Glass feeding bottle
- Made:
- 251-450 in Roman Empire
Glass feeding bottle, long neck, Roman, 251-450 AD
While their design has changed significantly, infant feeding bottles have been a familiar part of family life throughout time. This example is made of glass, which would have in theory been an easy to clean material. However, this bottle also only has very narrow openings which would have made it difficult to wash thoroughly and would have created nooks and crannies that could harbour bacteria. Chemical analysis of ancient feeding bottles has shown that animal milk was often used in them, however its not possible to know whether this was used as an alternative to breast milk or as part of weaning.
How babies are fed – whether with formula, animal or breast milk (or a combination of these) – has varied hugely across time and place. Different cultures have had their own understandings of how best to care for babies, which is reflected in the popularity of many feeding practices throughout history. However, the ultimate goal remains the same: healthy and thriving babies and children.
Details
- Category:
- Classical & Medieval Medicine
- Collection:
- Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
- Object Number:
- A170402
- Materials:
- glass
- Measurements:
-
overall: 103 mm x 95 mm x 75 mm, .08 kg
- type:
- feeding bottles
- credit:
- Sotheby's
