Object number
51/434
Description
This is a bronze mortar which would have been used as a mixing bowl and for powdering spices and nuts. It was used at the donor's family home of Papplewick Hall, Nottinghamshire, from 1860 and then at Goldwell, Newbury, from 1915.
Physical description
1 morter: metal [bronze]; good condition
Label Text
Mortar. As well as being used to grind spices and nuts along with a pestle, this bronze mortar would have been utilised as a mixing bowl. It was used in Nottinghamshire from 1860 to 1915, and then in Newbury until 1951. The humble pestle and mortar is one of humanity's oldest and most common tools. A description of pestles and mortars features in the oldest piece of medical writing on record, included within the Ebers papyrus of Ancient Egypt and dating to 1550BC. It is likely that the tool was used for thousands of years before this for food preparation.
Archival history
MERL 'Catalogue index' card – 'Mortars have been in use in England since mediaeval times. Bronze and brass were the most common metals used. Mortars were used in the same way as the modern pastry bowl and also for powdering such things as spices and nuts. // This mortar is made of bronze. It is 5.5 inches in diameter, and 4.5 inches in height. It came from Papplewick Hall, Nottingham, where it was in use from 1860 onwards. Since 1915 it has been used in the kitchen of “Goldwell”, Newbury.'
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External document
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\35 series negatives\Scans\35_659.tif - High resolution image
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\Documents\Scans\51_430_2_to_51_437_doc_01.tif - High resolution image
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- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\Documents\Scans\51_430_2_to_51_437_doc_13.tif - High resolution image
