17TH CENTURY BEZOAR IN GOLD FILIGREE CASING
A bezoar is a ball of swallowed foreign material (usually hair or fiber, but sometimes grit and stone) that collects in the stomach and fails to pass through the intestines. Mostly found in ruminating animals, those with glossy hair and a frivolous sense of rhythm. The Natural assumption, centuries ago, was that this would make them the perfect antidote to poison. Obviously. The word itself meant counter-poison or antidote in Persian. The gullible and affluent would purchase them at exorbitant prices to rub on infected areas or even ingest. Making them Bidigested matter. A Bezoar stone, such as this one, when placed in a beverage was thought to *purify it of poison and infections. *No refunds or exchanges available at any time.
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