The Chicken Pitcher

On Saturday, Robert and I went to the tiny town of Nove, Italy. We went with our friends, Amy and Cliff, the other non-missionary American couple at church. We went to Nove because it's famous for its ceramics. Shopping time!

We found some really nice stuff. A set of colorful dessert plates. A beautiful large mosaic bowl with a matching platter. I don't have pictures of that stuff because it's all bubble wrapped really well, and I don't want to undo it!

But I do have a picture of what else we bought in Nove. Chicken pitchers.

You're either looking at that picture thinking, "How cute. I want one." Or else you're thinking, "What is wrong with her? That thing is hideous!" Up until a month or so ago I was in the latter group. But then I heard the story of the chicken pitcher. It's quite fascinating, so I'm including it:

History of the Chicken Pitcher

The origin of the chicken pitcher dates back to the early Renaissance period in the Republic of Florence. The leading family in the the republic at the time was the Medici family. It’s patriarch was the famous Lorenzo the Magnificent who had one brother, Giuliano. The Medicis were the wealthiest and most powerful family in the republic. Their only serious rival for power was the Pazzi family. The Pazzis were trying to take power by the normal method used at that time...assassination.

The Medici’s wealth was partially based upon their large land holdings, which their peasants in the nearby village worked on. Occasionally, the Medicis would throw large festivals in these villages for the peasants. Giuliano especially liked to do this and would do so on the slightest suggestion.

Knowing this, the Pazzis had someone suggest to Giuliano that he throw a festival in the small village of Gallina, where one had never been held before. Giuliano agreed, and the Pazzis plotted to kill Guiliano and his guards during the night of the festival, as that is when they would be the most vulnerable (due to the vast amounts of wine drank during the party).

In the fall of 1478, Giuliano and his entourage including guards, cooks, and craftsmen went to Gallina (which no longer exists today) to throw the festival. The Pazzis hired assassins to sneak into town late at night to kill Giuliano. They would have succeeded except they tried to cross a yard filled with chickens to get to him. The chickens started cackling in a great frenzy and woke up Giuliano and his guards. The assassins were so startled they froze. They were caught and executed.

Giuliano was so thrilled that chickens had warned him that he threw another festival the following night. He ordered his artisans to create ceramic copies of chickens to be used as wine pitchers. These he gave to the peasants and their friends for good luck in warding off assassins. It is now an Italain tradition to give a chicken pitcher to friends and family to protect them from trespassers and danger.

After hearing the history of the chicken pitcher, it suddenly became an item I wanted to have! Amy wanted some too, so that's why we headed off to Nove. And we came home with a chicken pitcher...or two...or three...

It was a fun trip!