecture there is an incongruous combination of the horizontal and arched methods of construction; and in the ornament a similar dissonance of natural and conventional or fanciful objects. _Fairholt_ calls it the _classic rococo_. _Fergusson_ (_Hist. of Arch._, vol. i. p. 352) defines the _Romanesque_ as “that modification of the classical Roman form, which was introduced between the reigns of Constantine and Justinian, and was avowedly an attempt to adapt classical forms to Christian purposes.” He says, “If _Romanesque_ is to be applied to our Norman architecture, the Parthenon ought to be called _Egyptianesque_, and the Temple at Ephesus _Assyrianesque_.” There seems to be no universally-received definition of this term.

=Rondache=, Fr. A round shield for foot-soldiers. It had a slit near the top to look through, and another at the side for the sword.

=Ronde Bosse= (It. _rondo bosso_). Sculpture in relief with a complete rounded outline, detached from the ground.

=Rood=, Chr. (1) A cross or crucifix. (2) A space of 1210 square yards; the fourth of an acre. (3) In building, 36 square yards of work. (4) As a linear measure variable, from 21 feet to 36 yards.

=Rood-beam=, Chr. The beam across the church by which the _rood_ was supported when there was no _rood-loft_.

=Rood-cloth=, Chr. The veil by which the large crucifix or _rood_ was hidden during Lent.

=Rood-loft=, =Rood-screen=, Chr. A gallery, generally placed over the chancel screen in parish churches, in which the cross or _rood_ was set to view.

=Rood-tower=, =Rood-steeple=, Chr. Arch. A tower or steeple of a cruciform church, built above the intersection, i. e. immediately over the _rood_.

=Roquelaure.= “A short abridgment or compendium of a cloak, which is dedicated to the Duke of Roquelaure.”

=Rorarii=, R. (_ros_, the dew). A body of light skirmishers in the Roman army, who were ranged in the second rank of the _triarii_, with the _accensi_ behind them in the third line. They took their name from the light missiles which they scattered upon the enemy, which were like the drops of rain before a thunder shower. It was their business to begin the attack, and retire behind the _triarii_ when pressed. Their skirmishing was a prelude to the charge of the heavy-armed spears (_hastati_).

=Rosary=, Chr. A string or chaplet of beads for numbering prayers, an Oriental and ante-Christian custom of great antiquity. They are called _tasbih_ by the Indian Mohammedans; in Sanscrit _Japanata_, “the muttering chaplet,” &c.

=Rose=, Her. Represented in blazon without leaves. The rose of England is generally drawn like the natural flower, or with natural stem, branches, leaves, and buds, but with heraldic rose-flowers. (See Fig. 395.) In Classic art, a rose upon a tomb is an emblem of a short life. The ancient Romans were passionately fond of roses, and cultivated them assiduously in their gardens, and introduced them plentifully in their feasts and symposia. In _mediæval_ England roses were the favourite presents on birthdays; and Whitsuntide was called, from the plenty of them, Rose Easter. Sticking a rose in the ear was the boast of an accepted lover.

“That in mine ear I durst not stick a rose,
Lest men should say, Look where three farthings goes.”
(_Shakspeare._)

The allusion refers to a thin silver coin of the reign of Elizabeth, called the three-farthing rose. (_Planché._)

=Rose-engine Pattern= (Fr. _guillochis_). (1) An architectural moulding, also called Greek fret, meanders, and quirked torus. (2) In goldsmiths’ work it is an ornament of network made by means of a machine called a rose-engine. (_Bosc._)

=Rose Lake=, =Rose Madder=. A rich tint prepared from lac and madder. (See MADDER.)

=Rose Pink.= A coarse kind of lake; a delicate and fugitive colour. (See PINKS.)

=Rose-quartz.= A massive quartz of a rose-red colour, common in Ceylon.

=Rose-window= (sometimes called a Catherine wheel), Arch. A large circular window divided into compartments by curved mullions. The most beautiful examples are met with in churches of the Florid Gothic period. (Fig. 591.)

=Rose-wood=, =Rhodes-wood=, largely used in furniture as a favourite veneer, is a name applied to a large variety of trees, mostly imported from Brazil.

=Rosemary=, in Old England, was closely connected with wedding-feasts and with funerals.

“There’s rosemary: that’s for remembrance; pray you, love, remember:
and there is pansies; that’s for thoughts.”

(_Hamlet._)

“There’s Rosemarie; the Arabians justifie,
It comforteth the braine and memorie.”
(_A Dialogue between Nature and the Phœnix_,
_by R. Chester, 1601._)

=Rosetta-wood.= A beautifully-veined East Indian wood, of a bright red orange colour.

=Rosettes.= (See RIBANDS.)

=Rosins.= (See RESINS.)

=Rosso Antico=, It. Ancient marble of a deep red tint, probably deepened in colour by antiquity, like the NERO ANTICO (q.v.). It is the material of many ancient Egyptian and early Greek sculptures, unequalled in tone by the products of any modern quarries. It contains white spots and veins.

=Rostrum=, R. (Gr. _Embolos_). The prow of a ship. The plural _rostra_ was used to denote a tribune in the Roman forum, from which orators addressed the people; it was so called because it was decorated with the figure-heads of the ships taken from the Volscians in the Latin War.

=Rota=, R. (1) A wheel composed of a nave (_modius_), spokes (_radii_), felloes (_absides_), and iron tires (_orbes_ or _canthi ferrarii_). (2) It was also an instrument of punishment. _Rota aquaria_ was a hydraulic wheel; _rota figularis_, a potter’s wheel.

=Rotta= (Germ. _rotte_; Eng. _rote_), a stringed instrument of the early Middle Ages, sounded either as a harp or a fiddle.

=Rotunda.= A dome-shaped or _monopteral_ (q.v.) structure. The largest _rotunda_ ever made was that of the Vienna Exhibition in 1873.

=Rouelle=, Fr. (lit. a small wheel). A French term which has been applied by antiquaries to numerous objects more or less resembling a wheel, such as brooches and coins. The Gallic coin (Fig. 592) is from the bas-reliefs on a Roman arch at Orange.

=Rouennais Faience.= This style, of strongly Oriental character, and mostly applied to the decoration of what are called “lambrequins” (or mantlings) and “dentelles” (lace), has been the object of universal imitation in France and other countries. Figs. 593 and 594 are representative specimens remarkable for great originality.

=Rouge Croix=, =Rouge Dragon=. Two of the four _Pursuivants_ (heralds of the lowest type) of Herald’s College.

=Rouge Royal=, Arch. A kind of red marble.

=Round Towers.= There are upwards of a hundred in Ireland, of which about twenty are perfect. Generally the tower is a hollow circular column from 50 to 150 feet high, capped by a short pointed roof of stone. The base, frequently of cyclopean masonry, measures from 40 to 60 feet in circumference, and the form of the whole tower is tapering towards the summit. The single entrance door is always from 8 to 15 feet above the ground; the windows, scattered, light the internal stories or rooms. Innumerable and wild conjectures of the origin and purpose of these towers have been made. The most sober appears to be that they were the earliest form of buildings of a monastic order, adapted to the exigencies of a Christian settlement in the midst of pagans and pirates. (See _Petrie_, _The Round Towers of Ireland_.)

