This is a new introduction to voices from the plain of jars. How to date old ball mason jars with pictures wikihow. But before we jump in, liets take a look at some of the history behind these vintage collectibles. A theres a great deal of nonsense written about the origin of piggy bank. People called this their pygg bank or their pyggy bank. Do you know the history of using a pig for a savings bank, i. Over the next two hundred to three hundred years, as the english language evolved, the clay pygg and the animal pigge came to be pronounced the same, and europeans slowly forgot that pygg once referred to the earthenware pots, jars and cups of yesteryear. Piggy bank is the traditional name of a coin container normally used by children. The name originated from the word pygg, which referred to an orange clay used to form all sorts of pottery items, including jars to hold loose change, which were named after the material itself. People made all kinds of useful objects out of clay, including dishes and jars to hold spare change. The company started making mason jars back in 1880, and many people today still use these for canning, or collect the jars as a hobby.
Instead, dishes and pots were made of an economical orangecolored clay called pygg. When first published in 1972, this book was instrumental in exposing the bombing. See more ideas about cookie jars, vintage cookies and antique cookie jars. The little jars went racingfrom 100, 000 sold in 1917 to its present millions of. The clay was a cheap material and as earthenware was often replaced by other materials, such as plaster, plastic, and glass. Pig banks probably got their name from jars made from pygg clay that people in england during the middle ages used to store small items. Its this acute understanding of conflict that characterizes plain of jars, a book populated by bullies, men in combat, abusive spouses, and native americans seeking a sense of personal identity in an environment where conformity is law.
The middle english word pygg referred to a type of clay. Roman terracotta inkwell and bronze stylus roman artifacts, historical. People had been using clay jars to store money since b. The pig banks come from pygg jars, which were made from an orangecolored pygg clay. By the 18th century, with the evolution of language, these came to be known as a pig bank or piggy bank. In the 1400s, household pots and dishes were made of cheap clay called pygg. Back in 2007, one of my columns focused on what oldschool folk did to save their money. Ironically, while its one of the more iconic products of all time, few people know the history behind the ageless invention. Hundreds of years later, people forgot that pygg referred to the clay. Ceramics is one of the most ancient industries going back thousands of years. Look for jars embossed with the atlas name in raised lettering. There are a number of folk etymologies regarding the english language term piggy bank, but in fact, there is no clear origin for the phrase.
They also more damningly claim that the pygg theory is bs because there was never such a clay as pygg, thus there were no pygg containers at all. One of the most fascinating periods in history, the medieval era spanned the 5th century to about around the 15th, starting with the fall of the roman empire and merging into the renaissance and the age of discovery. Brief history of ceramics and glass the american ceramic. People continued to call their moneysaving containers pygg jars, and then pig banks, well after they were made out of other materials. According to one expert, only about a dozen jars like this exist in the world, making. From the haitian, brought by columbus, kanoa meaning dugout or hollow log. Teachers will find useful resources for teaching history in the classroom. During the middle ages, dishes and pots were commonly made of a clay called pygg, and the jars were often used to store spare coins. The middle english term pygg referred to a type of clay. Believe it or not, the basic piggy bank used to be far. Vowels in early english had different sounds than they do today, so during the time of the saxons the word pygg would have been pronounced pug.
Even though this book was highly recommended on a bottlejar collectors website, i was very disappointed in it. I found the little book quite educational on the history of the ball manufacturing company and how it started. It is also the only book to describe life under the largest. Ball mason jars make up a lot of the jars you see in the market. Piggy banks get their name from an orangecolored clay called pygg, which was used in the middle ages to make jars for storing staples such as salt. Mason wasnt the only manufacturer to add this patent. But as the pronunciation of y changed from a u to an i, pygg.
