Kosmetisches und Medizinisches Gerät

Ulrike Weller, Hartmut Kaiser, Ronald Heynowski

One of the central tasks of a museum is to inventory its collection using reliable aids and a uniform terminology. Two categories of equipment are introduced in this volume, one which served personal hygiene, aesthetic and hygienic treatment, and another for medical care of the people from the prehistoric age until the early Middle Ages. The spectrum ranges from combs, mirrors, open razors and pincers, to scalpels, dental forceps or bone saws. The thesaurus presents the many diverse forms of these cosmetic and medical devices, and provides their temporal and spatial classification. This valuable general survey allows for the determination of archaeological special purpose utensils and provides a cultural and historical outline with regard to (pre-)historic beauty and health services.