Bottle - Earthenware

Pearl-holding jar from Triana. Seville, late 16th century

Pearl-holding jar or transport amphora, made of turned ceramic and covered with a characteristic lead green glaze on both exterior and interior.

Triana, Seville. Late 16th century, the period of maximum development of Seville’s trade with the Indies.

With a fusiform, elongated body, pronounced shoulders, a gradual taper to a base of small diameter, and a circular mouth with an almost non-existent neck, finished with a thick molded lip.

One of the shoulders bears a circular potter’s stamp impressed on the surface, a particularly interesting feature for its study and cataloging. The surface preserves the irregularities typical of a utilitarian piece turned on the wheel, as well as small adherences and original firing defects.

This type of vessel, known as pearl-holding jars, were used during the 16th and 17th centuries for the storage and maritime transport of wine, oil, spirits, and other products on the trade routes between Seville and the American territories.

Condition: notable for its age and utilitarian character. Complete piece, with wear, some losses, and glaze alterations, especially at the mouth, shoulders, and rubbing zones, compatible with its age and use.

Estimated measurements: 53–55 cm in height × 32–34 cm in maximum diameter.
Exterior mouth diameter: approximately 9–11 cm.

Estimated weight: 7–9 kg.

Provenance: private collection