Medieval Stone Cloister mop with paw prints - Medieval...

This is a medieval monastery brick (13th/14th century) in which a clear paw print (probably of a dog or a cat) is visible, left in the still-soft clay before the stone was baked. Dimensions: approx. 31.0 x 15.5 x 7.5 cm Weight: 4858.77 grams Condition: (see photos) On the rear a corner has been glued back; the front is completely intact. Monastery bricks are large, medieval bricks that were formed by hand from clay. Before being baked in the oven, the formed clay stones had to lie out on a field to dry for a period. During this drying process, all sorts of things spilled over the soft clay. In this case, an animal – presumably a dog or cat – literally left its traces in history. After the brick was baked, the imprint was immortalized in ceramic for centuries. Introduction: The large-scale production of bricks was reintroduced in the Netherlands around the year 1200, mainly by monastic orders for the construction of churches, monasteries, and castles. Format rule: In the early period (13th century), monastery bricks were the largest and thickest (often between 30 and 38 cm long and up to 10 to 12 cm high). As time progressed toward the 14th and 15th centuries, the size of the bricks gradually decreased because smaller formats were easier to handle and bake. Shipping method: This lot will be excellently packed and shipped via DHL or UPS through Catawiki’s Smart Shipping.

Estimate:$235.31

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