=Roundels.= (1) Wooden platters decorated with painting and gilding; 16th century. (2) Small round shields borne by soldiers in the 14th and 15th centuries. (3) Arch. The bead or astragal moulding.

=Roundle=, Her. A circular figure in Heraldry, of which there are many kinds: as the BEZANT, PLATE, TORTEAU, &c. (q.v.). In modern Heraldry a roundle _gules_ is called TORTEAU; _azure_, HURT; _sable_, PELLET or OGRESS; _vert_, POMME; _purpure_, GOLPE. (See also FOUNTAIN, ANNULET.)

=Roussant=, Her. About to fly.

=Rowan-tree=, Scotch. The mountain ash.

=Rowel.= The wheel of a spur.

=Rowel Lights=, Chr. Lights in a church, let up and down by a pulley, especially a star-like light made to move at the Epiphany, when the coming of the wise men was acted as a religious play. Any small hoop or ring movable on the place that holds it is a “_rowel_.”

=Rowell= or =Ricel=, O. E. A vessel mentioned, but not described, in Church records (of _Walberswick_, Suffolk), to be used twice in the year; “whereby, and the great quantity of Wax and Frankincense, a ceremonial Imitation of the Birth and Burial of our _Saviour_ seems to have been celebrated.” (_Gardner, T._, _Historical Account_.)

=Royal.= (1) _Paper_: 21 inches by 19. (2) _Artillery._ A very small mortar. (3) _Sailing._ The upper sail above the top-gallant. (4) O. E. A RIAL (q.v.), a coin of the value of ten shillings.

=Royal Blue= (Fr. _bleu du roi_). A vitreous pigment used in porcelain painting, resulting in a rich, deep blue colour. It is prepared from _smalt_.

=Rubelite.= A precious stone not much used for jewellery. It is a species of _tourmaline_, red and pink in colour.

=Rubens Brown.= A rich brown pigment.

=Rubiate.= A name for _Liquid Madder Lake_ (q.v.).

=Rubicelle.= An orange-coloured stone, a variety of the _spinel ruby_.

=Rubrica=, R. Red ochre; and thence _rubric_, an edict or ordinance of the Civil Law written in red ochre, while the ordinances and rules of the prætors were written in black on a white ground on the ALBUM (q.v.).

=Ruby=, in Christian art. (See RED.)

=Ruby= or =Red Sapphire=. A _corundum_, the most valuable of all gems; when perfect and large, exceeding even the diamond in value. The colour varies from the lightest rose tint to the deepest carmine. The most valuable tint is called “pigeon’s blood,” a pure deep rich red, without any admixture of blue or yellow. Brahmin traditions speak of the abode of the gods lighted by enormous rubies; and one name of the Kings of Pegu was “Lord of Rubies.” In mediæval times the ruby was regarded as an amulet against poison, plague, sadness, evil thoughts, wicked spirits, &c. It also kept the wearer in health, and cheered his mind, and blackened when he incurred danger. (Consult _Emanuel_, _Diamonds and Precious Stones_, &c.)

=Rudder.= On ancient coins, &c., with the orb and fasces, emblem of the supreme power.

=Rudens=, R. The smaller ropes in a ship.

=Rudiarii.= Veteran gladiators discharged from the service by the presentation of a wooden sword (_rudis_).

=Rudis=, R. (1) A spoon or similar instrument. (2) A wooden sword. (See RUDIARII.) When a gladiator received his discharge, a _rudis_ was given him, together with a freedman’s cap, by way of declaration that he had been granted his liberty, a fact expressed by the phrase _rude donari_.

=Rue=, Her. A _chaplet of rue_ is blazoned _bend-wise_ (see PER BEND) across the shield of Saxony. (See CRANCELIN.)

=Ruffles.= Lace frills worn over the wrists, introduced _temp._ Henry VIII.

=Ruff and Honours.= An ancient game of cards from which Whist is derived.

=Ruffs.= Large collars of lace or muslin. A fashion of the 16th century; it commenced at the end of the reign of Henry VIII. Cambrics and lawn for making ruffs were first imported under Elizabeth. For illustrations of various modifications of this fashion, see Figs. 267, 283, 304, 559, 561, 580, &c. (Consult _Planché_, _Cycl. of Costume_.)

=Rugæ=, Chr. The metal _cancelli_ or screens of the more sacred parts of a church. The presbytery of St. Peter’s was fenced in with silver “rugæ,” and the confessional with rugæ of gold. (See _Smith and Cheetham_.)

=Rullions=, Scotch. Shoes made of untanned leather.

=Rum-swizzle.= “The name given in Dublin to a fabric made from undyed foreign wool, which, while preserving its natural property of resisting wet, possesses the qualities of common cloth.” (_Simmonds’ Commercial Dict._)

=Rumex=, R. A weapon of similar character to the SPARUM, the head of which was formed like a spear with a hook on the blade.

=Runcina=, R. A carpenter’s tool of the nature of a plane.

=Runco=, R. A hoe.

=Runes=, Scand. Magical inscriptions in a character believed by the northern nations to have been invented by Woden. “The Runic alphabet,” says _Mr. Wheaton_, “consists properly of sixteen letters, which are Phœnician in their origin.... They are only Roman, with the curves changed into straight lines for the convenience of engraving on hard substances.” (_Hist. of the Northmen_, p. 61.)

=Ruskie=, Scotch. A coarse straw hat; a basket or beehive of plaited osiers or straw.

=Russells=, O. E. A kind of satin.

=Russet.= A _red_ grey colour; violet mixed with orange. Its complementary is _green_ grey.

=Rust= (oxide) of iron. “The best _rust_” is mentioned in a list of colours of the 17th century. (_Brown_, _Ars Pictoria_, _Appendix_, p. 5.)

=Rustic Work= (Fr. _bossage_). Ashlar masonry, the joints of which are worked with grooves or channels to render them conspicuous; sometimes the whole of the joints are worked in this way, and sometimes only the horizontal ones. (See Fig. 597.)

=Rustre=, Her. A LOZENGE pierced with a circular opening.

=Rustred Armour= seems to have grown out of the _ring armour_. It consisted of one row of flat rings about double the usual size, laid half over the other, so that two in the outer partly covered one.

S.

=S=, as a _numeral_, was used to represent 7; as an _abbreviation_ it generally means _socius_ or Fellow (of a society); S. P. Q. R., on Roman monuments, stands for _senatus_, populusque Romanus.

=Sabanum=, R. (σάβανον). A kind of cloth, towel, or napkin.

=Sabaoth=, Heb. Armies; hosts of angels. It is also written _Zabaoth_.

