# What is Cancelli?
**Cancelli (singular: cancellus) are low lattice screens or barrier constructions used in architecture to divide spaces, particularly in churches and other religious buildings.** The term comes from Latin and literally means ‘lattice’ or ‘bars’.
## Origin and Function
In early Christian basilicas, cancelli separated the choir — the area reserved for clergy — from the nave, where the congregation sat. The screens were low enough to see over but high enough to mark a clear boundary.
Cancelli were typically made from:
– **Marble** — with openwork patterns
– **Stone** — sometimes with relief carvings
– **Wood** — in simpler churches
– **Wrought iron** — in later periods
## Application
Cancelli appear in various architectural contexts:
– **Early Christian basilicas** — separating choir and nave
– **Romanesque and Gothic churches** — as choir screens or rood screens
– **Roman public buildings** — as barriers in law courts (basilicas)
– **Modern architecture** — as decorative lattice and balustrade elements
Interestingly, the word ‘chancellery’ derives from cancelli, because scribes worked behind the lattice screen in Roman basilicas.
## Related Terms
– Rood screen
– Choir
– Balustrade
– Lattice
– Basilica
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