D.

Dabber.A tool used in etching to distribute the etching-ground over a plate of metal in the first process of engraving, and, in printing from copper-plate engraving and woodcuts, to spread the ink.

DactyliographyorDactyliology, Gen. (δακτύλιος, a ring). The study of rings.

Dactyliotheca, Gr. (δακτυλιο-θήκη, a ringbox). (1) A glass case or casket containing rings. (2) A collection of rings, engraved stones, or precious stones. (SeeGlyptotheca.)

Dactylus, Gr. (δάκτυλος, a finger). The Romandigitus; a finger-breadth, the 16th part of a foot.

Dado, Arch. (1) The part of a pedestal between the base and the cornice. (2) In apartments, an arrangement of moulding, &c., round the lower part of the wall.

Dædal.A fanciful word coined by the poet Spenser, for “variegated in design.”

Dædala, Gr. Ancient images preserved in sanctuaries in memory of Dædalus, to whom were attributed the greater number of those works of art the origin of which was unknown. Hence the name was especially attributed to certain wooden statues, ornamented with gilding, bright colours, and real drapery, which were the earliest known form of images of the gods.

Dædala, Gr. (δαίδαλα). Festivals in honour of Hera, celebrated in Bœotia.

Dæmon,Daimon, Gr. (δαίμων). The good genius who watched over an individual during his whole life, like the LatinLarandGenius. It was the belief of Socrates that he was guided by his Daimon in every important act and thought of his life. The word has a general meaning of “Divinity.”

DagorDagge. Old English name of a pistol.

Dagges, O. E. Ornamental cutting of the edges of garments, introduced into England about 1346. (See the illustration toCointise, Fig.177).

Dagob, Hindoo. A conical tumulus or shrine in which relics and images of Buddha were worshipped.

Dag-swain, O. E. A sort of rough material of which coverlets for beds, tables, or floors were made.

Daguerreotype. A kind of photography on plates of silver, named after M. Daguerre, the inventor.

Daidies, Gr. (fromδαίω, to kindle). A festival held at Athens, during which torches were lit; it lasted three days.

Fig. 235. Dais.

Dais, Chr. An architectural structure, decorated with sculptures and ornaments, which serves as a canopy for an altar, throne, pulpit, chair (cathedra), statue, or group. Fig.235represents a stone dais of the St. Anne door in the cathedral of Paris.

Dais.In Anglo-Saxon houses, and generally; a covered seat of honour, at the upper end of the hall, on a raised floor. (“In all the houses of the wealthyin Chinathere are two raised seats at the end of the reception-room, with a table between them.”Fortune.) (SeeDeas.)

Dalmahoy, O. E. A kind of bushy bob-wig, worn especially by chemists; 18th century.

Fig. 236. Ecclesiastical Dalmatic.

Dalmatic.A long robe or upper tunic partly opening at the sides, so named from its being of Dalmatian origin; an ecclesiastical vestment; also a portion of the coronation robes of sovereign princes. It was usually made of white silk with purple stripes, occasionally of other colours, the left sleeve only being ornamented; the right was plain for convenience. As early as the reign of Richard I., the dalmatic is mentioned amongst the coronation robes. (Fig.236.) (SeeColobium,Deacon.)

DamaraorDammar. A resin used for varnishes. It is a valuable substitute for mastic.

Damaretion.A Sicilian coin, supposed to have been of gold, equal in value to a half-stater.

Damas(orDamascus)Pottery Ware. The commercial name in the 16th century for a large class of wares, now generally known as Persian.

Fig. 237. Specimen of Arabic Damascening (full size).

Damascening, orDamaskeening, is the art of incrusting one metal on another, not incrusta, but in the form of wire, which by undercutting and hammering is thoroughly incorporated with the metal it is intended to ornament. (SeeDamask,Damascus Blades.) The process of etching slight ornaments on polished steel wares is also called Damascening. (Fig.237.)

Damascus Bladesare prepared of a cast steel highly charged with carbon, which, being tempered by a peculiar process, assumes the manycolouredwateredappearance by which they are known. The process is calledDamascening(q.v.).