=Sabatines=, O. E. (1) Steel armour for the feet; 16th century. (2) Slippers, or clogs.

=Sabianism.= The worship of the heavenly bodies.

=Sable.= (1) The best and most costly brushes for painting are made from this fur. (2) In Heraldry, the colour black, represented in engraving by crossed lines. (See Fig. 375.)

=Sabre=, Fr. A curved sword with a broad and heavy blade.

=Sabretasche=, Fr. A pocket worn, suspended, from the sword-belt, by a cavalry officer.

=Sac-friars.= (See SACCUS.)

=Sacciperium=, R. A large sackcloth bag. A pocket.

=Saccus=, R. (σάκκος). A large sack of coarse cloth for wheat, flour, &c. (2) A beggar’s wallet. (3) Chr. (Angl. _sack_). A coarse upper garment of sack or hair-cloth, worn by monks; hence called SAC-FRIARS. (Cf. SACQUE.)

=Sacellum=, R. (dimin. of _sacrum_). A small precinct enclosing an altar, and consecrated to a divinity. In Christian architecture, small monumental chapels within churches.

=Sachem.= The chief of a tribe of North American Indians.

=Sackbut=, O. E. (9th century). A wind instrument resembling the _trombone_.

=Sacque.= Part of a lady’s dress in the reign of Louis XIV. It was a silk cloak, and hung from the shoulders, spreading over the dress to the ground. In England it was worn in part of the reign of George III. (Fig. 598.)

=Sacrarium= (_sacrum_, holy). A place in which sacred things are kept; the sacristy in a temple. In a private house a place used as a chapel or oratory.

=Sacring Bell=, Chr. A hand-bell rung at the elevation of the Host.

“Her eye was as bright as the merry sunlight,
When it shines on the dewy grass;
And her voice was as clear as a _sacring bell_,
That is rung at the holy mass.”

(See also SANCTUS BELL.)

=Sacristy=, of a church, the apartment where the vestments and vessels are kept.

=Sacro Catino=, It. An extraordinary hexagonal glass dish preserved in the cathedral at Genoa, which was for a long time supposed to have been formed of a single emerald; and to have been either, “a gift from the Queen of Sheba to Solomon, or the dish which held the Paschal Lamb at the Last Supper,” &c. It was obtained in the Crusades in 1101, and was for many generations an object of superstitious reverence. Its principal interest now is in the evidence it bears to the early perfection of the art of making and colouring glass.

=Sadda=, Pers. (lit. a hundred gates). An abridgment of the Zend-Avesta or sacred books of the ancient Persians.

=Saddle-bars.= Said of small iron bars, in glazing casements, to which the lead panels are fastened.

=Saddle-roof=, Arch. A roof of two gables. (French, _en batière_.)

=Safety-arch=, Arch. An arch in a wall over a door or window, to keep the weight of the wall above off the lintel.

=Safflower.= A delicate red colour obtained from the flower of that name.

=Saffron= (It. _zafferano_). Produced from the flowers of the crocus; a yellow pigment principally used as a glazing.

=Saga=, R. A woman skilled in religious mysteries; and thence a witch or sorceress.

=Sagaris=, Orient. (σάγαρις). A two-edged axe, also called _bipennis_; it was used by the Amazons, Massagetæ, and Persians. (See BIPENNIS.)

=Sagena=, Gr. and R. (σαγήνη). A large fishing-net; modern _seine_. It was fitted with leaden weights at the bottom and corks at the top.

=Sagitta=, R. (1) An arrow; primitively with heads of flint, afterwards of bronze and iron. The heads of the arrows of the Greeks and Romans were oval; among other nations they were triangular and barbed, like those carried by the SAGITTARIUS in Fig. 599. This kind of arrow was called _sagitta hasta_ or _adunca_. (2) A lancet for bleeding animals.

=Sagittarius=, R. An archer; a sign of the zodiac, represented as a centaur. (Fig. 599.) In Christian art, a symbol of Divine vengeance.

=Sagma=, R. (σάγμα). A wooden pack-saddle.

=Sagmarius=, R. A beast of burden carrying the _sagma_.

=Sagochlamys=, R. A military cloak which combined the Roman _sagus_ and the Greek _chlamys_.

=Sagus= or =Sagum=, Celt. A woollen cloak with a long nap, worn folded and fastened round the neck by a clasp, especially by soldiers on a campaign (Fig. 44); hence _saga_ is a sign of war, as _toga_ is of peace. At a later period the same name was given to a kind of blouse, striped or checked in staring colours, and adorned with flowers and other ornaments, and bordered with bands of purple and gold and silver embroidery, worn by the Gauls in Artois and Flanders.

=Saic=, Turk. A sailing vessel common in the Levant.

=Saie=, O. E. A delicate serge or woollen cloth.

=Saints-bell=, O. E. for SACRING BELL.

=Salade=, =Sallet=. A light helmet resembling the KETTLE-HAT (Fig. 407), introduced from Germany in the 15th century.

=Salam-stone.= A name given to the blue or oriental sapphire from Ceylon.

=Salamander=, Chr. In Christian art, a symbol of fire, and supposed to live in fire; or, according to Pliny, “to quench it as if ice were put into it.” In Heraldry it is either represented as a lizard, or as a kind of dog breathing flames. Fig. 600 is the device of Francis I. of France, with a motto implying that a good prince nourishes that which is good, and expels the bad. At the meeting of the Field of the Cloth of Gold, the king’s guard at the tournament was clothed in blue and yellow, with the salamander embroidered thereon.

=Salamander’s Hair.= The variety of asbestos called _amianthus_.

=Salet=, O. E. A light helmet. (See SALADE.)

=Salic Dances.= (See SALII.)

=Salient=, Her. In the act of leaping or bounding, the hind-paws on the ground, both the fore-paws elevated.

=Salinum=, R. (_sal_, salt). A salt-cellar.

=Saltatio=, R. (_salto_, to dance). Dancing; applied to religious dances, gymnastic or war dances, CORYBANTIC, SALIC, MIMETIC or theatrical dances, &c.

=Saltire= or =Saltier=, Her. An ordinary in the form of St. Andrew’s Cross. The illustration (Fig. 601) is “_argent_ a SALTIRE _gules_.”

=Salutatorium.= (See RECEPTORIUM.)

=Salute at Sea.= The English claim the right, formerly claimed by the Venetians, of being saluted _first_ in all places, as sovereigns of the seas. The naval salute to the British flag began in the reign of King Alfred.

=Sambuca=, R. (σαμβύκη). (1) A stringed musical instrument, which varied in form, but resembled a harp. (2) Military. A scaling-ladder.

=Sam-cloth=, O. E. (needlework). A sampler. “A _sam-cloth_, vulgarly a sampler.”

=Samit=, for =Exsamit= (ἑξ, six; μίτοι, threads). A splendid tissue, having six threads of silk in the warp, and the weft of flat gold shreds.

=Sammaron-cloth=, O. E. A woven mixture of linen and hemp.

