Apollinaris Stoneware Bottle
Porto do Salvador Type: English Bellarmine sea washed with traces of barnacles, Embossed Mark: Diameter: Width: Height; 20cm Weight: 725g Bellarmine jug neck with face Sixteenth century This is the neck of a Bartman or Bellarmine jug, and finding one is on every mudlark’s hit list. They were originally made in the Rhineland to carry beer, wine or water, and were nicknamed Bellarmines in the 17th century after Cardinal Bellarmine who was a fierce opponent of Protestantism and wanted to ban alcohol. The jugs were also used as witch pots. This involved placing items inside the bottle to create the spell and sealing and burying it. Excavated examples have been known to contain nails, pins, human hair and even heart shaped pieces of felt pierced with pins. You have to be quite lucky to find a complete beardy man face. This was in a few sections, so it took a bit of delicate digging when I pulled out the first bit. They are bizarre objects, and the beauty of them is that every face is different. It was great to wipe off the mud and look into his eyes.
Size: 2832px × 4256px
Location: Banco da Panela, Salvador, Bahia
Photo credit: © Andrew Kemp / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ancient, antique, bottle, bottles, ceramic, product, stock
