Jars

The ceramic jar is an ever-present element in the history of pottery production due to equal parts remarkable functionality and decorative license. From simple stoneware to pristine porcelain, antique and vintage ceramic jars still tantalize collectors today with both their utility and unique beauty.

The history of the ceramic jar took root among the earliest cultures, who explored the potential of ceramic pieces in a variety of quotidian contexts. Soon discovered to be essential for the service of food, ceramic wares also filled the need for storage of materials when they were fitted with a lid, and thus, the jar was born. As time passed, the jar and its accompanying lid became increasingly decorative.

Early Chinese porcelain jars featured elaborate motifs and elegant glazes as early as the 8th century B.C., and European makers began following suit as soon as these traditions trickled westward. What remains today is a diverse field of antique ceramic jugs that is enticing to collectors.

Quick Facts

• Some of the most striking ceramic jars of the ancient world were those made in ancient Egypt. One of their customized forms was that of the canopic jar, which was designed to preserve the integral interior organs of a deceased individual for use again in the afterlife
• In the early days of ancient Greece, amphorae, or elegant and elongated jars used for the storage of wine or oils, were also symbolically used as grave markers for women
• The residents of Moss, Norway believe their town is home to the world’s largest ceramic jar: measuring nearly 17 feet tall and made of almost 10 tons of clay, it was revealed in 2001 as part of a celebration for the new millennium