=Samnites.= Gladiators armed like the Samnite soldiers, with a close helmet, shield, and greaves.

=Sampan.= A Chinese canoe or small boat.

=Sampler= (Lat. _exemplar_). A piece of ornamental needlework, done for a sample or specimen.

=Sanctus Bell=, Chr. (1) A fixed bell rung at the elevation of the Host, at the words “_sanctus, sanctus, sanctus, Deus Sabaoth_.” It was fixed outside the church, generally on the eastern gable of the nave. (See SACRING BELL.) (2) In the absence of a fixed bell, small bells carried by acolytes, often the subject of rich ornamentation, sometimes consisting of a carillon of three small bells hidden within one large one, thus blending their sounds.

=Sandal.= (See CENDAL.)

=Sandal-wood.= Ornamental wood highly valued for cabinet-work; when old it becomes yellow and highly odoriferous.

=Sandalium=, Gr. and R. (σανδάλιον). A richly ornamented sandal worn exclusively by women.

=Sandapila=, R. A rough kind of bier for the poor. (See LECTICA.)

=Sandarac.= A resin used for spirit varnishes.

=Sandyx=, Gr. (σάνδυξ). A Lydian tunic, of a fine and transparent texture, dyed with the juice of the sandyx, which gave it a flesh-coloured tint.

=Sang-réal= (Saint Graal). The Holy Grail said to have been brought to England by Joseph of Arimathea. The legend is that it is an emerald cup, or the cup used at the Last Supper, containing the real (or it may mean “royal”) Blood (_sang-réel_ or _réal_).

“The cup, the cup itself, from which our Lord
Drank at the last sad supper with his own.”
(_Tennyson._)

=Sanglier=, Her. A wild boar.

=Sanguine.= A deep blood colour, prepared from oxide of iron.

=Sanguinolentæ= (sc. ampullæ). Glass vessels found in the catacombs at Rome, containing a red sediment, ascertained by analysis to be _blood_; and canonically pronounced by the Roman Church to be that of the early Christian martyrs in whose tombs it has been found. (The subject is discussed at length by _V. Schultze_: _die Katakomben_, Leipzig, 1882.)

=Sanhedrim=, Heb. The supreme council of the Jews, which sat at Jerusalem in a circular hall, one half of which was within the temple, and the other outside. (_Bosc._)

=Sap-green.= The only green vegetable pigment; used in water-colour painting. Obtained by evaporating the juice of the berries of the buckthorn, mixed with lime.

=Sap-wood.= The soft white wood immediately under the bark of a tree.

=Sapphire= (Syriac _saphilah_). The _oriental sapphire_ from Arabia, which has been known from the earliest antiquity, was one of the stones on the breastplate of Aaron, and was dedicated to Apollo by the Greeks, by whom it was regarded as the gem of gems—the sacred stone _par excellence_. The sapphires from Brazil are also called oriental sapphires. The sapphires of Puy, found in a mountain in Central France, vary from the deepest to the palest blue, passing sometimes to a reddish blue or even to a yellowish green. The sapphire, although extremely hard, has been engraved by the ancients. There is a beautiful sapphire among the crown jewels of Russia, representing a draped female figure: the stone is of two tints, and the artist has skilfully used the dark tint for the woman and the light for the drapery. (_L. Dieulafait._)

=Sapphire=, in Christian art. (See BLUE.)

=Saraballa=, =Sarabara=, Gr. and R. (σαράβαλλα). Loose trousers, which reached from the waist to the instep, worn by the Parthians, Medes, and Persians.

=Saraband=, Sp. A slow dance derived from the Saracens; the music for _sarabands_, by Corelli and other old masters, is interesting. (See _Chappell’s History of Music_, &c.)

=Saracenic Architecture=. (See ALHAMBRAIC, MOORISH, MORESCO-SPANISH.)

=Sarapis=, Pers. (σάραπις). The tunic of the kings of Persia; it was made of a fine purple-coloured cloth, with a white band in front embroidered with gold.

=Sarcenet.= A fine thin woven silk. An improved _cendal_, introduced in the 15th century by the Saracens of the south of Spain; hence its name. (See CENDAL.)

=Sarcilis=, Chr. A woollen garment—not described.

=Sarcoline= (Gr. σὰρξ, flesh). Flesh-coloured.

=Sarcolite.= A stone of a rose-flesh colour.

=Sarcophagus=, Gen. (σαρκοφάγος; σὰρξ, flesh, and φαγεῖν, to eat). A coffin of a limestone called Lapis Assius, in which the corpse was rapidly consumed. The great sarcophagus called “of Alexander the Great,” in the British Museum, is a celebrated specimen. (See BISOMUS, QUADRISOMUS, and TRISOMUS.)

=Sard= or =Carnelian=. A brownish-red variety of chalcedony.

=Sard-achates.= A name given by the ancients to varieties of _agate_, which contained layers of _Sard_ or carnelian.

=Sardonic Laughter.= A distortion of the features of the dying, the closing symptom of several fatal diseases; named from the poisonous herb Sardonia.

=Sard-onyx.= A precious stone composed of alternate layers of carnelian and _chalcedony_; extensively used for gem-engraving.

=Sardel=, =Sardine=, =Sardius=. A precious stone mentioned in Scripture in the description of Aaron’s breastplate.

=Sarissa=, Gr. (σάρισσα). The longest and heaviest spear of the Greeks peculiar to the Macedonian phalanx.

=Sarrazinois Carpets.= Embroidered stuffs resembling tapestry, made in the 10th and 11th centuries, doubtless imitated from work by the Saracens.

=Sarsen-stones.= Boulders of sandstone found on the Chalk downs in Wiltshire.

=Sarsnet.= (See SARCENET.)

=Sartago=, R. A frying-pan; in the patois of Languedoc, _sartan_.

=Satin.= This fine silk, originally imported from China, was first known in England in the 14th century. It is thicker than ordinary silk, and remarkable for its smooth glossy surface, not exhibiting the marks of the reticulations of the threads.

=Satin-spar.= An ornamental stone, having a soft _satiny_ surface when polished.

=Satin-wood.= An ornamental yellow wood much used in cabinet-making.

=Satinet.= A thin kind of satin.

=Saturn=, Her. The black colour in the arms of sovereign princes.

=Saturnalia=, R. Festivals of Saturn, held on the seventh of the calends of January (14th of December), instituted by Numa. During the four or five days that this festival lasted, both public and private business was interrupted; and banquets and festivities were held, in which masters and slaves met on a temporary footing of equality. In the feasts at rustic places, the hollow statue of Saturn was filled with oil; he held a pruning knife in his hand, and his feet were surrounded with a band of wool.

=Satyrs.= Greek deities of the wooded plains, as the Roman _fauns_ were of the fields. They are usually represented as the attendants of Bacchus, or the lovers of the Nymphs, with goat’s legs and horns, and human bodies covered with short hair; often with LACINIA on the neck.

