Fragment of a face and figure jug
Medieval, about 14th century
Found during a watching brief at 82 Hyde Street, Winchester, Hampshire in 1954
This pottery fragment from a tall earthenware jug formed part of the body of the pot, just below the rim. The lower part of a face at the top of the fragment, when complete, formed the pouring lip of the jug. You can see the clean-shaven jaw and the nose. Also surviving are the left arm, and the right hand, which seems to be holding a key. The jug has coloured slip under the glaze to decorate the jug and pick out the figure's clothing and hands. Face jugs commonly show caricatures of figures in authority. Many portray knights or bearded men. An example in the Winchester City Museum depicts a presumably religious figure praying. A key-holder might well be seen as someone of importance in the community. Perhaps this pot reminded the medieval folk of Hyde of someone they knew in their own community or in the nearby Hyde Abbey?