The plain of jars is an entertaining action adventure story that educates as well, with numerous segments on the history, politics and culture of laos interspersed to supplement the events in the story. They say that in the 18th century pygg bank became pig bank and later piggy bank. Since prehistoric times, engineered ceramic and glass materials have had significant roles in most technologies. As a typical example, this is from a book that came out just as i was looking into the. In middle english, pygg referred to a specific type of inexpensive clay that was used to make household objects like jars or pots, called pygg jars. Housewives would store extra coins in the pyggy jars. Buy mason jar canvas prints designed by millions of independent artists from all over the world. It consists of thousands of stone jars scattered around the upland valleys and the lower foothills of the central plain of the xiangkhoang plateau.
These days, secretaries wear hot pants to the office and the jars are filled by modern. Once humans discovered that clay could be found in abundance and formed into objects by first mixing with water and then firing, a key industry was born. The battle of hastings is one of the most famous battles in english history, and it took place in 1066. Wouldnt this tablescape of mason jars and book pages be fun for a book club, or even a fun gathering of friends. Sometime in 18thcentury england, these jars had morphed into hollow containers with a coin slot, often shaped like a pig to make a visual pun on the name of the clay. Its a bit simplistic, so much so that some doubt this claim, saying it was born out of a 1987 book called panatis extraordinary origins of everyday things, which conveniently failed to cite its references. Take note of any dates or other information on the jars. The origin of piggy banks dates back nearly 600 years, in a time before real banks even existed. Before the creation of modernstyle banking institutions, people commonly stored their money at home not under the mattress or hay rack, but in common kitchen jars.
This goes back to 15thcentury england, where people made jars and dishes and household stuff out of orange clay known as pygg. The hazelatlas company was in business from 1902 to 1964. In old english around the 15th century there was a word pygg which referred to a type of orange clay. Gave this book, a jar of homemade fig jam and a cuddly stuffed pig to 2 sets of new parents as welcome baby gifts. The earliest known pigshaped money containers date to the 12th century on the island. Drained principally by the ngum river, a southwardflowing tributary of the mekong river, the plain is characterized by narrow river valleys and limestone and sandstone hills ranging from 3,000 to 3,600 feet 900 to 1,100 m in elevation. D uring the vietnam war, the plain of jars, an area in northern laos, was the site of the most protracted and extensive bombing of civilian targets in the history of warfare. The piggy banks origin owes more to the history of language, than to an individual inventor. To satiate your curiosity, were serving up a pintsized.
Id love to hear what you think would turn this into the perfect luncheon. One name was enough prior to the introduction of surnames in england in 1066, everyone had just one name. Porcelain, bone china, and stoneware, all fired at high enough temperatures to vitrify, are the main other important types of pottery earthenware comprises most building bricks, nearly all european pottery up to the seventeenth century, most of the wares of egypt, persia and the near east. I have taught medieval, tudor and stuart history for the workers educational association w. Englands middle ages werent just an idyllic time of knights, quests, and maidensthey also had lots of war, disease, and intrigue. During the middleages, the metal was expensive, and people preferred to use clay instead.
The history blog blog archive the oldest piggy banks are also. Voices from the plain of jars was the result of that effort. I am currently a freelance writer, tutor and speaker. Life under an air war, originally published in 1972, the only book to emerge from the indochina war written from the perspective of its villagers. According to charles panatis extraordinary origins of everyday things, people were saving money in kitchen pots and jars made of pygg, called pygg jars and by the 18th century, pygg jar had become pig bank, potters simply casting the bank in the shape of its common, everyday name. Drowned scorpion may have been playing possum in the pool. Whenever folks could save an extra coin or two, they dropped it into one of their clay jars a pygg pot. Explore how past events have influenced and shaped our world. The merriamwebster dictionary and the oxford english dictionary, on the other han. It was punctuated by major events such as the signing of the magna carta, the hundred years war, and the black death. In this expanded edition, branfman follows the story forward in time, describing the hardships that laotians faced after the war when they returned to find their farm fields littered with cluster. As a back story, the ball brothers became prominent citizens of muncie.
