Face Jugs

Face Jugs from Franklin, NC. Photo by CJ Lotz

After working in Western North Carolina three summers ago, I fell in love with almost everything about the Blue Ridge/Smoky Mountains and the history of the Carolinas.

One of my favorite things about the folk art in that region is its capacity for storytelling.

That's why I love these face jugs. They're ugly, expressive and full of potential tales. One theory about their origin: put a scary face on a jug and your little kid will stay away from your moonshine. According to my extensive Wikipedia research, they were originally made of the Catawba Clay of the Western Carolinas and Georgia.

All I wanted for Christmas was one of these jugs. I told my grandpa to pick me out the ugliest one he could find, and he chose this guy. Hopefully he'll have some brothers soon.

Igor? Doofy? Photo by CJ Lotz