What is this?

[Strelnikov]

I was recently given this piece of pottery and nobody can tell me what it is used for. There is a small hole in the top. It is glazed on the inside but not on the outside.

 

http://i1308.photobu...zps8fad110a.jpg

 

http://i1308.photobu...zpse3603cd0.jpg

[Marcia Selsor]

It is a tajine.

Look up Morrocan ceramic steamer. They are used in North Africa. Traditionally they are ceramic for cooking couscous and vegetables and meats.

 

Marcia

[Strelnikov]

It is a tajine.

Look up Morrocan ceramic steamer. They are used in North Africa. Traditionally they are ceramic for cooking couscous and vegetables and meats.

 

Marcia

 

Thanks Marcia I figured somebody on this forum would know. Sure stumped everyone at work. A co-worker had it setting on her desk for years, didn't know what it was or where it came from, nobody else knew either, knew my wife was into ceramics and gave it to me (even though I was also clueless as to its use).

[Benzine]

If someone knows, what a ceramic object is, it will be Marcia. Though, to be honest, I am familiar with this one as well, mainly because I watch food and travel shows a lot; Bizarre Foods, No Reservations, etc.

[trina]

Normally tangines don't have holes in the top and the cone lid is slightly smaller than the base so that the liquid can seep out and seal the lid to the base. other than that I have no idea....T

[timbo_heff]

I was recently given this piece of pottery and nobody can tell me what it is used for. There is a small hole in the top. It is glazed on the inside but not on the outside.

 

http://i1308.photobu...zps8fad110a.jpg

 

http://i1308.photobu...zpse3603cd0.jpg

 

I believe that it is for string:

The ball goes inside and the end comes out the top: string dispenser !

[AtomicAxe]

in europe they usually make something similar out of terra cotta with the bottom piece lined with a glaze, but the rest outside of the bottom and entire top unglazed so you can soak the top of the lid to be a steamer while you cook. these have many names, shlemmertopf for example ... which have been around for many years but the new fad in cookware is the tagine, which is just a cone shaped baking dish which helps funnel the moisture back to the sides of the dish without being porous thanks to the full glaze treatment. I have different tagines and shlemmers at home of varying sizes and shapes, and offer one helpful hint if you try to make your own, make the foot of the top piece big and stable enough to be inverted without being top heavy. makes it for easier presentation without potentially leaving a mess on your counter/table. But really, it's just a unique way of doing a casserole dish.

[Strelnikov]

I was recently given this piece of pottery and nobody can tell me what it is used for. There is a small hole in the top. It is glazed on the inside but not on the outside.

 

http://i1308.photobu...zps8fad110a.jpg

 

http://i1308.photobu...zpse3603cd0.jpg

 

I believe that it is for string:

The ball goes inside and the end comes out the top: string dispenser !

 

That's probably what it will be used for in my house.

 

Although my wife is talking about trying to cook something in it to see how it turns out.

[Marcia Selsor]

Here is a link to one

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/IB_tajine_01.jpg

This is terra cotta with a hole in the cone.

Some can be more decorative.

 

Marcia