This stunning hand painted maiolica Deruta jug comes in the traditional Rooster design.

This Rooster Jug measures 500ml (200mm high) 

The "Rooster Pitcher" or "Rooster Jug" dates back to the early Renaissance period.  At this time, the Medici family, one of the most powerful landowning families of the time, held a feast in the village of Gallina for their peasants.  After the feast, when everyone was asleep, a rival family sent assassins to the village to kill the Medici.  However, the roosters in the yards around the village started cackling when disturbed by the assassins, waking both the Medici family and their guards.  The assassins were caught and duly executed.  The Medici family, were so grateful to the roosters for saving their lives that they commissioned local artists to create ceramic replicas of them to be used as wine pitchers.  These were then distributed to the peasants and their friends to commemorate this event and to provide for them similar good luck in times of peril and danger.