Jug

A jug for everyday use, preserved by an Alaya family that settled in Eleftheroupoli, Nea Ionia, and used daily to fetch water from the nearby communal fountains in the Podarades area. It is made of a pewter alloy, as indicated by its matte surface, uniform oxidation, and the characteristically soft wear from long-term use. Its form—with a pronounced rounded body, a slender neck, and an extended lip—is frequently encountered in Asia Minor metalworking workshops in the early 20th century.
Along the upper band, a fine strip with incised decorative motifs is visible, produced with a hand-held chisel and indicative of the vernacular craft of local artisans. The handle, secured at the base with a metal staple, bears traces of oxidation suggesting a copper alloy.
This jug comes from a Greek household in Alaya. It kept water cool on the daily table, always covered with a scalloped cloth, and constitutes a characteristic document of domestic metalwork and of the everyday life of Asia Minor Greeks—both before the uprooting of 1922 and, later, in their new life in their new homeland.

Donated to the collection of the Alaya Association by Sofia Tsompanaki, from the personal archive of her husband Kostas Tsompanakis, President of the Association, it is exhibited at the ALAYA Cultural Centre.