Small Stylus, Bronze

Roman writing stylus, Stilus, bronze

Massive and richly decorated writing stylus for wax tablets after an original from Hüfingen, 1st - 3rd century AD.

The stilus or stylus was a versatile writing instrument with which characters were scratched into wax tablets, but also onto slate slabs or clay shards. Depending on the status of the owner, styli were made of the simplest materials such as wood or bone; more valuable specimens were made of ivory or metal. The pointed side was used for writing, the flat plate at the back was used on wax tablets for smoothing the writing, i.e. for "erasing".