=Saunders’ Blue= (=Green=) (from the French _cendres’ bleu_). The blue ashes of calcined _lapis lazuli_. (See CARBONATES OF COPPER.)

=Saurians.= Animals of the lizard tribe, crocodiles, &c., antediluvian and other.

=Savage-man= or =Wood-man=, Her. A wild man, naked, or clothed in skins or leaves, and carrying a club. The illustration is the device of De Chaumont, Marshal of France (+ 1510), with the motto, “_Mitem animum agresti sub tegmine scabro_,” which he bore embroidered on the pennon of his company.

=Savonnerie.= (See TURKEY-STITCH.)

=Saxon Blue.= Sulphate of indigo used as a dye-stuff.

=Saxon Gold-work= of elegant design and skilful workmanship, may be attributed to the 5th and 6th centuries. The art was doubtless imported by Roman colonists. Specimens may be studied in the South Kensington Museum. (See METALLURGY.)

=Scabellum=, R. (dimin. from SCAMNUM, q.v.) (1) A stool or step to get into bed with. (2) A shoe with a castanet in the sole, with which the wearer beat time, as an accompaniment to music.

=Scagliola= (It. _scaglia_, a chip of marble). Artificial marble made of gypsum, glue, &c., of variegated colours, in imitation of marble, applied in ornamental work like _stucco_, but admitting a fine polish.

=Scalæ=, R. (_scando_, to climb). A ladder or staircase.

=Scald=, Scand. A poet or bard.

=Scaldino=, It. A copper.

=Scale=, in Music (It. _scala_, a ladder). (See TONES.)

=Scalmus=, R. (σκαλμός). The thole, or strong peg with a thong, with which an oar was attached to the side of a ship.

=Scalper=, =Scalprum=, R. (_scalpo_, to cut). A general term for all kinds of cutting tools, such as chisels, knives, &c.

=Scalptura.= Engraving in precious stones. (See INTAGLIO, CAMEO.)

=Scamnum=, R. (_scando_, to climb). A stool for a bed or arm-chair, or a stone bench with a step.

=Scandula=, R. A wooden shingle used for tiles (_tegulæ_).

=Scansoria Machina= or =Scansorium=, R. (_scando_, to mount). A scaffolding, such as a tower, which enables work to be carried on at various heights from the ground.

=Scantling.= In _Masonry_, the size of a stone, in length, breadth, and thickness. In _Carpentry_, the dimensions of a timber in breadth and thickness only. Any piece of timber less than five inches square is called _scantling_.

=Scapha=, R. (σκάφη, i. e. dug out). A long-boat or cutter attached to a larger vessel; obviously, from the etymology, a sort of canoe in its origin; our “skiff.”

=Scaphium=, R. (σκάφιον). A vessel of Greek origin and of small size, and in the form of a boat (_scapha_), which, though used as a drinking-cup, is especially to be classed among sacrificial utensils.

=Scapple.= In Masonry, to reduce a stone to a straight surface, without making it smooth.

=Scapulary=, Chr. A part of the monastic dress, worn by both sexes over the shoulders (_scapula_). It is generally a narrow strip of cloth contrasting with the colour of the dress, reaching almost to the feet.

=Scapus=, Gr. and R. (σκᾶπος). A shaft or stem. This term is applied to several distinct things, which all, however, imply an idea of use in support of some other thing; as, for instance, the shaft of a column, which supports a capital, and occasionally an entablature; the central shaft or newel which supports the staircase of a column; the stem of a candelabrum or lamp-rest, and so on.

=Scarabæus= (Egyp.), or sacred ateuchus, is an attribute of Phtha, and the symbol of creation. Under the name of _Kheper_ (creator), the scarabæus was given to the soldiers in exchange for their oath of fidelity, and worn by them as a finger-ring. With wings extended (as in Fig. 603) it is a funereal ornament.

=Scarlet.= (See IODINE SCARLET.)

=Scarlet Ochre.= (See VENETIAN RED.)

=Scarpe=, =Escarpe=, Her. A diminutive of a bend sinister.

=Scauper.= A tool used by engravers; a kind of gouge. (Angl. _scooper_.)

=Scena=, Gr. and R. (σκηνή). (1) The stage of a theatre, including not only the part so called at the present day, but the wall at the back, which was provided with three doors, one in the centre (_valvæ regiæ_), and two lateral ones (_valvæ hospitales_). (2) A double-edged axe, used in the sacrifices; one of the iron sides of this axe had the broad blade of the _securis_, and the other that of the _dolabra_. In the sense of “an axe,” _scena_ is the contracted form of an old Latin word _sacena_.

=Scene-painting= was invented by Inigo Jones, about 1610.

=Scenographia=, R. (σκηνο-γραφία). The drawing of a building in _perspective_. A _geometrical_ plan is called _orthographia_.

=Sceptre=, Gr. and R. (σκῆπτρον). Originally, in early antiquity, a long staff similar to the shaft of a spear, which was carried by great persons to lean on when walking. Afterwards it became the _truncheon_, and a weapon of offence and defence. Later on, an ornament was added to the upper end of this staff, and it became the insignia of power and authority. The ivory sceptre of the kings and consuls of Rome was surmounted by an eagle. The sceptre was an attribute of Jupiter and Juno, as sovereigns of the gods.

=Schafte=, O. E. (See SHAFT.)

=Scheele’s Green.= A green pigment; an arsenite of copper; arsenite of potash mixed with sulphate of copper; used in oil and water-colours.

=Scherzo=, It. (_playful_). A lively style in music; faster than the minuet (such as in _Beethoven’s_ Second Symphony, op. 36, in D major).

=Schleswig Lace.= North Schleswig (or South Jutland) is the only province of Denmark in which there was a regular manufacture of lace. The art itself is supposed to have been introduced, in 1515, by Queen Elizabeth (sister of the Emperor Charles V., and wife of Christian II. of Denmark). About 1712 lace-making was much improved by Brabant women. The earlier specimens are all of Flemish character, made on the pillow in the same way, occasionally imitating the Mechlin ground with the pattern apparently run in with the needle. All Schleswig laces are remarkable for their fine quality and excellent workmanship. The engraving shows part of a shirt-collar of Christian IV., of a Brabant pattern to be seen in his portrait in Hampton Court Palace.

=Schmeltz=, Germ. Glass ornament; produced by fusing lumps of coloured glass together to imitate marble, cornelian, and other stones. (See GLASS.)

=Schweinfurth’s Green.= A brilliant sea-green pigment.

=Scimitar.= (See SCYMETAR.)

=Scimpodium=, Gr. and R. (σκιμπόδιον, lit. footprop). A couch or long chair for an invalid.

=Scintillant=, Her. Emitting sparks. (See Fig. 342.)

=Sciolist= (from σκιὸς, a shadow). A man of superficial acquirements, who sees only the _shadows_ of things.

=Scioptics= (σκιὰ, a shadow). The branch of the science of optics applied in the construction of the _camera obscura_.

