Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. An interesting group of 7 Roman bronze, brass, iron, and bovine bone medical tools - all showing the fascinating practices and types of technology available to surgeons almost 2000 years ago. Included in this ensemble are 5 scalpels or osteotomes bearing iron or bone blades with bronze or brass handles - shaped much like today's modern medical instruments. The narrow pick with a slightly flattened spatula like blade, may have been a scoop, medicine stirrer, or probe for fishing out foreign objects from skin. The last tool with the hooked handle and long, thin tip was used as a probe to maneuver small pieces of bone and tissue. There was likely little innovation in surgical tools during the entire span of the Roman empire, as many Roman implements were very similar to those described by Hippocrates in the 5th century BCE and Galen in the 2nd century CE! Size of largest (w/ iron blade): 4" L x 0.75" W (10.2 cm x 1.9 cm)
Provenance: ex-Davis collection, Houston, Texas, acquired before 2013 from various auction houses in London and New York
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#132922
Condition
Chips and surface pitting as expected with age and use. Heavy patina on blades and chips to peripheries.