their religion) or several members of a
family. On the walls of some of the
rooms are prayers and paintings of religious
symbols or figures.
In the centuries after the fall of the
Roman Empire in 476, invading armies
destroyed many of the Roman catacombs.
By about the 800s the catacombs
were no longer used, and over the years
people forgot about them. They were
rediscovered by accident in 1578. Since
then people have studied the catacombs
for the clues they offer about ancient
peoples.
Catapult
Catapults were important weapons of
war before guns and cannons were
invented. A catapult was a simple
machine. It was used to throw heavy
objects at the enemy with great force.
There were several different forms of
catapult. The most basic type was made
up of a long wooden arm with a large
cup on the end. Attached to the arm was
a rotating tube, called a winch. A rope
was fastened to the arm and wound
around the winch. At the base of the
arm was a set of cords.
To set the catapult, soldiers tightened
the rope by winding the winch. This
caused the cords at the base of the arm
to twist and get tighter and tighter. The
soldiers loaded the cup with a large rock
or other objects. Then they released the
rope. The cords around the base
untwisted all at once. The arm then
swung forward, flinging the load. A
large catapult could hurl a stone as far as
1,500 feet (460 meters).
Soldiers often used catapults to destroy
castle walls. They usually needed more
than one catapult for a successful attack
on a castle. Soldiers also used catapults
to fling spears at an advancing army.
Armies used large and small catapults.
They wheeled small catapults with them
to battles. Carpenters traveling with
armies often built catapults on the way
to a battle. Larger catapults usually
stayed in one place. People living in cities
and castles used such large catapults
to defend themselves.
The earliest catapults appeared during
the 1200s BC. The ancient Romans
improved the catapult and made catapults
on wheels. Today’s armies use
A small catapult with wheels would have
been used in battle.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Catapult 59
devices based on the catapult to launch
missiles and airplanes.
#More to explore
Castle •War
Caterpillar
#see Butterfly and Moth.
Catfish
A catfish is a fish that has one or more
pairs of whiskerlike feelers by its mouth.
These feelers, known as barbels, help the
fish to taste and to feel. There are about
2,500 species, or kinds, of catfish. They
are related to the carp, characins, and
minnows.
Catfishes live in freshwater on all the
major continents. A few types live in
oceans.
Catfishes range greatly in size. One of
the largest types is the wels. This catfish
may be more than 15 feet (4.5 meters)
long. Some of the smallest catfish species
are barely 2 inches (5 centimeters) long.
Catfishes do not have scales. Some types
have an armor of bony plates. Many
types have stiff, poisonous points on
their back and sides.
Catfishes generally live near the water’s
bottom. They tend to be active at night.
They feed on almost any kind of animal
or plant material. Some kinds of catfish
build a nest for their many eggs. Other
kinds carry their eggs in their mouth.
Many people like to catch and to eat
catfishes. People often keep small catfishes
in aquariums.
#More to explore
Carp • Fish
Cathedral
A Christian church that is the home
church of a bishop is known as a cathedral.
Bishops oversee many churches in a
particular region, so the cathedral is
often larger and more decorative than
the others. However, cathedrals may be
of any size and style. Especially huge and
magnificent were the cathedrals built in
the Gothic style between about the
1100s and 1400s inWestern Europe.
Gothic cathedrals are usually made of
gray stone, feature a round window
above the altar, and have tall, arched
windows along the sides. The windows
are often made of stained, or colored,
glass. Artists and craftsmen were eager to
decorate these cathedrals, which were
the center of a town’s religious life.
Among Europe’s famous cathedrals are
A catfish’s “whiskers” are called barbels. Notre Dame in Paris, France; Saint
60 Caterpillar BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Mark’s in Venice, Italy; Canterbury in
England; and Cologne in Germany.
North America is also home to a number
of notable cathedrals. They include
Saint Patrick’s in New York City; Notre
Dame in Montreal, Quebec; and the
national cathedral in Mexico City,
Mexico.
#More to explore
Architecture
Catholicism
#see Roman Catholicism.
Cattle
Cattle are large, hoofed mammals that
people raise for their meat, milk, or
hides. In some places cattle also pull
carts or farm equipment. Cattle belong
to the scientific family Bovidae. This
family also includes buffalo, bison, and
yaks.
Cattle have many different names.
Young cattle are called calves. A grown
female that has not had a calf is a heifer.
A female that has been a mother is a
cow. A male adult is called a bull, a steer,
or an ox.
Where Cattle Live
Cattle live almost everywhere in the
world. Domestic, or tame, cattle often
live on farms or ranches. In Asia and
Africa there are both wild and domestic
