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Exhibition Name
White Porcelain Mortar
- Nationality/Period
Joseon Dynasty
- Materials
Ceramics - White Porcelain
- Category
Science & technology - Medical treatment - Pharmacy - Medicine quern
- Dimensions
H. 6.6cm, L. 29.6cm, D. 11.5cm
- Accession Number
Sujeong 9
- Location
Joseon3
This white porcelain implement used for preparing medicinal products consists of an oval mortar and a pestle designed to pulverize herbs by rolling over them in the mortar. In China, implements of this type are called a yaochuan (“medicine boat”) due the shape of the mortar, while in Korea the term yagyeon (“medicine pestle”) is preferred. The pestle in this example takes the form of a disk with a diamond-shaped cross-section containing a hole at the center through which a shaft is inserted to grind medicinal ingredients by rolling it in both hands.