Cartouches are ornamental panels that are used as a frame for an inscription. They are also used for decorative purposes and were used in Europe during the 16th and 17th century to decorate title pages of books, and walls. A cartouche can be sculpted, painted, or engraved. In ancient Egypt, cartouche is defined as an oblong or oval shaped structure made of materials such as wood, metal, or paper that contains the hieroglyphic names of the Egyptian deities or rulers.