Damask.A rich fabric, woven with large patterns, in silk, linen, wool, or even cotton, originally made at Damascus. (See Fig.88.)

Dames, O. E. The old name for the game of draughts, represented early in the 14th century. The pieces were originally square.

Danace(δανάκη). Theoboluswhich was placed in the mouth of the dead to pay the passage of the Styx.

Dance of the Corybantes.(SeeCorybantica.)

Dance of Death,Danse Macabre, Chr. Paintings, illuminations, or sculptures in bas-relief, representing men dancing under the eye of Death, who presides at this dance. In some instances the performers are skeletons and corpses. The most celebrated Dance of Death was that painted in fresco by Holbein in the cloister of the Dominicans at Basle. It has been destroyed by fire, but the etching-needle has preserved it for us. Other examples that may be named are, that in the new church at Strasburg, that of Lucerne, that in the palace at Dresden, and—most ancient of all—that at Minden, in Westphalia, which dates from 1380.

Dancette, Arch. The chevron or zigzag moulding peculiar to Norman architecture. (SeeChevron.)

Dangu Faience.Pottery from a manufactory near Gisors in France, established in 1753.

Daphnephoria(δάφνη, a laurel). A festival held in honour of Apollo every ninth year at Thebes, in which the assistants carried laurel branches.

Dara, Ind. A kind of tambourine.

Darabukkeh.An Egyptian drum, unaltered from ancient times.

Daric Money.A Persian gold coin, stamped on one side with the figure of an archer kneeling, and on the other with a deep cleft, and to which the name ofDaric moneyhas been given by numismatists. Its proper name is the Stater of Dareius I., king of Persia. Its value is about 1l.1s.10d.

Darned Netting(needlework). (SeeLacis.)

Datatim ludere, R. To play with a ball (“catch-ball”).

Davenport Potteryis the produce of a manufactory of fine faience established at Longport in England by John Davenport in 1793.

Day, Arch. Part of a window: the same asBay.

Deacon, Chr. A dalmatic, or an alb; i. e. adeacon’svestment.

Dead-boot, O. E., Chr. Prayers for the dead.

Dealbatus, R. (dealbo, to whiten over). Covered with a coating of stucco (albarium opus). The builders of antiquity made great use of stucco, both in the interior and exterior of buildings. All the buildings of Pompeii are stuccoed.

Deambulatory, Arch. (deambulo, to walk about). The lateral nave which surrounds the choir of a church; it is usually separated from the aisles by a grating (cancelli).

Deas,Dais,Dees, Scotch, (1) A table, especially the great hall table. (2) A pew in a church. (3) A turf seat erected at the door of a cottage. (SeeDais.)

Death’s-man, O. E. The executioner.

Debased, Her. Reversed.

Decadence.The term in ancient art is applied to the period after the fall of Rome, and before theRenaissancein the 14th century; in modern art to the period of therococostyle of Louis XV.

Decaduchi(δεκα-δοῦχοι), Gr. A council of ten, who ruled Athens fromB.C.403 until the restoration of democracy.

Decan, Egyp. A period of ten days, which was ruled by a star called itsDecan. The month was divided into three decans, and the year into thirty-six, each being presided over by its own inferior divinity. On zodiacs they are arranged in groups of three above the twelve superior gods. The decans were the tutelary genii of the horoscope.

Decarchia(δεκ-αρχία). A council of the Lacedæmonians.

Decastellare, Med. Lat. To dismantle.

Decastylos, Arch. A building of which the portico has ten columns; a decastylic pediment is a pediment supported by ten columns.

Decemjugus(sc.currus), R. A chariot drawn by ten horses abreast; represented on the medals of the later emperors.

Decempeda, R. A ten-foot measuring-rod used by architects and surveyors.

Decemremis, R. (remus, an oar). A vessel with ten banks of oars. It is certain that the different ranks of rowers, who had each his own seat, sat one above the other; the lowest row was calledthalamos, the middlezuga, and the uppermostthranos; but it is very difficult to understand in what manner so many ranks could have been arranged, and the question has been the subject of infinite discussion.

