Pewter Bleeding Bowl

Bleeding and barber bowls, as most people know them, became popular around the 16th century, where they were introduced as very decorative containers to be used for shaving and bloodletting. This odd combination of uses was the niche it served for barber surgeons specifically, medieval practicioners that were popular for their skill in performing tasks from simple shaving and haircutting to more complex amputations and bloodletting. This latter activity was the primary use of these bowls, serving as a shallow vessel to collect blood. Bowls were normally made out of metals, such as pewter, and often contained a notch to fit either the neck or arm while being shaved/bled. *On loan to the Ruth Lilly Medical Library from the private collection of Dr. Leo J. McCarthy.*