Editing Aedicula (section)

== Classical ''aediculae'' ==
Many ''aediculae'' were household [[shrine]]s (''[[Lares#Lararia|lararia]]'') that held small [[altar]]s or statues of the [[Lares]] and [[Di Penates]].<ref>{{EB1911|inline=1|wstitle=Aedicula|volume=1|page=244}}</ref> The Lares were [[Religion in ancient Rome|Roman deities]] protecting the house and the family household gods. The Penates were originally [[Tutelary deity|patron gods]] (really [[genius (mythology)|''genii'']]) of the storeroom, later becoming household gods guarding the entire house.

Other ''aediculae'' were small shrines within larger [[temple]]s, usually set on a base, surmounted by a pediment and surrounded by columns. In [[ancient Roman architecture]] the ''aedicula'' has this representative function in the society. They are installed in public buildings like the [[triumphal arch]], [[city gate]], and [[thermae]]. The [[Library of Celsus]] in [[Ephesus]] ({{circa|2}} AD) is a good example.

From the 4th century Christianization of the [[Roman Empire]] onwards such shrines, or the framework enclosing them, are often called by the Biblical term [[tabernacle]], which becomes extended to any elaborated framework for a niche, window or picture.<gallery>
File:Pantheon11111.jpg|''Aediculae'' in the [[Pantheon, Rome]]
File:Wall painting - Athena in aedicula and snake at altar - Gragnano Carmiano (villa A) - Pompeii PAAnt 63688 - 01.jpg|''Aedicula'' containing a painted [[Athena]] and [[Agathodaemon]]
File:Montemartini - tempio di Apollo Sosiano edicola 1030469.JPG|1st century BC interior ''aedicula'' from the [[Temple of Apollo Sosianus]], Rome<ref>{{cite book|last1=Fullerton|first1=Mark D.|title=Art & Archaeology of The Roman World|date=2020|publisher=Thames & Hudson|isbn=978-0-500-051931|page=124|language=en}}</ref>
File:Herculaneum-Palestra.jpg|Painted ''aediculae'' in a [[fresco]] from the ''[[palaestra]]'' of [[Herculaneum]]
File:DSC00097 - Edicola funebre greco-punica da Marsala - Foto G. Dall'Orto.jpg|Graeco-Punic funerary ''aedicula'' from [[Marsala]], with [[Sign of Tanit|signs of Tanit]] and [[caduceus]]
File:Painted stucco relief - architecture with aedicula and pictures - Pompeii (VI 9 2) - Napoli MAN 9596.jpg|''Aediculae'' and figures painted on [[stucco]] from [[Pompeii]]
</gallery>