caelātūra, ae, f. [caelo], the art of engraving or carving bass-reliefs in metals and ivory, engraving, celature.
- I. Lit.: caelatura, quae auro, argento, aere, ferro opera efficit: nam sculptura etiam lignum, ebur, marmor, vitrum, gemmas, praeterea quae supra dixi, complectitur, Quint. 2, 21, 8: caelatura altior, id. 2, 4, 7; Plin. 35, 12, 45, § 156.
- B. In other substances, e. g. in clay, Plin. 35, 12, 46, § 158; cf. id. 19, 4, 19, § 53; Dig. 13, 1, 13; cf. caelo, I. B.
- II. Meton. (abstr. pro concreto), the engraved figures themselves, carved work, Suet. Ner. 47: usque adeo attritis caelaturis, ne figura discerni possit, Plin. 33, 12, 55, § 157; Sen. Ep. 5, 3; Quint. 2, 17, 8; cf. Paul. ex Fest. p. 98 Müll.