A Georgia Pottery Face Jug, a Pointy War Elf, signed HY. Measures 22" around 9.25 high. Wt. 4 pd. PROVENANCE: A Historic Charlotte Street Home, Charleston, SC. Face Jugs have a long history in the Southern US but nobody seems to know exactly their origins.  The most common stories are that they were invented as a way to warn children of the poisonous contents of the jars (be it arsenic or moonshine) or that they were meant to keep away evil spirits from the graves of family members. Most believe the tradition began with slaves who worked pottery wheels for manufacturing goods and created face jugs for their own use. The tradition of face jugs has continued to this day in many areas of the Southeast, especially in North Carolina and Georgia.

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