DecennaliaorDecennia. A festival at Rome in commemoration of the refusal of Augustus to become emperor for a longer period than ten years at a time.

Decollation(= beheading). An ecclesiastical expression applied to St. John the Baptist and other martyrs.

Fig. 238. Decorated window.

Decorated Style of Architecture.The second of thePointedorGothicstyles of architecture used in England. It was developed from theEarly Englishat the end of the 13th century, and gradually merged into thePerpendicularduring the latter part of the 14th. Its most characteristic feature is the geometrical traceries of the windows.

Fig. 239. Decrescent.

Decrescent,In Detriment, Her. A half-moon having its horns to the sinister.

Decursio, R. (decurro, to run or march). Military manœuvres; a review, sham fight, or any exercise for training soldiers; the termdecursuswas also used.

Decussis, R. (decem, ten, andas). A piece of money marked with the numeral X (10), and which was worth ten asses (post-Augustan; seeDenarius).

De FundatoorNetted. A name given to certain silks, which were dyed of the richest purple, and figured with gold in the pattern of netting.

De-gamboys, O. E. A musical instrument. (SeeViol de Gambo.)

Degradation, Gen. The diminishing of the tones of colour, light, and shade, according to the different degrees of distance. (A term used especially in reference to glass painting.)

Degreed,Degraded, Her. Placed on steps.

Deice,Deas, orDeis, O. E. (SeeDais.)

Deinos, Gr. A vessel with a wide mouth and semi-spherical body, something like thecacabus.

Delf.Common pottery from Delft in Holland.

Fig. 240. Oil cruet, Delft ware.

Delft Faiencesare remarkable for the beauty of their paste and of their enamel, but spurious imitations are said to be abundant. Fig.240is a representative specimen of the real Delft ware. The date of the establishment of this manufacture is uncertain, but earlier than 1614; the ornamentation is inspired by Japanese art. (ConsultJacquemart’s History of the Ceramic Art.)

Delia, Gr. Festivals and games at Delos.

Delphica(sc.cortina), R. A table of a very costly description, made of white marble or bronze. It was used as a drinking-table, and had only three feet richly ornamented. [Explained under the headingCortina.]

Delphinia.A Greek festival in honour of Apollo.

Delphinorum Columnæ, R. The two columns at one end of thespinaof a circus, on which marble figures of dolphins were placed. The sevenova(eggs) on similar columns at the end of thespinaopposite to these dolphins, served to indicate the number of turns made by the chariots round the goal. (SeeOvum.) [The figure of the dolphin was selected in honour of Neptune.] (Cf.Circus.)

Fig. 241. Dolphin. Used as an ornament.

Fig. 242. Dolphin. Medal of Syracuse.

Delphinus,Dolphin, Gen. (δελφίν). The dolphin was often used as an ornament, and especially as a hand-rest or banister to thevomitoriaor entrances of the theatres and amphitheatres. Fig.241represents a dolphin utilized in this manner at the theatre of Puzzoli. Many medals, as for instance those of Syracuse (Fig.242), are stamped with a dolphin. (See alsoDolphin.)

Delphis, R. A heavy mass of iron or lead used in naval warfare, to drop on board of a hostile ship and sink it. (CompareCorvus.)

Delubrum, R. (deluo, to cleanse). A shrine; the part of a temple which contains the altar or statue of the deity, and thence a temple containing an altar.

Demembered,Dismembered, Her. Cut into pieces, but without any alteration in the form of the original figure.

Fig. 243. Demi-lion,rampant.

Demi, Her. The half; the upper, front, or dexter half, unless the contrary is specified.

Demi-brassarts,Vambraces, orAvant-braces. Half-armour for the arm.

Demi-culverin.A cannon of four inches’ bore. (Meyrick.)

Demi-hag.A smaller kind of hackbut (arquebus).

Demi-haque, O. E. A fire-arm, smaller than the arquebus; 16th century.

Demi-jambes.Armour for the shins.

Demi-placcate.The lower part of a breastplate.

Demi-relievo.Sculpture in relief, in which one half of the figure projects; generally calledMezzo-relievo. (SeeBasso-relievo.)

