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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

Nijmegen, Inscription of an aquilifer of X Gemina	Salona, Sarcophagus of Julia Aurelia Hilaria	Constantinople, Hippodrome, First Obelisk, southeast part of the pedestal	Sirmium, Inscription of a legionary of XIII Gemina
Lepcis Magna, Monument of Gavius Macer, Inscription	Burnum, Tile of VIII Augusta	Ghirza, Mausoleum North A, inscription	Aquincum, Dedication of II Adiutrix to Antoninus Pius
Nahr al-Kalb, Dedication to Caracalla by III Gallica	Mainz, Stamp of XIIII Gemina	Mainz, Inscription of XXII Primigenia	Qasr Libya, East church, Annex mosaic, inscription