Masher

Mediumwood

Dimensions11 1/4 × 7 1/4 × 6 1/4 in. (28.6 × 18.4 × 15.9 cm)

ClassificationsTools, Implements & Weights

Credit LineAlbuquerque Museum, museum purchase

Object numberPC1976.86.71

DescriptionAlso known as a carver's mallet, this masher is constructed of wood and likely dates back to the nineteenth century. The overall shape of the tool suggests it could have been utilized for a variety of tasks, such as mashing food or materials similar to a pestle, although it appears most similar to a tool used primarily within stonemasonry and carving due to the rounded edges throughout and its durable appearance. The tool itself features a rounded, sphere-like base, with a domed, slightly flared bottom surface and a flattened top portion in which a slightly darker, cylindrical, handle-appearing piece is connected. Upon inspection of the bottom surface of the tool, the handle is visible through a hole through which it is connected. Splitting, cracks, discoloration, and chipping are visible throughout, as well as a significant spot of what appears to be chipping, leaving behind a white mark on one side. This tool might have been incorporated as a masher for food preparation for a variety of foods, likely inspired by or based on the mortar and pestle tool, dating back thousands of years. On the other hand, this tool may have been integrated as a carver's mallet, a tool recognized for creating meticulous cuts through bestowing controlled force when carving intricately, dating back to Egyptian, Greek, and Roman civilizations. Regardless of the differences in purpose between these tools, they both have ancient origins in terms of the original "prototype", thus resulting in the continuation of effective and practical tools such as this one, and perhaps an interchange in usage, fostering further versatility.

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