Demiurgi(δημι-ουργοί). Popular magistrates.

Demosii.Slaves belonging to the state, at Athens.

Demotic(writing), Egyp. (δημοτικὰ, sc.γράμματα, i. e. popular writing). A mode of writing among the ancient Egyptians, differing from thehieroglyphicor sacred writing. This writing, which was employed for civil records, was introduced under the twenty-fifth dynasty, being derived from thehieratic writing, the first abbreviation of the hieroglyphics.

Demster, O. E. A judge.

Demyt, O. E. An old word for dimity; a kind of fustian. Perhaps so called because first manufactured at Damietta.

Denarius, R. (deni, by tens). The silver coin principally in use among the Romans. Until the reign of Augustus the denarius was worth ten asses, and afterwards sixteen.Denarius aureuswas a gold denarius, equal in value to twenty-five silver denarii.

Denia.A city of Valencia in Spain, which disputes with Alcora the production of a remarkable kind of pottery, of which Jacquemart mentions a vase with two handles of Arab form, resembling the alcarazas, upon a smooth white enamel decorated with birds and flowers coarsely painted.

Dens, R. Literally, atooth; hence the prongs of a fork, the flukes of an anchor, the barbs of a lance, the teeth of a saw or rake.

Dentale, R. (dens, a tooth). The piece of wood in a plough on which the plough-share (vomer) is fastened.

Dentatus, R. Armed with teeth.

Dentelle Decoration.Of French pottery, a light lace pattern, more delicate than the “lambrequin.”

Dentels, Fr. (SeeDentile.)

Dentile,Dentils(Latin,denticuli), Arch. Ornaments in the form of small cubes or teeth, used in the moulding of cornices, in theIonic,Corinthian, andCompositeorders. (SeeTooth-ornament,Dog’s-tooth.)

Depas, R. A bowl with two handles, the foot of which is made of a low flat moulding like the Doric fillet.

Depressed, Her. Surmounted, placed over another.

Derby Porcelain.Manufactory established in 1750. Jacquemart says, “Derby has made fine porcelains and statuettes which have nothing to fear by comparison with the groups of Saxony or Sèvres.”

Dere, O. E. Noble, honourable.

“Syr Cadore with hisdereknyghttes.”

Derring do, O. E. Deeds of arms.

Deruncinatus, R. Smoothed and polished with theruncinaor carpenter’s plane.

Desca, Lat. A stall or desk in a church.

Descobinatus, R. Rasped with theScobinaor carpenter’s rasp.

Destrere, Anglo-Norman. A war-horse.

Desultorius(sc.equus), R. (desilio, to leap off). A horse trained for equestrian performances in a circus by thedesultor.Desultoriusis itself sometimes used as a synonym fordesultor. Thedesultorrode two horses at once, and got his name from hisleapingor vaulting from one to the other.

Desvres, Pas de Calais, France. An interesting manufactory of faience established in the 17th century, of a style originating in Flanders. (Jacquemart.)

Detached.A term in painting applied to figures which stand out well.

Detriment, Her. (SeeDecrescent.)

Deunx, R. (deanduncia, a twelfth part off). A nominal value not represented by any coin. The term means literally elevenunciæ, or eleven-twelfths of anything [i. e. ounces or twelfths of a pound].

Developed, Her. Displayed, unfurled.

Devil, Chr. Mediæval representations of the devil (especially in painting) were taken from those of the satyrs of the ancients. They were, however, subject to no canon of symbolism at all, and varied from the likeness of a beautiful woman to every imaginable variety of the grotesque and repulsive.

Fig. 244. Old Devonshire Lace.

Devonshire Lace (Old).This lace is said to have been first introduced into England by the Flemings in 1567–73, and it long preserved its Flemish character. The engraving shows a specimen of old Devonshire lace, made at the beginning of the last century.

Devs, Pers. Evil genii, servants of Ahriman, in the religion of Zoroaster; they were twenty-eight in number, and were opposed to the ministers of the amchaspands orIzeds(q.v.).

