AQUA ABLUTIONS
Hand washing could be a fancy occasion in the Middle Ages
Washing your hands in the medieval period didn’t need to be a chore when you used an aquamanile. This 33cmhigh copper example, found in England and dating to the late 13th century was filled with water via the knight’s head and poured out through a spout in the horse’s forehead. Aquamaniles were used for washing hands before a meal, or by a priest during the Christian rite of the Eucharist. They could be made in a variety of shapes including dragons, unicorns or lions.