=Sciothericon= (σκιοθηρικόν). A sun-dial.

=Scipio.= An official staff. (See SCEPTRE.)

=Scirophoria.= Athenian festivals held in the month Scirophorion or June.

=Scirpea=, R. A waggon formed of basket-work of plaited rushes (_scirpus_), and used principally for agricultural operations.

=Scobina=, R. (_scabo_, to scrape). A rasp for wood; distinct from _lima_, a file for metals.

=Scobs.= Shreds of ivory, metals, &c., turned off the lathe or rasp, &c.

=Sconces.= Brackets projecting from the wall, supporting candlesticks: originated in the 15th century, and from that date form an important branch of metallurgical art-work.

=Scopæ=, R. A broom made of small twigs of wood. This term survives in the Languedoc _escoube_.

=Scopulæ=, R. A little broom.

=Scorpers.= In wood-engraving, tools used for cutting away large spaces after outlining or engraving, so as to leave only the drawing in relief.

=Scorpio=, Gr. and R. (lit. a scorpion). (1) A kind of cross-bow. (2) A pyramid of stones raised for a landmark in country places.

=Scotia= or =Trochilus=, Arch. (σκοτία, τροχίλος). A concave moulding employed especially in the decoration of the bases of columns or pilasters, between the fillets of the tori. In plain bases the _scotiæ_ are smooth, and in decorated bases they are ornamented with sculptures, as shown in Fig. 605.

=Scourge.= (See FLAGELLUM and FLAGRUM.)

=Scraper.= An engraver’s tool for removing BURRS (q.v.).

=Screen=, Chr. An open barrier of wood-work or stone enclosing the choir or chancel of a church, chapel, or tomb; generally highly enriched by carving and gilding, and the lower panels decorated with painting. (See ROOD-LOFT.)

=Scrinium=, =Scrinia=, Chr. and R. (1) Chr. A chest which held chiefly liturgical writings; according to the writings they contained, these cases were variously distinguished as _scrinia epistolarum_, _scrinia dispositionum_, _scrinia libellorum_, _scrinia memoriæ_, _scrinia sacra_, &c. _Scrinia_ were generally kept in the _diaconicum_ or _scevophylacium_. (2) Cylindrical boxes or cases used for carrying volumes (i. e. rolls) and papers (cf. HANAPER). (3) _Scrinia unguentaria_ were used to contain phials of oils and perfumes, &c., for the toilette.

=Scriptorium=, Chr. An apartment in large monasteries where manuscripts were transcribed.

=Scripulum.= (See SCRUPULUM.)

=Scrupulum=, R. (_scrupus_, lit. a small stone). A scruple, the smallest Roman gold coin; it weighed a third of the _denarius aureus_. (See DENARIUS.)

=Scrutoire=, Fr. An old way of spelling _escritoire_.

=Scudo=, It. A silver coin worth about 4_s._ In Rome the gold scudo is worth 65_s._

=Sculponeæ=, R. A common kind of boot, with a wooden sole; it was worn by the _familia rustica_, or slaves who worked in the country.

=Sculpture= (from _sculpo_, to carve) includes all carved work, in wood, ivory, stone, marble, metal, or other material; and also those works formed in a softer material not requiring carving, such as wax or clay. It includes STATUARY, carved ornament, and GLYPTICS or incised gems and cameos. From the practice of preparing the model in clay, sculpture is also called _the plastic art_. A most remarkable incident in the history of sculpture, is the fact that the most ancient specimens are carved of the hardest stones, such as basalt, granite, and porphyry; and that this work was done at a period antecedent to the introduction of steel tools. (Consult _Redford’s Ancient Sculpture_.)

=Scumbling.= The process of going over a painting with a nearly dry brush, to soften and blend the tints.

=Scutage=, O. E. (from _scutum_, a shield). A tax upon lands held by _knight-service_.

=Scutale=, R. (from _scutum_, i. e. shield-shaped). The hollow in the thongs of a sling in which the missile is laid.

=Scutarius=, Med. An esquire or shield-bearer.

=Scutcheon=, for ESCUTCHEON (q.v.).

=Scutella.= Diminutive of SCUTRA (q.v.).

=Scutica=, Gr. and R. A whip made with a leather thong (σκυτικός).

=Scutiform.= Shaped like a shield.

=Scutra=, R. (from _scutum_, i. e. shield-shaped). Diminutive _scutella_. A square wooden tray for plates, dishes, and cups.

=Scutum=, R. and Egyp. The large oblong shield of the Roman infantry, in contradistinction to _clipeus_, a round shield. (See SHIELDS.)

=Scymetar.= A sword of oriental origin, with a curved blade, very sharp.

=Scyphus=, Gr. and R. (σκύφος). A drinking-cup of wood or silver, of smaller capacity than the BROMIAS (q.v.). It was sacred to Hercules.

=Seals.= Ancient porcelain seals, to which the Chinese attribute an antiquity of from 1000 to 2000 years, are met with in collections; and precisely identical specimens have been found in the bogs of _Ireland_. They are of a peculiar white or cream-coloured porcelain, such as has not been made in China for several hundred years. It is believed that the Irish specimens must have lain buried there from a period anterior to history. (_Fortune._) (See SIGILLUM, RINGS.)

=Seax.= A Saxon sword.

=Secco=, It. Fresco-painting _in secco_ is that kind which absorbs the colours into the plaster, and gives them a dry sunken appearance. (_Fairholt._)

=Second Distance.= In a picture, the part of the _middle distance_ next the foreground.

=Secondary Colours.= The three _primary colours_ (containing nothing of any other colour)—blue, red, and yellow—when mixed in _equal_ proportions produce three _secondary_ colours:—blue and yellow produce _green_; blue and red, _violet_; and yellow and red, _orange_. Mixed in _unequal_ proportions they produce what are called TONES (q.v.).

=Secos=, Egyp. (σηκός). The name for the NAOS in an Egyptian temple.

=Secretarium=, Chr. (_secretum_, secret). A _sacristy_ (not a _tabernacle_, as maintained by some authors) in the apse, at the side of the altar. In the ancient basilicas there were two such recesses, one on each side of the altar.

=Sectilis.= (See PAVIMENTUM.)

=Securicula= (diminutive of _securis_). In Architecture, a dove-tail mortise.

=Securis=, R. (_seco_, to cut). An axe or hatchet of any kind; but esp. that borne by the lictors in the FASCES. (See DOLABRA, BIPENNIS, FASCIS, &c.)

=Securis Dannica=, Med. (See BIPENNIS.)

=Secutores=, R. Gladiators appointed to fight with the _Retiarii_ (whom they were constantly _pursuing_ round the circus); or those who replaced others killed were so called.

=Sedes=, =Sedile= (dimin. _sedicula_). Any kind of seat.

=Sedilia.= (1) R. The rows of seats in the amphitheatre. (2) Chr. In a Catholic church, the stone seats on the south side of the altar, for the use of the clergy in the intervals of the services.

