400AD Hoxne Hoard Pepper Pot Discovered In Suffolk
The Hoxne hoard pepper pot, also known as the Empress pepper pot (though it no longer seems to represent an empress), is a silver piperatorium dating back to around 400 AD.
Photo: British Museum
Discovered within the Hoxne Hoard in Hoxne, Suffolk, in November 1992, it currently resides in the British Museum and is typically on public display.
This stunning artefact takes the form of a hollow silver statuette depicting the upper half of a woman's body.
It features a mechanism designed for loading ground pepper or spices into its base and dispensing them through a shake action.
Notably, the mechanism does not grind the pepper; instead, it includes a rotatable disc with three functional positions: one for filling, another with fine holes for dispensing ground pepper, and a third for closing the pot.
In recognition of its historical significance, the pot was selected as item 40 in the 2010 BBC Radio 4 series, "A History of the World in 100 Objects."
The woman is depicted with a sophisticated 4th century hairstyle: parted in the middle with rolls at the sides and elaborate twisted locks at the neck, secured with hairpins.
These hairpins are depicted as three knobs at the front and one at the crown, left ungilded, contrasting with the gilt hair itself.
She wears a sleeved undergarment with gilded cuffs at the wrists and a wide-sleeved tunic adorned with gilded and engraved stripes over the shoulders, resembling applied bands of embroidered or patterned textile (clavi).
In her left hand, she holds a gilded scroll, while her right hand points to it. The relief-depicted almond-shaped earrings and a necklace made of large beads are also gilded.
Further gilding adorns the face, covering the eyes, eye sockets, and mouth.
The rectangular base plate, with slightly convex sides, stands on four small baluster feet. Its central recessed area features two large heart-shaped apertures flanking a projecting central catch used for turning the assembly.
The catch, almost square in shape, has indented sides following a saltire engraving on each side and a serrated bottom edge.
Internally, the turning disc includes two large arcs for filling holes and groups of perforations designed for dispensing pepper or other spices at the dining table.
These pepper pots were likely used to store and dispense pepper or other valuable spices.
Pepper was highly prized in ancient Rome, not only for its culinary uses but also for its perceived medicinal and even magical properties.
It was imported from distant regions such as India, making it a luxury item that symbolised wealth and status.
As such, pepper pots were not just utilitarian objects but also symbols of refinement and social standing.
Over time, the design and craftsmanship of pepper pots evolved, reflecting changes in taste, technology, and cultural influences within the Roman world.
Pots could vary in size, shape, and decorative elements, showcasing the diversity of Roman craftsmanship and the adaptability of culinary practices across the empire.
If you’d like to see this artefact in person, it’s on permanent display on the British Museum.
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