In it, william the conqueror, well, conquered england. In the eighteenth century a clever potter decided to make a pigshaped pygg bank as a novelty item and that soon became the piggy bank of. Many amateur etymologists have latched onto an urban legend about the piggy bank from the 1965 book how did it begin. During 1940s and 50s, the company was one of the largest producers of canning jars along with competitors ball and kerr. This ball mason jar is the result of a molding error, where the logo and name were stamped on upsidedown.
Over the next two hundred to three hundred years, the clay pygg and the animal pigge came to be pronounced the same and europeans slowly forgot that pygg once referred to the earthenware pots, jars, and cups. Some canadian made canning jars, particularly the improved gem jar made by dominion glassdomglasconsumers glass have a year number e. According to charles panatis 1989 book, the extraordinary origins of everyday things, metal was scarce and. By the 18th century pygg became corrupted to pig, and the makers of pig jars began making them in the shape of the animal that shared their name. By the 18th century, with the evolution of language, these came to be known as a. I ran across a small brochure advertising note cards and this little book that could be ordered at a very, very low price. Instantly recognizable by avid vintagelovers, the nov. The great piggy bank mystery chinese new year bbc storyworks. Many web pages claim that piggy bank derives from pygg, said to be a kind of clay. The author states that the old english word for clay was pygg. These resources and guides will guide you through the facts, interpretations, and lessons of history, from the earliest civilizations to the present day. The book i got was revised in 1996 and had those values listed. Piggy bank sometimes penny bank or money box is the traditional name of a coin container normally used by children. By the 18th century, the spelling of pygg had changed and the term pygg jar had evolved to pig bank.
Print after 1908 painting by henry payneof the scene in the temple garden from shakespeares play henry vi, part 1, where supporters of the rival factions pick either red or white roses i finished last weeks challenge at the beginning of the fifteenth century. As a typical example, this is from a book that came out just as i was looking into the matter. My first foray into public speaking was at words by the water the keswick. There are many ways to date old ball mason jars, and one of the easiest is to look at the logo. When columbus returned to spain, the spelling changed. The piggy banks history goes back to the middle ages. Marine corps sets the stage for a number of these stories, whose protagonists combat racism, post.
Here is the introduction to the new edition, as sent by fred branfman and with permission of the university of wisconsin press. Tudor pygg jar the piggy bank in the history of english speaking countries was born from a trick of language. The piggy bank is known to collectors as a still bank as opposed to the mechanical banks popular in the early 20th century. All mason jar canvas prints ship within 48 hours, include a 30day moneyback guarantee, and arrive readytohang with preattached hanging wire. Ball is one of the most recognized names in home canning. Ball mason jars are a type of home canning jar made by the ball corporation. People kept their coins in clay jars that were called pygg jars, which have evolved into what we currently call piggy banks. In the middle ages, people would often keep coins in jars or pots made of pygg these were called pygg jars. The ball brothers set up their new operation and began to acquire many of the smaller jar manufacturers, and as they say, the rest is history. In the early 1900s, there were hundreds of brands of mason jars, but only a few stood the test of time.
There was no history or dates on the little crude pictures. The middle english term pygg referred to a type of clay with which jars or pots were made. This ball mason with a light green tone has 4 and f impressed on base 16cms tall a later version of the ball mason jar shows genuine sculptured glass made in the usa on the base and has a handy measure on the side and a lot more embellishment fruit basket. These items are also often used by companies for promotional purposes. The story of how piggy banks became part of western culture is more muddied. And if you happened to have an extra coin or two, you might put it in a jar made of pygg. Things, people were saving money in kitchen pots and jars made of pygg. An old story about the origin of piggy bank is debunked. So in the 19th century when english potters received requests for pygg banks, they. Over time pygg jars became piggy jars became piggy banks. The secret war in laos was kept hidden from the american public and the rest of the world for 9 years. During the middle ages, metal was expensive and seldom used for household wares.