This wooden apothecary vessel dates back to the 19th century. The oil-painted surface bears a decorative coat of arms with an inscription: “ASPHALTUM”. It is crude tar (natural asphalt, bitumen), a petroleum-derived liquid and a mixture of solid macromolecular hydrocarbons of black or brown colour. It is formed from crude oil as a result of the loss of volatile components. Rev. Jan Krzysztof Kluk (1739-1796) described this raw material as follows: “Jewish tar (Asphaltum) is a hard, black, glistening and crumbly earthen resin, which has the stench of tar, floats on water and is derived from the ground. It is called the Jewish tar because it most abundantly appears in the old Jewish country; around the Dead Sea, where the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah used to exist, and this sea is named Asphaltites”. (Jan K. Kluk, Rzeczy Kopalnych Osobliwie Zdatnieyszych Poszukiwanie, Poznanie i Zażycie, vol. 1, Warsaw 1891, p. 209).

Natural tar is one of the oldest medicines. Its medicinal properties were recognised and valued since ancient times. The Persians used tar to treat wounds, fractures and many internal conditions. Pietro Andrea Matthioli (1501-1578) extensively wrote about medicinal properties of asphalt in his commentary on the most famous pharmacological work of antiquity, De materia medica by Pedanios Dioscurides (the 1st-2nd century), published in Venice in 1563: “It cures leucoma and eye congestion. Applied as a scented poultice, it helps with premature contractions and weakened uterus. As a beverage served with wine and castoreum, it effectively induces monthly bleeding.  It helps to treat senile cough, breathing perturbations, snakebites, ischias and chest pains. It is administered in scoops for stomach bleeding, drunk with vinegar to destroy the inflamed blood. As poultices, it helps with catarrhs; if draped over the aching tooth, it also alleviates toothache. Thickened and dry strengthens the hair growing on the eyelids. Served warm, mixed with wax, Indian saltpetre and barley flour, it soothes gout and joint pains.”

The word “asphalt” has a Greek origin, while the other, equally widespread term “bitumen” comes from the Latin phrase pix tumens, which translates into boiling or glowing tar. The Persians called it mummy and were aware of its ability to preserve organic bodies from decay. Egyptians subsequently adopted this art from Persians. The balm they created consisted of asphalt, cedar oil and other additives. The embalmed corpse was referred to as a mummy due to the agent used. As a result of the use of asphalt in the preservation of Egyptian mummies, it was the source of interest in the context of its medicinal use for several hundred years. At the time, no other applications were considered.

Between the 12th and 18th centuries, this raw material reached Europe thanks to the prosperous mummy trade in Egypt and the Middle East. In his article De medicamentis e corpore humano desumptis, published in “Wiadomości Farmaceutyczne” [“Pharmaceutical News”] in 1912, Władysław Wiorogórski wrote: “Egyptian mummies were considered to be the best, chosen in a way that ensured they were black and shiny, uniformly heavy, not subject to change in the air, with a strong but pleasant smell. Ones that generated a tarry smell when exposed to heat were rejected. Real mummy was recommended as an effective remedy for bruises, obstructions, absence of menstruation, asthma and consumption. It was an ingredient of numerous preparations, such as powders, patches, ointments, tinctures and jams.”