Batillum or vatillum was an ancient Roman iron shovel with a short handle used for various purposes, especially as a fire-shovel, chafing-dish, and for burning incense. [1]
Batillum or vatillum was an ancient Roman iron shovel with a short handle used for various purposes, especially as a fire-shovel, chafing-dish, and for burning incense. [1]
The name is possibly related to battualia "the exercise of soldiers and gladiators in fighting and fencing" which is related to the English verb to beat or to vase a vessel (in some Latinate languages 'b' and 'v' can be interchangeable). [2]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain : Peck, Harry Thurston, ed. (1898). "Batillum". Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities . New York: Harper & Brothers. p. 1514.  | This tool article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |