BULLA

1. BULLA A bulla was usually a round or heart shaped box /charm worn by children around their necks. It might have been made of gold for a wealthy child or leather for a poorer one. It held an amulet, i.e. a charm inscribed to protect the wearer against evil. Boys wore their bulla from birth until they assumed the “toga virilis” (a symbol of manhood, off-white in color) around the age of 14. Girls wore their bulla until they were married.

2. Task: Making a paper Bulla • SHAPE: round, square, heart-shaped, circular, triangular, any shape you prefer • SIDE A: write your first name in LARGE letters in Latin, i.e., girls will write their name with an –a on the end & boys will use a –us. Make your name STAND OUT!! Color/decorate side A in a unique way. • SIDE B: List 5 things to help me & others get to know you, e.g. pets, siblings, sports, hobbies, books, music, songs, movies, friends, etc. Color/decorate side B in a unique way. • MATERIALS: colored pencils, markers, scissors, ruler

3. The Finished Product • Punch a hole in the bulla and thread a piece of yarn through it long enough to fit around your neck. FINIS!! • WHAT is it you have learned? Definition of a bulla and toga virilis; most feminine names in Latin end in –a, most masculine names in Latin end in –us, -ir, or –er; and the abbreviations “i.e.” and “e.g.”