altar bells

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Scope note
Small hand-held bells placed on or near the altar in a religious service. Altar bells may be attached to a wooden or other handle, or the handle may be cast as a piece with the bell. The device typically accommodates one or two small bells. An example of such devices is on Christian altars after the 8th century, but similar bells were known in ancient Babylonia, ancient Egypt, Jewish temples, the altars of the Romans and Greeks, and in cultures in China and Hindustan.
altar bells
Accepted term: 29-Apr-2024