# What did the Romans call a death mask/wax mask? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 16, 2017, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-the-romans-call-a-death-mask-wax-mask/786707 "2017-05-16T01:16:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![davidmich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e56c9b/32.png) [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2017, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-the-romans-call-a-death-mask-wax-mask/786707/1 "2017-05-16T01:16:33Z")
Hi What did the Romans call a death mask/wax mask? I’ve heard a word “imarginaise???” for the Roman death mask/wax mask. I haven’t been able to verify it online. I look forward to your feedback. ---
**Author:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2017, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-the-romans-call-a-death-mask-wax-mask/786707/2 "2017-05-16T01:29:03Z")
Do you mean the wax masks of the deceased and earlier ancestors worn in procession at funerals ? At the dinner table we always call them an **Imago** , or for a number of them, **Imagines**. ---
**Author:** ![davidmich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e56c9b/32.png) [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2017, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-the-romans-call-a-death-mask-wax-mask/786707/3 "2017-05-16T01:36:12Z")
> [@Evan\_Drake](#): > > Do you mean the wax masks of the deceased and earlier ancestors worn in procession at funerals ? > > At the dinner table we always call them an **Imago** , or for a number of them, **Imagines**. Yes. That’s it. Imagines. Thank you.