Torculus Épisémé (Musical Neume)

The image shows a standard musical notation symbol from the Gregorian chant tradition, known as a 'torculus'. It features a three-note melodic figure with a curved stem connecting the ascending and descending pitches, modified by an 'episema'—a horizontal stroke indicating a slight lengthening or rhythmic emphasis on the note. The black ink stroke is centered on the frame, set against a stark, plain white field.

This neume is a fundamental unit of medieval monophonic chant notation, used extensively in the transcription and performance of Gregorian liturgical music from the 9th century onward. It specifically denotes a specific melodic contour (low-high-low) common in the Graduale Romanum.