MORTAR, BRONZE, 16TH CENTURY.

Bronze “poison” mortar, 16th century. Mortar made of bronze in its color with figurative decoration on the front: two facing birds bite fruits from a basket on one side; on the other, two monkeys eat meat from another basket that also contains a pomegranate. This type of decoration is unusual in the mortars of the time, the so-called “ribs” being more frequent or the absence of it. These types of objects, despite being possible for domestic use, were more often used in pharmacies, serving to grind the compounds used in the manufacture of what were then considered medicines (hence the term "poison", since the difference between it and a curative compound was often the dose) Weight: 260 grams..

· Size: 9x9x5 cms.