Terracotta Water Jug

A tall terracotta water jug with a round belly, a narrow neck and a small flared mouth. Cream, green and dark brown slip has been poured around the shoulders and left to run, so it falls down the body in long, uneven drips that stop where the glaze does. The top half is glazed and glossy, and the lower half is left as bare, soft red clay.

The handle is the clever part. It arches from the neck to the shoulder and ends in a small spout, so you can drink straight from the handle while the water in the belly stays cool. The dripped decoration is typical of the Troyan pottery tradition in Bulgaria, where jugs like this were made for everyday use and carried out to the fields.

Now it works as a vase for a loose armful of dried grasses or a single branch, or on its own on a shelf where you can see its shape.

Decorative use only. Wear to the unglazed base and a few surface marks, as you'd expect from a jug that has been used.

Dimensions.

31 cm height

19 cm at widest point

Opening 2.5 cm