Why is it called a Testudo?
Why is it called a Testudo?
Finally, the derivation of the word testudo itself comes from the Latin word for a protective shelter used for Roman soldiers’ heads, similar to a tortoise shell.
Where are the Testudo statues at UMD?
Testudo Sculptures Replicas of Testudo can be found at five locations around campus: McKeldin Library, Xfinity Center, the Adele H. Stamp Student Union, Maryland Stadium, and the Riggs Alumni Center.
How many Testudo are on UMD campus?
There are six different Testudo statues around the campus.
What is the mascot for University of Maryland?
Testudo
University of Maryland/Mascot
Why is Testudo so effective?
The Testudo was a very strong, tight formation. It was usually used to approach fortifications. The soldiers could march up to a fort in the Testudo formation and not one of them would get hurt. The shields fitted so closely together that they formed one unbroken surface without any gaps between them.
Why is UMD a terrapin?
UMD adopted the diamondback terrapin as its symbol because they’re native to the nearby Chesapeake Bay, and the student newspaper was already known as The Diamondback. The Class of 1933 saved its money — it even held the senior prom on campus — to pay for the 300-pound bronze statue.
Is Testudo a girl?
For more than eight decades, nearly all university images that identify the Testudo’s sex depict her as male. The entry for Testudo on the university libraries website “MAC to Millennium” says — by way of using exclusive male pronouns — that Testudo is male.
What is fear the turtle?
The Fear the Turtle (FTT) style compliments the university’s visual identity—the classic globe and logo—in marketing communications materials. Individual units’ and the university’s messages are more powerful when we all speak with one voice and share the same look.
How many Testudos are there?
Testudo Statues You’ll find seven statues of The Official Maryland Terrapin, Testudo, throughout campus.
Why is the Maryland mascot a terrapin?
The nickname was coined in 1932 by Harry C. “Curley” Byrd, then the school’s football coach and later the school’s president. Byrd thought “Terrapins” was a good choice because of the diamondback terrapins endemic to the Chesapeake Bay region.
Who is Testudo?
Testudo the Terrapin. Testudo, the mascot of the University of Maryland (UMD), sits in front of McKeldin Library. It’s a large bronze statue of a diamondback terrapin, an animal known for its ability to bite off the hands and feet of the unwary.
Why are Maryland called the Terrapins?
Previously, Maryland teams were known as the “Old Liners”—a reference to the state’s nickname, “The Old Line State.” However, the school newspaper, The Diamondback, wanted a better nickname. Byrd thought “Terrapins” was a good choice because of the diamondback terrapins endemic to the Chesapeake Bay region.
