patera

Patera is a term with origins in Latin, meaning a shallow dish or bowl. In classical contexts, a patera refers to a small, circular, concave vessel with a low rim, made of metal or ceramic. It was used for libations and offerings in Greek and Roman ritual life and could also appear as a ceremonial or decorative dish in temples and domestic settings. The plural form paterae is common in archaeological and scholarly writings.

In planetary geology, the term patera designates a volcanic crater or caldera that has an irregular, bowl-like depression and a rim often lacking a single central peak. Paterae contrast with typical impact craters by their irregular outlines and scalloped or complex margins, reflecting volcanic processes such as caldera collapse or lava resurfacing. The International Astronomical Union uses the term to describe surface features on various planetary bodies, most notably Io, a moon of Jupiter, but it is also applied to features on Venus and other worlds. These features can vary greatly in size, from a few kilometers to hundreds of kilometers across, and their study helps illuminate a body's volcanic history.

The word’s use across disciplines—from ritual objects in antiquity to volcanic depressions on distant worlds—highlights how a single term can bridge cultural artifacts and planetary science.