=Segestrium=, R. (lit. of straw). A coarse wrapper made of skins or straw-matting.

=Segmenta=, R. (_seco_, to cut off). Strips of rich cloth or tissues of gold or silver worn as a border to the dresses of wealthy Roman ladies.

=Segno.= In Music, a direction to repeat:—_al segno_, as far as the sign; _dal segno_, from the sign.

=Segreant=, Her. A griffin or wyvern rampant. (See Fig. 369.)

=Sejant=, Her. Sitting:—of a lion, at rest with his fore-legs stretched on the ground, but awake, and his head and tail elevated.

=Sejant Rampant.= Seated like a cat, with his fore-legs erect.

=Sejugis=, R. (_sex_, six, and _jungo_, to join). A chariot drawn by six horses abreast.

=Seliquastrum=, Chr. A seat of highly archaic character met with on certain monuments of Christian art.

=Sella=, R. (_sedeo_, to sit). A low seat without back, a stool; _sella curulis_, a curule chair; its feet were of ivory, and took the form of an X, and it folded like a camp-stool; _sella castrensis_, a real camp-stool; _sella balnearis_, a bath-seat, we possess a specimen in ancient red marble of the greatest beauty, another name for it was _sella pertusa_; _sella tonsoria_, a barber’s chair. Again, the term _sella_ was applied to a sedan-chair (_sella portatoria_, _gestatoria_, _fertoria_), and a pack-saddle for beasts of burden (_sella bajulatoria_), and to a riding-saddle (_sella equestris_).

=Sellaria=, R. A large reception-room, so called because it was furnished with a number of _sellæ_.

=Sellaris= (sc. _equus_), R. A saddle horse.

=Sellula=, R. (dimin. of SELLA). A small sedan-chair.

=Sembella=, R. A nominal subdivision of the _denarius_, of which it was worth a twentieth part, or about fivepence.

=Semée= or =Aspersed=, Her. Sown broadcast, or scattered, without any fixed number, over the field. (Fig. 608.)

=Sementivæ=, R. (_sementis_, a sowing). A festival which took place at seed-time in honour of Ceres and Tellus.

=Semi-= (ἡμι-), as an adjunct, is the Greek form of _demi_ = half.

=Semibreve.= In Music, half a breve; the longest note in modern music, marked [Semibreve symbol].

=Semicinctium=, R. (_semi_, half, and _cingo_, to gird). A short kilt worn by men when going through violent exercises or severe bodily labour; it reached from the waist to the knees.

=Semidiapason.= In Music, an octave lessened by a semitone.

=Semiquaver.= A sixteenth of a semibreve—[Semiquaver symbol].

=Semis=, =Semissis=. The half of an As, or six ounces; hence _Semisses_ = six per cent. interest.

=Semita=, R. (_se_ and _meo_, i. e. going aside). A pathway in a field; a narrow lane in a town.

=Semitarge=, Med. Fr. A scimitar. (See TARGE.)

=Semitone.= In Music; the smallest interval in modern music; the ancients had _quarter-tones_ (q.v.).

=Semi-uncials.= During the 6th and 7th centuries, a transition style of illuminating prevailed, the letters of which have been termed _semi-uncials_. This, in a further transition, became more like the old Roman cursive, which was called then _minuscule_; it began to prevail over _uncials_ about the 8th century, and in the 10th its use was established. (See UNCIAL LETTERS.)

=Semuncia.= Half an ounce.

=Senaculum=, R. A place in which the senate used to meet. There were at Rome three _senacula_; one between the Capitol and the Forum, a second near the Porta Capena, and a third near the temple of Bellona.

=Senio=, R. The number _six_ inscribed on the face of dice, and thence the throw when all the sixes turned up.

=Sentina=, R. The well or hold of a ship.

=Sentinaculum=, R. A ship’s pump.

=Sepia.= A warm, brown, water-colour pigment obtained from the ink-bag of the cuttlefish. (See ROMAN SEPIA.)

=Sept-foil=, Chr. A figure of _seven_ foils, typical of the seven sacraments of the Church, and other mysteries of religion linked to the number seven.

=Septilateral.= Having seven sides.

=Septimontium=, R. A festival of the seven hills, celebrated at Rome in December.

=Septizonium=, =Septemzonium=, R. A building of great magnificence, which had seven stories of columns one above the other; each set supported an entablature and cornice running right round the building (_zona_), whence the name Septizonium.

=Septum=, R. and Chr. (_sepio_, to fence in). In general, any enclosure shut in by walls, palisades, barriers, hedges, &c. In Christian archæology, _septum_ was the name given to a barrier, which, in the ancient Roman basilicas, separated the nave from the absides.

=Septunx=, R. (_septem_ and _uncia_). Seven-twelfths of any quantity, whatever its nature.

=Sepulchre=, Chr. The Holy Sepulchre is a favourite subject of architectural sculpture, in cathedrals and continental churches. It is generally found on the north side of the chancel near the altar.

=Sepulcrum=, R. (_sepelio_, to bury). A sepulchre, the general term for any kind of tomb in which the dead were buried, or in which their ashes were deposited in urns. _Sepulcrum familiare_, a sepulchre erected for a single person, or for the members of a family. The _sepulcrum commune_ was a tomb held in common by a number of persons belonging either to a single family, or several families, or a group of individuals, such as that given in Fig. 182, which represents the tomb of the freedmen of Octavia.

=Sequin= (It. _zecchino_). A gold coin in Italy, worth about 9_s._ 6_d._; and in Turkey worth about 3_s._ 6_d._

=Sera=, R. (_sero_, to fasten). A padlock or movable lock to a door.

=Serapeum=, Egyp. (σαραπεῖον). A general term for sepulchral monuments in Egypt, but more especially that of Memphis. (_Bosc._)

=Seraph=; pl. =Seraphim=, Heb. (See ANGELS, CHERUBIM.) “They are usually represented with wings and a flaming heart, to typify spiritual emotion and divine affection; or covered all over with eyes, to denote their knowledge of all human events as counsellors of the Most High. The Seraph’s head in Heraldry, is usually delineated with six wings, two above and two below, which cross each other, and one on each side of the head.” (_Fairholt._)

=Serges=, Chr. Fr. The large wax candles used in churches. They are often covered with texts and devices.

=Seria=, R. An earthenware vessel used chiefly for holding wine and oil; it was larger than the amphora, and smaller than the _dolium_.

=Serpent.= A musical wind instrument, of a powerful bass; invented by a French priest at Auxerre in 1590.

=Serpent.= (1) In Christian archæology an emblem of the principle of evil; the Virgin Mary is frequently represented trampling on the head of the serpent. It is especially a symbol of cunning, lying, and envy. (2) Generally. The serpent with its tail in its mouth describes a circle which is the symbol of eternity. In Classic Art it is an attribute of Æsculapius, and of Apollo; and a symbol of the _Genius Loci_ (esp. of temples, &c.).

