Diptych

Two-part polyptych / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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A diptych (/ˈdɪptɪk/; from the Greek δίπτυχον,[1] di "two" + ptychē "fold") is any object with two flat plates which form a pair, often attached by hinge. For example, the standard notebook and school exercise book of the ancient world was a diptych consisting of a pair of such plates that contained a recessed space filled with wax. Writing was accomplished by scratching the wax surface with a stylus. When the notes were no longer needed, the wax could be slightly heated and then smoothed to allow reuse. Ordinary versions had wooden frames, but more luxurious diptychs were crafted with more expensive materials.

Diptych_Areobindus_Louvre_OA9525.jpg
Ivory consular diptych of Areobindus, Byzantium, 506 AD, Louvre
Table_with_was_and_stylus_Roman_times.jpg
Wax tablet and a Roman stylus
Diptych_Barberini_Louvre_OA9063_whole.jpg
Barberini Ivory, Constantinople, 6th century, Louvre