WHAT IS THE CARTOUCHE ?

CARTOUCHE: name given to the oval or oblong figures in Egyptian hieroglyphics that enclosed characters representing royal or divine names or titles. The term is also used for the amulets of similar design worn in ancient Egypt as a protection against the loss of one’s name (i.e., one’s identity). In architecture, the term refers to the ornamentation in scroll form, applied especially to elaborate frames around tablets or coats of arms. By extension, the word is applied to any oval shape or even to a decorative shield, whether scrolled or not. Detailed examples of cartouches show that the sign represents a length of knotted rope, looped so that it is never-ending; it thus symbolizes cyclical return. The French word cartouche, meaning “gun cartridge,” was originally given to the royal frame by Napoleon’s soldiers, because of its cartridge-like shape. [shenu]