=Serpentine Verses= begin and end with the same word:

“Ambo florentes ætatibus, Arcades ambo.”

=Serrated.= Having an edge like the teeth of a saw (_serra_).

=Set-offs=, Arch. The mouldings and slopes on _buttresses_, dividing them into stages.

=Setting= drawings in pencil or crayon is done by simply passing them through a dish of milk, or by washing the surface with a weak solution of isinglass.

=Severey=, Arch. A bay, or compartment in a vaulted ceiling.

=Sèvres Porcelain.= The celebrated manufactory at Sèvres was established in 1756. Soon afterwards it became the property of the king, Louis XV., and was much patronized both by him and Madame de Pompadour. Some of the first artists of France were employed to decorate the plaques and vases, and the productions of this factory are more highly prized than any others in the world. In 1870 three _jardinières_ were sold by auction in London for over 10,000_l._ The finest colours of this porcelain were the _bleu du roi_ and the _rose de Pompadour_.

=Sewer.= (See CLOACA.)

=Sextans=, R. (_sextus_, sixth). A copper coin worth the tenth of an as, in weight about two ounces (_unciæ_).

=Sextant.= The sixth part of a circle; an arc of 60 degrees.

=Sextarius=, R. (_sextus_). A measure of capacity used for liquids, grain, &c.; it held the tenth of a CONGIUS (q.v.).

=Sextertius=, R. A coin originally of silver, and afterwards of fine copper (_aurichalcum_); it was worth two ases and a half.

=Sextula=, R. The sixth part of the ounce (_uncia_); the smallest denomination of Roman money.

=Sforzato= (It.). In Music; with force, louder than the rest.

=Sfregazzi= or =Sfregature=, It. By this term is meant a peculiar thin kind of glazing, which is executed by dipping the finger into the colour, and drawing it once lightly and evenly along the part of the picture on which it is to be applied—such as the shade on the cheek, the limbs, &c., or wherever it is wished to lay a soft thin shadow. (Consult _Mrs. Merrifield_, _Ancient Practice of Painting_, vol. ii. p. 879.)

=Sgraffito=, It. (lit. scratched). A method of painting on stucco, in which a ground of dark stucco is covered with a coat of white, and the design is formed by scraping this away for the shadows. (Consult an article by _Mr. Alan Cole_ in the _House Furnisher and Decorator_, May 10, 1873.)

=Shackle= and =Padlock=, Her. A badge of the Yorkist party during the wars of the Roses; called also a FETTER-LOCK.

=Shades.= (See UMBRÆ.)

=Shaft=, Arch. The part of the column comprised between the base and the capital.

=Shaft=, O. E. The May-pole. May-poles seem to have existed in most villages until the Civil War. They were abolished by an ordinance of the Long Parliament, April 6, 1644, as heathenish vanities “generally abused to superstition and wickednesse.”

=Shaftman=, O. E. A measure roughly six inches; “the measure of the fist with the thumb set up.” (_Ray_, 1674.)

=Shagreen.= A grained leather prepared from the skin of a species of shark, and stained green. A close imitation is made from horses’ or asses’ skins, in Russia, and dyed red, blue, or black.

=Shalm= or =Shawm=. A musical instrument, a pipe with a reed in the mouth-hole.

=Shamrock=, Her. A trefoil plant or leaf, the badge of Ireland.

=Shard=, O. E. A piece of broken pottery. (It has other meanings. Consult _Halliwell_.)

=Shay-le=, Chin. A relic of Buddha.

=Sheaf.= (1) A bundle of ripe corn bound up in the field; the device assumed by Alfonso d’Avalos, when he was made captain-general of the army of Charles V., with the motto implying incessant devotion to his work,—that, as soon as one harvest is reaped, its successor must be sown. (2) A bunch of twenty-four arrows, enough to fill a quiver.

=Sheep.= In Christian art, the twelve apostles occur in early mosaics as twelve sheep, and our Lord in the midst as their Shepherd.

=Shekel.= A Jewish coin, value about 2_s._ 6_d._

=Shell=, Chr. In Gallic as in Christian tombs shells are of frequent occurrence; there is no doubt that they symbolize the resurrection, the body of man being looked upon as a shell which he leaves behind him at death. Different kinds of shell are met with, but that of most frequent occurrence is the common snail-shell (_helix pomatia_). (See ESCALLOP.)

=Shell-cameos.= Cameos carved on shells. These are certain conch shells or strombs, the substance of which consists of two distinct layers of different colours. The black conch offers the most decided contrast in the colours.

=Shell-lac.= Crude lac-resin melted into plates or _shales_. (See LAC.)

=Shenti=, Egyp. A short pair of drawers, fastened round the hips by a belt, worn by the ancient Egyptians.

=Shepherd’s Crook.= (See PEDUM.)

=Shepherds.= (See HYCSOS.)

=Shingles.= Wooden tiles; frequently used for church spires.

=Ship.= A symbol of the Church. (See NAVETTE.)

=Shoes.= The shoes worn by the Greeks generally reached to the middle of the leg; the ROMANS had the _calceus_ and the _solea_ or sandal; the former was worn with the toga on ordinary occasions; the sandal on a journey or at a feast; but it was considered effeminate to appear in public with them. Black shoes were worn by the citizens of ordinary rank (see ATRAMENTUM, CHALCANTHUM), and white ones (sometimes red) by the women; on ceremonial occasions the magistrates wore red shoes. Patricians and their children wore a crescent shoe-buckle (see LUNA). Slaves went barefooted. The Jews had shoes of leather, wood, &c., tied with thongs passed under the soles of the feet; to “untie the latchets” of a man’s shoes was a sign of deep subservience. In ancient as in modern times the Oriental peoples put off their shoes as we uncover the head. (Consult _Herbert Spencer on Ceremonies_.)

=Shop.= (See TABERNA.)

=Shrine.= A repository for relics; either fixed, as a tomb; or movable, as a _feretory_. (See Fig. 307.) The Shrine of the Three Kings in Cologne Cathedral is one of the most celebrated and costly in the world. (Fig. 612.)

=Sibina=, =Sibyna=, Gr. and R. (σιβύνη). A kind of boar-spear employed in hunting.

=Sibylline= (Books), R. The Sibylline books were a series of oracles of the destiny of the Roman Empire; they were three in number, and were placed by Tarquin in a vault of the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus, and were consulted in cases of difficulty by an order of the senate. They perished in 670 A.U.C., when the Capitol was burnt. A set of Sibylline oracles in existence, which predict very clearly the establishment of the Christian religion, have been ascertained to be a forgery of the 2nd century of the Christian era.

=Sibyls=, Gr. and R. (Σίβυλλα). Prophetesses of antiquity recognized by the ancient Christian Church, and a common object of symbolical ecclesiastical sculpture, with reference to their foreknowledge of the fulfilment of inspired prophecy; they are twelve in number, having each a proper emblem. (Cf. _Smith and Cheetham_.)