Agate Mortar and Pestle (2/3)
Title
Agate Mortar and Pestle (2/3)
Subject
Mineralogy
Description
Physical Description
There are three unique agate mortar and pestles at A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum. The second largest mortar measures two and one half centimeters in diameter at the base, while the matching pestle measures five centimeters in length. This mortar and pestle set is light pink and white colored with translucent areas. The pestle is a brown-orange at the ends. Both are cut from agate, which gives the set a marbled and inconsistent color pattern. The mortar is a rounded bowl on the inside, but the outside edges form an octagonal shape. Each end of the pestle is rounded; one end of the pestle is smaller in diameter than the other by four centimeters.Functional Description
The mortar and pestle has been used in laboratories for centuries for grinding and crushing various substances. This mortar and pestle is still in use for grinding powders for X-Ray diffraction. The mortar is shaped like a bowl in order to hold a certain amount of the substance to be ground. The pestle is then used to mash and grind the substance in the bowl until the desired consistency is reached. The agate mortar and pestle is used in circumstances where cross contamination must be avoided. This is because agate is one of the finest, most non-porous natural materials available for a grinding surface. Bacteria, contaminants, and other particles cannot penetrate the material.Creator
Savannah de Luca
Language
n/a
Type
Physical object
Physical Dimensions
Mortar: Base: 2.5cm Top:4cm Height: 2cm Pestle: Length: 5cm diameter: 5 mm, 1 cm
Materials
Agate
Maker
unknown
Inscriptions
none
Location
A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum
Collection
Citation
Savannah de Luca, “Agate Mortar and Pestle (2/3),” Michigan Tech Inventory of Historic Scientific Instruments, accessed April 25, 2024, https://ihsi.omeka.net/items/show/167.