Dextans, R. (deandsextans, i. e. a sixth part off). A nominal value not represented by any coin. The literal meaning of the term is tenunciæ, or ten-twelfths of anything [ounces].

Dexter, Her. The right side, i. e. to the spectator’s or reader’s left.

Fig. 245. Dextrochere or bracelet.

Dextrale, R. (dexter, right). A bracelet worn by Greek and Roman women on the right arm, and differing from thedextrocherium(Fig.245), which was worn on the wrist. The latter ornament was often of gold. (SeeArmilla.)

Dholkee, Hindoo. A kind of tom-tom, or small drum. (SeeTom-tom.)

Diabathrum, Gr. and R. (βάθρον, that on which one stands). A sandal or light shoe worn by women, especially such as were tall. The comic poet Alexis, talking of courtesans, says, “One is too short, and so she puts cork in herbaukides; another is too tall, and she puts on a lightdiabathrum.”

Diaconicum,Scevophylacium, andBematis Diaconicon, Chr. A room in an ancient basilica near the altar, where the priests put on and took off their vestments, and the deacons (διάκονοι) prepared the vessels and sacred ornaments to be used in the service.Diaconicum majuswas the sacristy.

Diadema, R. (diadeô, to bind round). Originally the white fillet worn by Eastern monarchs round the head. It was made of silk, wool, or yarn, narrow, but wider in the centre of the forehead. The Greeks presented a diadem to every victor in the public games, and it was worn by priests and priestesses. As the emblem of sovereignty it is an attribute of Juno. Afterwards the term came to mean a diadem.

Diæta, Gr. and R. (i. e. a living-place). That part of a house in which a Roman received his guests. The same term was applied to a captain’s cabin in the after-part of a ship.

Diætæ, R. Summer-houses. (SeeHortus.)

Diaglyph, Gr. and R. (διαγλύφω, to carve through). An intaglio, or design cut into the material on which it is executed. (SeeIntaglio.)

Diaglyphic.(Sculpture, engraving, &c.) in which the objects are sunk below the general surface.

Diagonal Rib, Arch. A cross formed by the intersection of the ribs which cut one another according to the groins of a groined roof.

Dialia, Gr. and R. (διάλια, fromΔὶς, old form forΖεύς). Festivals held in honour of Jupiter by the Flamen Dialis (the priest of Jupiter).

Diamastigosis, Gr. (διαμαστίγωσις, i. e. a severe scourging). A festival held at Sparta in honour of Artemis Orthia, during which boys were flogged at an altar in order to harden them to the endurance of pain.

Fig. 246. Diamicton.

Diamicton, Gr. and R. (διαμίγνυμι, to mix up). A wall, of which the outside surface was made of brickwork or regular layers of masonry, and the centre was filled up with rubble. Fig.246.

Diamond, for glass-cutting, was not used till the 16th century, although suggested in a Bolognese MS. of a century earlier. Its discovery is attributed to Francis I., who, to let the Duchesse d’Estampes know of his jealousy, wrote on the palace windows with his ring,—

“Souvent femme varie;Mal habil qui s’y fie.”

“Souvent femme varie;

Mal habil qui s’y fie.”

The art of cutting and polishing diamonds with diamond powder was discovered by Louis de Berquem in 1476.

Diamond, in Christian art. (SeeWhite.)

Diamond Fret, Arch. The descriptive name for a decorated moulding in Norman architecture.

Fig. 247. Di-amante, Punning device of Pietro de’ Medici.

Diamond Ringswere used as seal and bearings on his escutcheon (represented in Fig.100) by Cosmo de’ Medici, the founder of the famous Florentine family. The device in various forms was invariably adopted by his descendants. Fig.247is the device of Pietro de’ Medici († 1470), the son of Cosmo: a falcon with a ring, and the punning motto, “Semper,” forming with the device the words “Semper fa-’l-con di(Dio)amante.”

Diapasma, Gr. and R. (διαπάσσω, to sprinkle). A powder made of dried flowers and odoriferous herbs, which was put in a sachet for use as a perfume, or rubbed over the body.

