'The Plague Doctor' Pendant

Behind the Mask: The Plague Doctor

In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, some doctors wore a beak-like mask which was filled with aromatic items. The masks were designed to protect them from the bubonic plague.

The first epidemic of bubonic plague dates back to the mid 6th century, known as the Plague of Justinian. The largest epidemic was the Black Death of Europe in the 14th century. In medieval times the large loss of people due to the bubonic plague in a town created an economic disaster.

Community plague doctors were quite valuable and were given special privileges. For example, plague doctors were freely allowed to perform autopsies, which were otherwise generally forbidden in Medieval Europe, to research a cure for the plague.

Buying this pendant does not give you the privilege of doing autopsies.

Material: Stainless Steel
Weight: 15 grams
Dimensions: 2.3" x .9"
Bale inside dimensions: .275" (large enough for a thick necklace)

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