Object Type
A wide-mouthed stoneware vessel of this type would have been known to its German maker as a Krug, a word that was applied to general-purpose mugs or jugs without any kind of pinched pouring lip. In the 16th century stoneware vessels designed specifically for pouring liquids had tall spouts, like a modern coffee pot. It is therefore safe to assume that this particular pot was used for drinking beer.

Historical Associations
In 1545 Henry VIII was watching the English fleet fighting the French off Portsmouth, Hampshire. His much-loved flagship, Mary Rose, attempted a complicated manoeuvre, keeled over and vanished beneath the waves, taking most of its crew with it. The half of the ship that settled into the silt was preserved with all its contents. It was raised in the 1980s. Modern research has established that the Mary Rose, a veteran warship already some years old, had recently been fitted with additional heavy bronze guns. It is thought that a sudden gust of wind, aggravated by the extra weight of the guns, caused the ship to roll, allowing water to rush in through the open gun ports.

Materials & Making
German salt-glazed stoneware, the toughest ceramic material available, was especially favoured for heavy-duty applications, such as kitchens, rowdy taverns and for sea travel. The barber-surgeon's cabin on the Mary Rose contained several plain stoneware pots with heavy thumbed bases, used as drug jars.