Earthenware jar for terra sigillata, Spain, 1601-1700

Made:
1601-1700 in Spain
Turned wooden drug jar, used for bole, possibly Spanish

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

Turned wooden drug jar, used for bole, possibly Spanish
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Earthenware jar for terra sigillata, Spanish, 1601-1700

The earthenware pharmacy jar was used to store terra sigillata, or “sealed earth”. Terra sigillata was a clay-like soil that was believed to have medicinal qualities. It was first used on the Greek island of Lemnos in around 500 BCE. It was usually prepared into cakes and then dried. The clay was then crushed into a powder and taken with liquids or made into a paste and smeared on the body.

Terra sigillata was believed to fight against a number of diseases, including plague, and was highly sought after during epidemics.

Details

Category:
Medical Ceramic-ware
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A635025
Materials:
complete, wood and paint
Measurements:
overall: 144 mm 82 mm, .164 kg
type:
drug jar