Schweinetopf (“Pig Pot”)

One of the most unusual cooking pots from Jamestown is a schweinetopf, or pig pot, so-called for its porcine shape. As the name schweinetopf suggests, Germany was the origin of the form. The James Fort example was made in the Surrey-Hampshire Border region, perhaps by an immigrant German potter. Brought to Jamestown by a high status individual, the four-legged and lidded vessel was used for roasting meats. This form, recovered from excavations at Jamestown, appears to be the first of its kind found in America.

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