tea brick

Two tea brick which have been associated by number but do not seem to be related. One of four joined sections with circular and rectangular designs impressed (the latter are indistinct) with a paper label on the reverse which reads "said to have come from Pompeii, Westbrook." The other with an impression of a Chinese character on it in an oval depression and two small holes close to the middle of the edge on the left hand side.

For more on teabricks as currency, see Wolfgang Bertsch, 2006, 'The Use of Tea Bricks as Currency among the Tibetans', European Association for the Research, Collection and Preservation of Original and Curious Money, No. 75

object
MUSEUM NUMBER
1976.81
PLACE
COLLECTION
MEASUREMENTS
overall: 9.252 x 7.0866 in.; 235 x 180 mm
MATERIAL/TECHNIQUE
plant material
CATEGORY
Anthropology: Ethnography
SHAREABLE LINK

Continue exploring anthropology

Collection Information

These objects are only a part of our collections, of which there are more than 350,000 objects. This information comes from our collections database. Some of this is incomplete and there may be errors. This part of the website is also still under construction, so there may be some fields repeated or incorrectly formatted information.

The database retains language taken from historical documents to help research. Please note that some records may feature language and reflect systems of thinking that are outdated and offensive. The database also includes information on objects that are considered secret or sacred by some communities.

If you have any further information about objects in our collections, can suggest corrections to our information or if you see content requiring immediate action, please contact us: enquiry@horniman.ac.uk