Category	Sub-Category	Detail		Identity; Possible Symbolism; Definition
LAUREL WREATH				worn by Apollo, the Muses & others - mythological & historical - deemed as being under his influence or possessing his gifts; held aloft by Nike, goddess of Victory; Zeus/Jove; depending on context, a symbol of refinement or of victory
LEAVES	Grain	without ear of wheat/barley		Persephone (Kore, Proserpina, Proserpine)/ nymph Arethusa if dolphin(s) also present
	Grape			Bacchus/Dionysus; bacchante/maenad; Cybele; Ariadne
	Ivy			Bacchus/Dionysus; bacchante/maenad; Ariadne
	Laurel			Apollo; Muses; Zeus/Jove; Athena/Minerva; Mars/Ares; mortal heroes; Roman emperorors; celebrated poets, artists & philosophers, ancient & modern; in general signifies triumphs of intellect or arms
	Oak			Zeus/Jove
	Palm frond			with winged woman: Nike, goddes of Victory; carried by a figure with a halo: a martyr saint; religious context but no halo: a martyr, sometimes one of the unnamed 'virgin martyrs' who do not have haloes
MASK	Theatrical	frowning, tragedy		Muse Melpomene
		smiling, comedy		Muse Thalia
	Helmet visor			Athena/Minerva, face of Jove on visor
MOON	Crescent			on brow/head: Diana/Artemis or Luna; above veiled woman: Night/Nyx; woman standing on: Mary
	Man in the Moon			sometimes included in depictions of Diana/Artemis
MOUNTAIN	2 peaks			Vesuvius, usually in background of scene with water, Bay of Naples
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS	Cymbals			associated with the revels of Bacchus/Dionysus
	Drum			associated with the revels of Bacchus/Dionysus, tympanum
	Flute, double			associated with the revels of Bacchus/Dionysus; n.b., looks like our recorder, not the transverse flute of today
	Flute, single			ambiguous, other clues needed to decide if nymph, bacchante or Psyche; n.b., looks like our recorder, not the transverse flute of today
	Harp			King David; often in scenes of Cupid with Venus or Psyche; may be small or large enough to sit on ground, is shorter & straight on the end near the player, taller & often curved on the far end
	Kithara			similar to lyre, but with sound box at base, sometimes carried by Apollo instead of lyre
	Lyre			Apollo, Muses Erato & Terpsichore, Orpheus; an easily portable instrument, lyres differ from harps in having a symmetrical shape curved on both sides, often seen poking over the figure's shoulder rather than complete & can be confused with arrows in a quiver
	Pan pipes, syrinx			Pan; woodland nymph
	Pipe organ			St. Cecilia
	Sistrum			associated with the revels of Bacchus/Dionysus
	Trumpet			blown to announce arriving royalty, proclamation, revelation, depending on context
NUDE	Man	with cloak		full figure standing in chariot, cloak billowing behind: Apollo or Mars/Ares
	Woman			Venus/Aphrodite is traditionally shown with bared breasts/upper torso, when seated lap is usually lightly covered
ORB		held up in hand or under foot of seated woman		Muse Urania
PALETTE	Artist's			seen most often with painter Raphael, but can also be in more general scene
PALM TREE				indicates scene is in Middle East, common in Biblical subjects, e.g., Rebecca at the Well
PLINTH				block or column supporting effigy of a god in worship scenes or otherwise indicating the figure is elevated; the head of Mercury/Hermes directly at top of block is called a herm, they were guides for travelers, in a scene with mortals an indication they are traveling
QUILL PEN				Nike inscribing on shield or tablet; very large: probably a palm frond, attribute of Nike & Christian martyrs
SCROLL				Muse Clio; Apollo, some of the sibyls
SKULL				St. Mary Magdalen may have a skull under her hand or near her; always symbolic of death, it is a memento mori, a reminder of mortality
SOLDIER	Roman			see centurion
STAFF	Flowering			St. Joseph
	Pincone headed			Bacchus/Dionysus, a 'thyrsus'
	Ribbons	criss-crossed		Mercury/Hermes
	Snakes			caduceus; the snake on Aesculepius's staff got confused with the 2 ribbons on Mercury's herald's staff so that this attribute can appear with either figure
	Wings at top			kerykeion: Mercury/Hermes
STAR				in scene with anchor: Polaris, the North Star; in sky near woman with flowers: the Morning Star with Aurora
STOOL		4 legged		a throne, symbol of royalty
SUN				sometimes with Day, in jugate cameos with Night; 2nd & 5th Hours of the Day
SWIRLS		bottom of composition		clouds, indicating Olympus or heaven, depending on context; curlicues decorative only
TIPTOES		figure standing on tiptoes		indicates terrestial figure is dancing; when in clouds, one indicator of a goddess; see also Three Graces
TOOLS	Bident	long handle, 2 tines/prongs		Hades/Pluto
	Trident	long handle, 3 barbed prongs		for spearing fish: Neptune/Poseidon
	Hammer			Vulcan/Hephaestus
	Scythe			Saturn; see also Days of the Week
	Shepherd's crook			Paris; Muse Thalia; Apollo
	Sickle			Ceres; Biblical scene: Ruth
TORCH		boy with wings carrying		Cupid; the Genius of Light when seen with Apollo's procession or Aurora/Eos; also with B. Thovaldsen's & some other representations of Day
		can look similar to cornucopia		held by eagle: companion of Aurora/Eos, daybreak; held by winged boy: Cupid, Genius of Light
		eagle clutching		usually seen with Day or Aurora/Eos, who bring the morning light; the eagle hunts by day
TREE		in scene with woman, small buildings		standard part of the many generic country scene cameos
	Laurel			woman turning into one: Daphne; effigy of wreathed man in one: Apollo
	Olive			associated with Athena/Minerva, who gave it to mankind, difficult to distinguish from laurel without other clues
TRIPOD				support for brazier, also name for entire apparatus, used to make burnt offerings or for sweet/salubrious herbs
TROJAN	Man	helmeted		possibly a Trojan hero of the Trojan War, but more likely one of the Greeks, who won that contest; other possibilities are Mars & Athena
TURBAN	Woman	desert scene/well		Rebecca at the Well
	Young woman	looking back over shoulder		Beatrice Cenci
URN	Lidded/footed			may appear in scenes indicating mourning; by itself: mourning
	Open	figure pouring from		female holding under arm: Aurora/Eos, Iris, personification of well/spring/small water course; male holding or leaning on: personification of a river; either gender: Aquarius
VEIL	Long			Night/Nyx; Muse Melpomene; Vesta/Hestia, priestess, seer; Virgin Mary; symbol of modesty, secrecy or darkness
	Short			like a handkerchief draped at back of head, an occipite, Roman fashion for married women seen often on Hera/Juno, Ceres also Day