Pot
1692 (Date manufactured/created)
Bronze; iron?
Many kettles, pots, and pans were made with legs, and they are often called spiderpots. The legs allowed them to stand on the hearth directly over a pile of hot coals, like a burner on a stove. It was easier to control the temperature with this method of cooking as compared to hanging a pot over the fire. This is one reason for the large fireplace hearths in the colonial period — a lot of cooking was done out on the hearth stones, not just over the fire. This 17th century pot probably belonged to a wealthy family. It may be made of bell metal, an expensive bronze alloy of copper and tin used in making bells. The handle is a later replacement.
HW1960.008