Pharmacy Jar

Unknown

second half 15th century · Tin-glazed earthenware · The Cloisters

Medieval healing compounds commonly included herbs and spices, many of which could be grown and prepared at home. Toward the later Middle Ages, patients increasingly looked to apothecaries, who mixed medicines in their shops from an array of ingredients stored in glazed ceramic jars. These components sometimes required processing before mixing. For example, apothecaries relied on mortars and pestles to grind hard substances like nuts and seeds into powders that would dissolve in suspension. Manuals and recipe books were integral to medicinal concoction and dosage.

Artist

Unknown

Date

second half 15th century

Medium

Tin-glazed earthenware

Culture

Spanish

Department

The Cloisters

Credit line

The Cloisters Collection, 1956