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Culter

dim. cultellus (μάχαιρα, κοπίς, σφαγίς). A knife with only one edge, which formed a straight

Cultri. (From Tombstone of a Cultrarius.)

line, the blade being pointed and its back curved. It was used chiefly for killing animals, either in hunting, in the slaughter-house, or at the altar. The minister, or attendant on the priest, is called cultrarius, since he and not the priest did the actual killing. The accompanying illustration is taken from Gruter (Inscript. vol. ii. p. 640,

Cultrarius. (Bas-relief from Pompeii.)

no. 11). The name culter was also applied to razors, pruningknives, and kitchen knives. That in these cases the culter was different from those above represented, and most probably smaller, is certain; since, whenever it was used for shaving or domestic purposes, it was always distinguished from the common culter by some epithet, as culter tonsorius, culter coquinaris.

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