Bronze scoop, Roman, 199 BCE-400 CE

Made:
199 BCE-400 CE in Roman Empire
Scoop (lithotomy hook?) with roughened surface, long handle Scoop (lithotomy hook?) with roughened surface, long handle Scoop with roughened surface, long handle, bronze, Roman

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

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License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Scoop (lithotomy hook?) with roughened surface, long handle
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Scoop (lithotomy hook?) with roughened surface, long handle
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Scoop with roughened surface, long handle, bronze, Roman
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Scoop (lithotomy hook?) with roughened surface, long handle, bronze, Roman, from Capparoni and Gorga collections

It is thought that the roughened end of this scoop was used to feel around the bladder for stones. The removal of stones from the bladder is called lithotomy and it can be an incredibly painful process. The other end of this scoop has a groove which may have been used to hold a knife.

The instrument is made from bronze, the metal of choice for surgical and medical instruments until the introduction of iron and steel in the 500s and 600s CE, metals which gave a better cutting edge.

Details

Category:
Classical & Medieval Medicine
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A622584
Materials:
bronze
Measurements:
overall: 3 mm x 157 mm x 10 mm,
type:
scoop