- Collection type
- Object
- Description
- Piece of belemnite, scraped for medicine.
- Long description
- Piece of belemnite, scraped for medicine. The fossil is conical with the tip removed. There are lengthways scrapes along the wider portion of the fossil. The fossil is brown in colour. [MJD 02/04/2013]
- Geographical reference
- England Oxfordshire
- Date / Period
- Date made: Before 1890
- Date collected
- By 1890
- Acquisition information
- Donated: 1890, uncertain Found unentered: 28/05/2003
- Materials and processes
- Material Fossil, Process Scraped Carved
- Dimensions
- Length: max 91 mm
- Object numbers
- Accession number: 2003.94.1
- Associated publications
- Small piece of printed paper found in Collections office, could match either 2003.94.1 or 1901.4.115, most likely 1901.4.115 [in Related Documents File of 1901.4.115] - Portion of a belemnite which was preserved by Oxfordshire peasants and was used for medicinal purposes. Powder was scraped from it (hence the facetted surface) and was administered in water to children suffering from 'white mouth,' an eruptive disease of the lips. This has been a common practice in the county up to the present day, belemnites being popularly regarded as "thunderbolts" possessing magical therapeutic qualities (see thetext, p. ) [MdeA 09/10/2006]
2003.94.1
Piece of belemnite, scraped for medicine.
2003.94.1
Digital asset copyright: Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford
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