Diaper, Arch. Ornament of sculpture in low relief, sunk below the general surface.

Diaper, O. E. A mode of decoration by a repeated pattern, carved or painted, generally in squares, representing flowers and arabesques.

Fig. 248. Diapered surcoat of a Herald, with the clarion.

DiaperorDamask, a name given to a fine linen cloth made at Ypres, is spoken of as early as the 13th century.

“Of cloth making she had such a haunt,She passed hem of Ypres and of Gaunte.”(Prologue of Canterbury Tales.)

“Of cloth making she had such a haunt,

She passed hem of Ypres and of Gaunte.”

(Prologue of Canterbury Tales.)

The peculiarity of this cloth, as of that of Damascus, was in the pattern. “To diaper” is, in heraldry, to cover the field of an escutcheon with devices independent of the armorial bearings. The engraving shows a surcoat diapered, on which are embroidered armorial bearings. (Fig.248.)

Diasia, Gr. Festivals in honour of Zeus, held at Athens, outside of the walls of the city, for the purpose of averting epidemics and other ills (ἄση).

Diastyle, Arch. An intercolumniation, in which the columns are separated from each other by a space of three diameters.

Diathyrum, Gr. A passage leading at one end to the street door of a house, and at the other to the door of the courtyard. The Romans called this spaceProthyrum(q.v.).

Fig. 249. Diatonoi.

Diatoni,Diatonoi, Gr. and R. (διατείνω, to extend through). Long stones extending from one face of a wall to the other (to which modern architects give the name ofperpendersorperpend-stones), and which were employed in the method of construction calledEmplecton(q.v.). In Fig.249one is represented by the stone placed between b and c.

Diatreta, Gr. (διάτρητα, i. e. bored through). A drinking-cup made of glass, cut in such a way that the designs or ornaments upon it stand out completely from the body of the vase, and form a tracery, which is only united to the vase itself by small ties or pins left for the purpose.

Diatriba, Gr. and R. (διατρίβω, to spend time). Places in which learned discussions were held, such as lecture or assembly rooms.

Diaulos, Gr. The double flute. (SeeAulos,Flute.) One in the British Museum, found in a tomb at Athens, is of cedar-wood, with tubes fifteen inches in length.

Diazoma, Gr. (διάζωμα, that which girdles). A Greek synonym of the Latin termPræcinctio(q.v.).

Dicasterion,Dicastery, Gr. (δικαστήριον;δίκη, justice). A tribunal at Athens in which the people themselves administered justice without the intervention of the magistrates.

Dicastes.A judge, or rather juryman, chosen annually from the citizens at Athens.

Dicerion, Chr. (δι-κέραιον, with two horns). A candlestick with two branches, holding which in their hands the Greek priests bless the people. Thedicerionis symbolical of the two-fold nature of Christ. (SeeTricerion.)

Dichalcon, Gr. (δίχαλκος, i. e. double-chalcos). A small Greek copper coin worth only one-fourth or one-fifth of an obolus.

Dichoria, Gr. (δι-χορία, i. e. division of chorus). When the ancient choruses divided into two, to recite in turn a part of the action of a play, or mutually to interchange sentiments, this action was calleddichoria; each half of the chorus was calledhemichoria(ἡμιχορία), and each stanzaantichoria(ἀντιχορία).

Dicken, O. E. The devil. “Odds dickens!”

Dicker, O. E. Half a score.

Dicomos, Gr. (κῶμος, a feast). A banqueting-song, which was sung at the second course of the feast at the festivals of Bacchus.

Dicrotos,Dicrotus, Gr. (δί-κροτος, lit. double-beating). The Greek name for a vessel with two banks of oars, the Romanbiremis.

Dictynnia(δίκτυον, a hunter’s net). A Cretan festival in honour of Artemis.

Fig. 250. Dictyotheton.

Dictyotheton, Gr. (fromδίκτυον, a net). A kind of masonry composed of regularly-cut square stones, forming, in a wall so constructed, a network or chess-board pattern. It answered to theopus reticulatumof the Romans.

Didrachma,Didrachmum, Gr. (δί-δραχμον). A double silver drachma of the Greek coinage, which was worth about two shillings.

