The exhibition «Tea Time»
On September 13, the new exhibition “Tea Time” will open in the Small Exhibition Hall of the Niasvizh Museum-Reserve.
More than a hundred items from the museum funds and several dozen items provided by the antique store “Shebby” will reveal the history of the introduction of tea on Belarusian lands.
It is hard to imagine that tea, with which we are familiar today, started to be used as a tonic drink only in the 19th century in our lands. Of course, back then our ancestors brewed various herbs, but these decoctions were used mainly for treatment. The Belarusian word ‘harbata’ comes from the Latin word ‘herba’ (herb), and this suggests that it was the pharmacists who were the first to appreciate the beneficial properties of tea.
The culture of tea consumption and related traditions began to take shape under the influence of visiting Russian officials in the late 18th – early 19th century.
Gradually tea firmly entered the life of the people. New related items appeared in everyday life: samovars, teapots, saucers, etc. The history of consumption of this drink is reflected in the exhibition «Tea Time».