Apothecary Jar
Author: Unknown
Origin: Darque, Viana do Castelo, Portugal (?)
Dating: 19th century
Material: Clay
Dimensions (cm): 25,5 x Ø 13,4
Inv. no.: PD0568
From the 17th century onward, faience pieces were being used in Apothecaries with drawings on the outside to indicate what was inside. However, this was a restrictive practice from the practical point of view of managing the products in an Apothecary associated with the progress of Medicine in the 18th century. This led to the removal of certain materials that had proved to be dangerous. This practice promoted the manufacture of pieces with descriptive drawings that were, suddenly, empty. Instead, pieces of paper were glued to the object to facilitate the identification of the contents. Numbers were also used to allow a concerted management between the product and its listing that was changed according to the Pharmaceutical management in the Apothecary.
