Flint nodule in the shape of a foot and shin, North-East England, 1908-1916

Made:
1908-1916 in England
Flint nodule in shape of a foot and shin Group shot of from left to right A665264 - Flint nodule

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 

Buy

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

License

Flint nodule in shape of a foot and shin
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Group shot of from left to right A665264 - Flint nodule
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Flint nodule in shape of a foot and shin, carried or kept in the bedroom as a cure for gout, north-east England, 1908-1916

The growing influence of biomedicine in the 1800s did not necessarily replace established forms of treatment based on belief and superstition. What could be referred to a folk medicine – customs that often went back generations – continued to be practised. For example, the limb-shaped flint nodule on the left was carried around or kept in the bedroom as a cure for gout. It was believed that the pain was transferred from person to stone.

The piece of flint was a gift in 1916 from Edward Lovett (1852-1933), a collector of British amulets and charms. It is shown here with two other examples (A38134 and A665264).

Details

Category:
Ethnography and Folk Medicine
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A665276
Materials:
flint, nodule
Measurements:
overall: 102 mm x 106 mm x 55 mm, .45kg
type:
flint nodule
credit:
Lovett collection