Face jugs are a widely recognized indigenous
Southern American style of
folk pottery. (Although of course ceramics have been decorated with
faces for nearly as long as people have made jugs vaguely in the same shape as heads.)
American face jugs are said to have been made deliberately frightening so that they would keep little children away, allowing parents to keep the corn liquor safe in the jug, but there may have been other
reasons. The tradition dates at least from the 19th century, and appears to have originated in the work of enslaved
African-American potters. [more inside]
posted by Countess Elena
on Nov 14, 2010 -
20 comments
