Jug
Date: early 1300s
Jugs with faces were popular. Most of the potteries around London made them. They often show a man pulling his own beard. This one was made in Kingston, and is shaped like a bearded man wringing his hands. We don't know what the decoration means on these 'anthropomorphic' jugs - perhaps it is a medieval joke or caricature that has been forgotten over time.
Accession number: 5591
Place made: Kingston-upon-Thames, London [Kingston-upon-Thames]
Place of collection: Bishopsgate Street, London EC2 [City of London]
Material: ceramic; earthenware
Measurements: H 256 mm
Gallery location: Case 17.6