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Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Bronze bell-shaped mortar with sharply moulded rings on rim, lower body, and lower rim, 4 centaurs moulded on body, European, possibly 1671 to 1730
A mortar was used with a pestle to crush and grind ingredients to create drug preparations – often in the form of powders, ointments or solutions. This mortar is typical of the period as it is made from bell metal – a form of bronze – and its shape suggests it may well have been cast in a bell foundry. It is decorated with a moulding of four centaurs, mythical creatures with the legs of a horse and the body of a man. It is pictured here with a brass pestle (A659465).
Details
- Category:
- Pharmacy-ware
- Collection:
- Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
- Object Number:
- A604834
- Materials:
- bronze (copper, tin alloy), complete and paper (fibre product)
- type:
- mortar
- taxonomy:
-
- furnishing and equipment
- tools & equipment
- grinder - tool
- credit:
- Christie's
