Trapezophoron
Encyclopedia
A trapezophore, trapezophorum or trapezophoron is the leg
or pedestal
of a small side table, generally in marble, and carved with winged lion
s or griffin
s set back to back, each with a single leg, which formed the support of the pedestal on either side. In Pompeii
there was a fine example in the house of Cornelius Rufus, which stood behind the impluvium
. These side tables were known as mensae vasariae and were used for the display of vases, lamps, and such. Sometimes they were supported on four legs, the example at Pompeii (of which the museums at Naples
and Rome
contain many varieties) had two supports only, one at each end of the table. The term is also applied to a single leg with lion's head, breast and forepaws, which formed the front support of a throne or chair.
Leg
Łęg may refer to the following places in Poland:*A former name for the town of Ełk *Part of the Czyżyny district of Kraków*Łęg, Pleszew County in Greater Poland Voivodeship...
or pedestal
Pedestal
Pedestal is a term generally applied to the support of a statue or a vase....
of a small side table, generally in marble, and carved with winged lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
s or griffin
Griffin
The griffin, griffon, or gryphon is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle...
s set back to back, each with a single leg, which formed the support of the pedestal on either side. In Pompeii
Pompeii
The city of Pompeii is a partially buried Roman town-city near modern Naples in the Italian region of Campania, in the territory of the comune of Pompei. Along with Herculaneum, Pompeii was destroyed and completely buried during a long catastrophic eruption of the volcano Mount Vesuvius spanning...
there was a fine example in the house of Cornelius Rufus, which stood behind the impluvium
Impluvium
The impluvium is the sunken part of the atrium in a Greek or Roman house . Designed to carry away the rainwater coming through the compluvium of the roof, it is usually made of marble and placed about 30 cm below the floor of the atrium.The name is also used for a type of dwelling typical of...
. These side tables were known as mensae vasariae and were used for the display of vases, lamps, and such. Sometimes they were supported on four legs, the example at Pompeii (of which the museums at Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
and Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
contain many varieties) had two supports only, one at each end of the table. The term is also applied to a single leg with lion's head, breast and forepaws, which formed the front support of a throne or chair.