Glossary 1217taboos Practices or objects that are forbidden or banned
because of social custom or religious practices.
talent Th e largest unit of weight and money in the ancient
world, variously defi ned as a man’s weight in gold or the
amount of gold one man could carry; in ancient Greece, a
specifi c weight of metal equivalent to 60 minas, or 6,000
drachmas.
tallow Animal fat.
Ta l mud Th e Jewish book of law and scriptural commen-
tary.
talud-tablero A system of construction generally associated
fi rst with the city of Teotihuacán in ancient Mesoameri-
ca; facades are formed by vertical panels alternating with
sloped and diagonal ones.
tang A narrow projection by which a tool, typically a knife,
is attached to its handle.
tanning Th e process of drying, curing, and dyeing leather
for use in clothing, armor, and shoes.
taper A slender candle.
taproot A primary root that sends out off shoots.
tarentine A thin, almost transparent white gown worn by
the ancient Greeks.
taro A large-leaved plant that is typically cooked as a veg-
etable or ground into fl our.
tartan A cloth woven in a plaid or checked pattern.
tebenna A short, semicircular woolen mantle worn by the
Etruscans and which was the forerunner of the Roman
toga.
techne Greek term meaning “art,” “craft ,” or “exper tise”
and the root of such words as technical and technology.
tectonic plate One of seven major pieces of the earth’s crust
that moves slowly over the mantel
tell An ancient mound built up from the remains of earlier
settlements.
templum Any sacred area (not necessarily a building) in
which ancient Roman priests could conduct rituals of
augury, or foretelling of the future.
teosinte Th e plant from which early Americans bred maize,
or corn.
terra sigillata Ornate red pottery favored in and around
the Roman Empire.
terrace A “step” cut into the slope of a hill, providing a fl at
place for farming or building.
terra-cotta A hard fi red clay used in potter y, sculpture, and
building decoration.
tessera (pl. tesserae) One of the small pieces of stone, ce-
ramics, or glass used in making mosaics.
tetrachord Th e building block of Greek melodic theory,
consisting of four notes, with the top and bottom note
forming an interval of a fourth.
tetradrachm In ancient Greece, coin equal to four drachms,
issued under several diff erent weight standards.
tetrarchy Rule by four people.
thalassocracy Maritime dominance or supremacy.
thatch Roofi ng made of grasses or leaves.theocracy A government or political system based on the
rule or religious authority of a god or gods and their hu-
man representatives (such as kings and priests), as found
in the ancient Near East.
theriac A medicine used by the ancient Romans as an an-
tidote to poison and a cure-all or preventative against
numerous diseases.
thermae Public bathhouses, found in all Roman cities.
thermoluminescence A process of measuring the age of an
object, oft en used for ceramic objects between 10,000
and 300 years old to determine their authenticity.
thermopolium A shop in an ancient Roman city where peo-
ple could buy hot wine and food.
tholia A high, pointed hat worn by ancient Greek women.
tholos A circular building used for religious purposes in
ancient Greece.
thronos A solid, upright chair with armrests, usually found
in ancient Greek temples or palaces.
throwing knife Multibladed weapon without a solid hilt
and with one plain, fl at side and one decorated or em-
bossed side.
tidal bore A wave that travels from the ocean up a river.
tinfoil A thin sheet of tin used as a wrapping.
titulus crucis Th e elogium (headboard) attached to the cross
above someone who has been crucifi ed, stating the of-
fense the person committed; specifi cally, the headboard
above Jesus, with the inscription Jesus of Nazareth, King
of the Jews.
toga Th e rounded, woolen mantle worn by Roman citizens.
Tor a h Th e Jewish book of scripture, generally referring to
the fi rst fi ve books of the Old Testament.
torque Circular bar worn around the neck as jewelry by an-
cient Celts and Germans.
torsion catapult A launching device that derives its power
from the twisting of ropes or wooden elements of the
frame.
transhumant pastoralism A system in which some mem-
bers of the community migrate with herds to distant pas-
tures on a seasonal basis while most remain sedentary
and focus on agricultural activities.
transliterate To reproduce in English letters the sound of a
word’s original pronunciation in another language.
transmigration Th e movement of a dead person’s soul into
the body of an already existing living person.
trapeza A four-legged table used by the ancient Greeks.
trappings Clothing, jewelry, and symbols of offi ce.
trepanning An ancient European medical practice that
consisted of sawing or drilling a hole in the skull to treat
head or psychological disorders.
tribe Group of people related by lineage, kin, or clan with
or without centralized leadership.
tribon A coarse, dark-colored wrap worn by the ancient
Greeks.
tribulum A device to thresh grain, consisting of a heavy
board with fl ints or small wheels on its underside.1195-1234_SocCultAnctWrld-v4_bm.1217 1217 10/10/07 3:30:39 PM