The Sphero-Conical as Apothecary Vessel: An Argument for Dedicated Use
Sphero-conical vessels are ubiquitous in the archaeological record. However, their intended use has remained a conundrum. A multitude of conjectures have been proposed, such as that the sphero-conical vessel was a container for mercury, a grenade, a perfume sprinkler, an aeolipile, a beer gourd, a h...
| Published in: | Muqarnas |
|---|---|
| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
|
| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Brill
2022
|
| In: |
Muqarnas
|
| Further subjects: | B
History of Medicine
B ceramic B Mediterranean B Archaeology B Medieval B elixir B Alchemy B vessel B Islamic art B apothecary B Pharmacology B cone |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | Sphero-conical vessels are ubiquitous in the archaeological record. However, their intended use has remained a conundrum. A multitude of conjectures have been proposed, such as that the sphero-conical vessel was a container for mercury, a grenade, a perfume sprinkler, an aeolipile, a beer gourd, a hookah pipe, and a plumb bob. Faced with a seemingly contradictory body of evidence, scholars have concluded that the sphero-conical vessel must have been a multi-use object. I disagree. This study offers a theory of dedicated use: the sphero-conical vessel was intended and produced to store pharmaceuticals, specifically apothecary compounds in personal-use dosages. My argument is built on a close analysis of material form, epigraphic evidence, decorative motifs, and representations of the sphero-conical vessel in other media. The re-inscribing of the sphero-conical vessel into a history of medicine as a tool of the robust Islamic pharmacological industry is rich with potential for furthering our understanding of medicine, apothecary, alchemy, apotropaia, and trade in the medieval Mediterranean. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 2211-8993 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Muqarnas
|
| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1163/22118993-00391P13 |