The Digital Ark: Early Modern Collections of Curiosities in England and Scotland, 1580-1700
Oval Box containing Volcanic Ash [ARK00049]
Attached People: Collector (major) - Bargrave, John (1610-1680)Location(s): Current location at - Canterbury Cathedral Library and Archives (Library and/or Archive) -> Canterbury Cathedral (Institution)
Annotation:[Canterbury Catalog: Oval box and lid made from wood which is thin and malleable enough to fix into shape. Inside is handful of volcanic ash. "Several pieces of cinders, pummystone, and ashes of the Mount Vesuvius, near Naples, which was 4 times the poynt of my reflection, - I facing about for England from the topp, or crater, or "voragine" (as they term it) of that mountain; of which I have spoken at large in my 'Itinerario d'Italia'." Another label reads "for my selfe ceneri di Vesuvio. Ashes of the burning mountaine Vesuvius". In the 'Mercurio Italico' Bargrave also wrote: "This mountain was the "ultima meta" of our voyage to Naples".] (undated)