Pelta

Quick meaning: Pelta is a noun meaning (art, historical) A crescent-shaped design used in mosaics.

Meaning

(art, historical) A crescent-shaped design used in mosaics.

More Meanings

1. (botany) A flat apothecium with no rim.
2. (microbiology) A crescent-shaped sheet of microtubules that encircles the base of the flagella of a protozoan.
3. (historical) A small shield, especially one of an approximately elliptical form, or crescent-shaped.

Example Sentences

The other subject illustrated in these scenes of silens carrying peltas appears to be a battle.

Xenophon also mentions bronze peltae, but probably (like hoplite shields) they were only faced with a thin covering of bronze.

A pattern of red and blue peltae on a white ground, arranged in groups of four with two peltae placed back to back and one at each end facing inward, forms the outer border on the east side of the mosaic.

Surrounding the square frame of round-tongued double guilloche is a broad white band with large lozenges (two on each side), outlined dark grey, with their acute angles terminating in voluted peltae with undulating spurs on their roundels.

Word Forms

• peltas
• peltae

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include pelt, pale, shield, roundel, clipeus, roundshield.

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