NOSAS MAD Evening on Snuff Boxes with Eric Grant
27 March 2025 19:30
This Monthly Archaeological Discussion (MAD) will be at Ferintosh Church Hall in Conon Bridge. Park in the large car park in the centre of the village. NH 54259 55557. Google maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/qp9bvSp3JmbPiWEC6.
Title: Snuff taking and snuff making in Scotland: the industrial archaeology and material culture of a very Scottish habit
From the 16th century onwards, snuff taking throughout Europe was the most popular way of absorbing nicotine and gave rise to elaborate and socially stratified customs.
The manufacture of snuff containers of all sizes in the form of snuff jars, snuff mulls and snuff boxes was an important and highly specialised industry in Scotland, resulting in a rich surviving material culture of snuff taking.
From the 17th to the 19th centuries, snuff taking was so widespread that an important industry developed to prepare snuff for consumers. Similarly, manufacturing from craft technology to factory production developed in order to make a bewildering variety of snuff mulls and snuff boxes for snuff takers.
Eric is an expert on some remarkably varied things. Much involved in recent years on the Tarradale through Time (TTT) project, and currently on the Tarradale across Time (TAT) project, he nevertheless finds time for his interest in material culture.