urna

plural urnas

1. BuddhismA spiral or circular dot placed on the forehead of Buddhist images as an auspicious mark.

   The ûrna or mark upon the forehead and the long pierced ear lobes so generally characteristic of Buddhist images are not present in this instance.

   1916, “Notes on Chinese statuary”, in The Museum Journal, volume 7, University of Pennsylvania University Museum, page 156

   2 more examples

   The urna is not worn by all, nor the monastic dress of the magnificent image of the Buddhistic prince on the right side of the great Buddha in the chanḍi Mĕndut.

   1901, Isaac Groneman, translated by A. Dolk, The Hindu Ruins in the Plain of Parambanan, translation of original in Dutch

   Between the eyes is a curl of hair (urna), one of the identifying features of a Buddha, and the thing that looks like a nose is a miraculous light emanating from the urna (it can also be interpreted as the Nepali figure “one”, conveying the unity of all things).

   2009, David Reed, The Rough Guide to Nepal, page 107

plural urnas · plural urnae

1. historicalA Roman unit of liquid measure reckoned as the volume of 40 Roman pounds of wine and equivalent to about 13 L although differing slightly over time.

   It follows that the seah must equal the urna, and the hin equal 2 Attic choes.

   1903, Sir Charles Warren, The Ancient Cubit and Our Weights and Measures, page 89

   2 more examples

   A wine vessel, probably the Roman urna, which contained half the quantity of the amphora.

   1810, A Description of the Collection of Ancient Terracottas of the British Museum, British Museum, No. XXXIX, page 22

   The congius was the 8th part of the amphora, and the 4th of the urna: it contained 6 sextarii.

   1847, Francis Adams, The Seven Books of Paulus Ægeineta, volume 3, The Sydenham Society, page 623

   Synonyms: urn, half-amphora