Storia e usi degli orci pugliesi in terracotta
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History and uses of Apulian terracotta jars

The story

The ancient Apulian jars are the objects that best represent the world of terracotta. The tradition of their creation has remained faithful over the centuries, making this artisanal product unique and inimitable in its kind.

The first appearance could date back to the 14th century . In that period the ancient families and farms of central and southern Italy needed containers suitable for preserving and preserving the processed products of the earth, such as oils and wines.

Let's find out in this article what Apulian jars are and what their characteristics and uses are.

What is the origin of the term “orcio”?

The word “orcio” is used mainly in central Italy to describe a pot-bellied terracotta vase that is entirely hand-crafted.

It could easily be confused with the more classic and famous amphora , but the jar is nothing more than a variant of it, decidedly more generous in shape and decorations. Generally speaking, the jar has a rounded shape and is characterized by two or more bands that wrap around it. At the top we find the two handles (even if you could easily find them without ), while the belly is always adorned with decorations of all kinds or with the coat of arms that represents the artisan producer.

Interestingly, the term “jar” was anciently used as a unit of measurement for volume , in which case it is one twelfth of a gallon, or 37.98 gallons.

Furthermore, way back in 1612, the 1st edition of the Accademia della Crusca vocabulary defines the orcio as a “ terracotta vase”.

The characteristics and usefulness of the ancient Apulian Orci

Today, large jars are mainly used to decorate gardens or the interiors of villas and historic and prestigious homes . In ancient times, they were used to contain oil, wine and even wheat . In particular, for wine, some producers decide to refine their product even now in these terracotta containers, in keeping with their winemaking tradition.

If you are passionate about the traditions of our land, perhaps you should deepen your knowledge by reading the article on the history of Apulian frisa with EVO oil and tomato.

A few centuries ago the jar was used mainly to store liquids. Usually it was a very large container, but there were also smaller jars , used mostly as jugs. The same term also indicated another vessel characterized by an elongated shape but which was mainly used to contain wine.

Another variant is the “ziro” , which has a thinner shape and is enameled on the inside so that it can hold oil. The decoration is sometimes limited to some raised bands that make it more ergonomic to hold, avoiding dropping it and losing the precious content.

The classic Apulian jar has become an integral part of our tradition , and its typical shape with an elongated neck embodies all the typical features of the art of working terracotta by the Apulian masters.

In short, a container not only of typical Apulian oil, but also of history, tradition and art of our magnificent region Puglia!

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