A Bezoar stone with a silver mounted frame
Probably India, 17th century
Diam. approx. 7 cm
A bezoar is a mass of undigested material, often hair and plant fibre, trapped in the gastrointestinal system of many animals and even humans. The present bezoar is probably from a horse’s or camel’s stomach. Bezoar stones were believed to have the power of a universal antidote against any poison. The word bezoar comes from the Persian pãd-zahr, which literally means 'antidote'. Although it certainly is not an antidote to any poison, it does seem to be an antidote to an arsenic-laced solution. In the early modern times, bezoar stones were important and valuable objects in cabinets of curiosity and kunstkammers.
Diam. approx. 7 cm
A bezoar is a mass of undigested material, often hair and plant fibre, trapped in the gastrointestinal system of many animals and even humans. The present bezoar is probably from a horse’s or camel’s stomach. Bezoar stones were believed to have the power of a universal antidote against any poison. The word bezoar comes from the Persian pãd-zahr, which literally means 'antidote'. Although it certainly is not an antidote to any poison, it does seem to be an antidote to an arsenic-laced solution. In the early modern times, bezoar stones were important and valuable objects in cabinets of curiosity and kunstkammers.
Related objects
A Mughal silver and ivory backscratcher
_India, 18th century_ _L. 57 cm_ Provenance: Phillipe Missilier, Paris
A large silver Shiva head
_India, late 19th century_ _H. 33.5 cm; Weight: 1.34 kg_ At over thirty centimeters high, this example is shrine-scaled, its mirror-bright surface designed to animate offerings, movement, and flame.
An Indian turned ivory mortar with silver mounts
Indo-Portuguese, probably Gujarat, 17th century _H. 9.5 x Diam. 9.8 cm_ Provenance: Private Collection, Portugal Exhibited: Drents Museum, Assen, _Microkosmos – The World in a Wunderkammer, _6 September 2025 - 1 March 2026