Andiron with cooking pots and a pair of fire tongs c. 1590 - 1596

These iron fire tongs, made by an anonymous maker, are one component of a hearth setting of cooking pots and andirons. This functional object provides us with a lens through which we can consider the material conditions of everyday life. Cooking was physically demanding and central to the domestic sphere. The labor involved in maintaining a hearth, preparing food, and tending to the fire often fell to women and servants. These tongs acted as an extension of the body, performing the dangerous work of manipulating hot objects. Consider how the design of this simple tool embodies the values of the culture that produced it. What does it tell us about gender roles, labor, and the relationship between people and their environment? The tongs invite us to reflect on the intimate connection between objects and the lived experiences of those who used them.