Europe, ca. 15th to 16th c. CE. This is a heavy cast bronze mortar and pestle set with prominent ribs around the outside of the mortar and a simple scored dots decoration. The name "mortar" comes from the Latin "mortarium" because of its use for crushing seeds; once reduced to powder, the seeds are dead. Isidore of Seville (560 to 636 CE), often called "the last scholar of the ancient world", compiled from fragments of classical documents a list of seven required physicians' instruments, of which the mortar and pestle was one. Although it was on the cusp of becoming more scientific, medicine in the Renaissance remained largely unchanged from its classical roots, so these items would almost certainly have belonged to a physician. Size of mortar: 4.5" W x 4.5" H (11.4 cm x 11.4 cm); pestle is 7.4" L (18.8 cm).

Provenance: Ex-Paul and Louise Bernheimer, Cambridge, MA and Laguna Woods, CA, acquired before 1980.

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#111876

Some cracking to the ribs, but intact.