Assay cup for detecting poison, with a bishop's monogram, rhinoceros horn and silver, European, 1551-1600
Assay cups such as this one were used to taste wine. This cup is made from silver and rhinoceros horn. The rhinoceros horn was said to change colour and sweat if poison was placed in the cup.
Details
- Category:
- Ethnography and Folk Medicine
- Collection:
- Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
- Object Number:
- A634419
- Materials:
- complete, rhinoceros horn and silver
- Measurements:
-
overall: 75 mm 52 mm, .06kg
- type:
- poison cup