URCĔUS, a pitcher or water-pot, generally made of earthenware, was
used by the priests at Rome in the sacrifices, and thus appears with
other sacrificial emblems on Roman coins.
[Illustration: Urceus and Lituus on obverse of Coin of Pompey.]
URNA, an urn, a Roman measure of capacity for fluids, equal to half
an AMPHORA. This use of the term was probably founded upon its more
general application to denote a vessel for holding water, or any
other substance, either fluid or solid. An urn was used to receive
the names of the judges (_judices_) in order that the praetor might
draw out of it a sufficient number to determine causes: also to
receive the ashes of the dead.