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BuyLicense this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library
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Buy this image as a print
BuyLicense this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library
LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence
Buy this image as a print
BuyLicense this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library
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Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Silver pomander, A629410
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Silver pomander, A629410
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Selection of gold and silver pomanders, Europe
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
A small selection of pomanders of different shapes and
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Silver pomander, segmented and with four compartments, each inscribed with name of contents, neroli, mace, caraway, cochineal (?), 17th century (see note).
Split into eight segments, this pomander is made from silver and was probably worn around the neck. Four of the compartments are engraved with the names of their original contents: neroli (an essential oil from the Seville orange), mace (shredded coating of a nutmeg), caraway (seeds of the parsley family), and cochineal. Pomanders were filled with sweet smelling herbs or plants in the hope that this would ward off disease and infection. Diseases were believed by some to be spread by foul smells – miasma created, for example, by rotting rubbish and human waste. Judging by the expensive silver materials, this pomander was owned by a wealthy person.
Details
- Category:
- Pharmacy-ware
- Collection:
- Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
- Object Number:
- A629410
- Materials:
- silver
- Measurements:
-
overall: 63 mm 72 mm, .047 kg
overall (closed, excluding chain): 60 mm 30 mm, 0.047 kg
overall (open, maximum dimensions, excluding chain): 65 mm 75 mm, 0.047 kg
overall (chain): 60 mm
- type:
- pomander
- credit:
- Marks, G.
