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Mortar 2016-97
1660-dated Mortar
Mortar 2016-97

1660-dated Mortar

Dateca. 1660
OriginEurope, Netherlands or Great Britain
MediumBronze (XRF testing)
DimensionsHeight: 6" Diameter: 4 7/8" (at top)
Credit LineGift of Michael Weber
Object number2016-97
DescriptionCast mortar with slightly flared base and widely flared mouth, with banded central portion. The mouth is cast with fleurs-de-lis, columns of three dots and W, all oriented towards the lip. The central portion is cast with fleurs-de-lis separating EP, the date 1660, R, O, and G, in varying orientations.
Label TextThe origins of the mortar and pestle, amongst the earliest of tools, are prehistoric. Used to crush or grind materials ranging from foodstuffs to paint pigments and medicinal powders, their handiness is self-evident. By the period of exploration and colonization, these devices were made from a variety of materials including wood, metal, stone and glass. This example, made from a copper alloy, carries the date of its casting along with a confusing array of initials, letters and devices. These could represent either the foundry that made it, or the party it was created for.