Beardman Jar

This belongs to a type of vessel known as a Beardman jar. These vessels were given this name because a bearded face was used as a stamp on their exterior surfaces. However, vessels of this tradition without this stamp have also been found. The history of Bellarmine jug production can be traced to the period between the 16th and 18th centuries CE. Early Bellarmine vessels were produced in the Rhine Valley of Germany. Such vessels became popular in Asia through the trade conducted by the Dutch and English in the Indian Ocean.