Pottery bleeding bowl, c.1700, English

Bleeding bowls were used to collect blood during bloodletting – a practice once carried out to treat a wide range of diseases and medical conditions. Bloodletting was used as a cure for many fevers, diseases which were believed to be caused by a build up of blood.

This bowl is made from pottery and has a floral design on the base. It has a handle for ease of use and although there are no accurate markings to indicate the volume of blood being taken, the circular design of patterns on the inside surface may have helped.