Mortar Simone Carasi (Palermo), 1777

Important bronze mortar, made on behalf of the pharmacist Simone Carasi (Palermo) in 1777.

In fact, the following words are shown on the mortar: "AROMAT: D: SIMONE CARASI 1777".

Aromat is an ancient definition used to identify those places where specific herbs were expertly crushed, pulverized and amalgamated for medical healing purposes: the "Herbarium Officinalis". This particular type of bronze mortars, made with the wax casting technique lost, they were intended for pharmaceutical use.

In fact, inside them various raw materials were chopped and triturated with special bronze or wooden pestles until they were reduced to powder and then used, mixed with others or alone, also for pharmaceutical purposes.

Its dimensions are:

Height: 22cm

Mouth diameter: 28 cm

Base diameter 18 cm

Original untouched period patina.

Reference Bibliography:

Giorgio Lise, “Ancient pharmacy mortars”, 1975 Silvana editorial art, Milan.

Ulrich Middeldorf, “Fifty Mortars 15th -18th Century”, 1981 Florence.