Die.In Architecture, fordado, or the part of a pedestal that would correspond to thedado(q.v.).

Die-sinking.The art of engraving on steel moulds, medals, coins, and inscriptions.

Difference,Differencing, Her. An addition to, or some change in, a coat of arms, introduced for the purpose of distinguishing coats which in their primary qualities are the same. Differencing is sometimes used in the same sense as Cadency; but, strictly, it is distinct, having reference to alliance and dependency, without blood-relationship, or to the system adopted for distinguishing similar coats of arms. (Bouteil.)

Digitale, R. (digitus, a finger). A kind of glove worn by the Sarmatians, an example of which may be seen on Trajan’s Column.

Diglyph, Gr. and R. (δί-γλυφος, doubly indented). An ornament consisting of twoglyphæ(γλυφαὶ) or grooves channelled out on consoles. (SeeTriglyph.)

Diipoleia(πολιεὺς, of the city). A very ancient Athenian festival, celebrated annually on the Acropolis, in honour of Zeus Polieus.

Fig. 251. Rose dimidiated. Device of James I.

Dimidiated, Her. Cut in half per pale, and one half removed. Fig.251is a device placed by James I. on some of his coins, in which the thistle and rose are respectivelydimidiated. The legend was, “Fecit eos in gentem unam.”

Diocleia.A festival of the Megarians, held about the grave of an ancient Athenian hero, Diocles. There was a prize for kissing.

Dionysia.The celebrated orgies of Dionysus or Bacchus, suppressedB.C.186, and substituted by the Liberalia. (SeeBacchanalia.)

Dioptra, Gr. and R. (δίοπτρα; διοράω, to see through). An instrument used in surveying to measure distances and to take levels.

Dioscuria, Gr. and R. (Διοσκούρια). Games instituted at Rome in honour of the Dioscuri (Castor and Pollux), who, at the battle of Lake Regillus against the Latins (496B.C.), were supposed to have fought on the side of the Romans.

Diospolites, Egyp. One of the nomes or divisions of Lower Egypt.

Diota, Gr. (δί-ωτα, with two ears). A name applied indifferently to any kind of vase furnished with two handles, such aslagenæ,amphoræ,canthari, &c.

Diplinthus, R. (πλίνθος, a brick). Masonry two bricks thick.

Diploïs, Gr. and R. Folded in two; an upper garment which was doubled in the same manner as a woman’s shawl at the present day; it was much worn among the Greeks.

Diploma, Gr. and R. (δίπλωμα, i. e. double-folded). A passport consisting of two leaves (whence its name). The term is also used to denote a diploma by which any right or privilege is conferred.

Dipteral, Arch. A building having double wings. The term is applied to any building having a double intercolumniation all round it.

Diptheræ, Gr. and R. (διφθέραι; δέφω, to make supple). (1) Prepared skins for writing on. (2) A kind of garment; an overcoat of skin or leather which Greek slaves put on over their tunic.

Diptych, Gr. (δί-πτυχα, i. e. double-folded). Double tablets united by means of strings or hinges.Diptycha consularia,ædilitia,prætoriahad engraved on them portraits of consuls, ædiles, prætors, and other magistrates. These consular diptychs were a part of the presents sent by new consuls on their appointment to very eminent persons. The series of them is a very valuable record of the progress of the art of ivory carving. In Christian archæology diptychs were decorated with scenes from biblical history. There were also diptychs of the baptized; of the bishops and benefactors of a church, living or dead; of saints and martyrs; and, lastly, of deceased members of the congregation, whose souls were to be remembered at mass. (SeeTriptych.)

Directors, orTriangular Compasses. A mathematical instrument adapted for taking three angular points at once.

Diribitorium, R. (diribeo, to sort or separate). A place or building in which a public officer inspected the troops, distributed the pay, and enrolled the conscripts in their respective regiments.

Dirige, Chr. A psalm forming part of the burial service, “Dirige gressus meos,” &c.; henceDirge, for funereal music or hymns in general.

Dirk.A Scotch dagger.

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