The Digital Ark: Early Modern Collections of Curiosities in England and Scotland, 1580-1700
Lachrymatory [ARK00045]
Attached People: Collector (major) - Bargrave, John (1610-1680)Collector (minor) - Casaubon, Méric (14 Aug 1599-14 Jul 1671)
Location(s): Current location at - Canterbury Cathedral Library and Archives (Library and/or Archive) -> Canterbury Cathedral (Institution)
Annotation:[Canterbury Catalog: Long necked glass phial. Bargrave tells us in his catalogue that it was used to catch the tears of friends and families grieving for the loss of their loved ones. "These bottles are called lachrymatorii, or tear bottles, because the friends and relations of the defunct were in ancient time accustomed at the funeral to carry each of them a lachrymatorio in his hand, to save his tears that he shed for his deceased friend, and then leave those bottles behind them with the immuralld corps." Bargrave goes on to observe that this custom is written of in Psalm 56:8 when David says: "Thou hast put my tears into thy bottle".] (approx 15AD - 500AD)