Depictions of bone ‘spatulate’ strips and a few thoughts about their function

Abstract

This contribution offers the identification of so-called bone 'spatulate' strips in two Roman funerary reliefs. This increases the number of known depictions to four, allowing for a reassessment of the iconographic evidence for this enigmatic Roman tool. While the depictions do not shed further light on the exact use and function of spatulate strips, they confirm their association with writing sets that include implements for both writing with ink and on wax, as in the archaeological record of grave goods. The iconographic evidence furthermore suggests that spatulate strips are depicted in contexts that emphasize the occupation and status of the deceased and distinguish them from their peers through an unusual or particularly comprehensive representation of writing sets.