A tankard is a form of drinkware consisting of a large, roughly cylindrical, drinking cup with a single handle. Tankards are usually made of silver or pewter, but can be made of other materials, for example wood, ceramic, or leather.[1] A tankard may have a hinged lid, and tankards featuring glass bottoms are also fairly common. Tankards are shaped and used similarly to beer steins.
A wooden tankard found on board the 16th century carrackMary Rose.
The word "tankard" originally meant any wooden vessel (13th century) and later came to mean a drinking vessel.[1] The earliest tankards were made of wooden staves, similar to a barrel, and did not have lids. A 2000-year-old wooden tankard of approximately four-pint capacity has been unearthed in Wales.[2][3]
Tankard recovered from Gribshunden shipwreck (1495)
A late medieval example of a fine tankard milled from alder wood was recovered by underwater archaeologists excavating the wreck of the royal Danish-Norwegian flagship, Gribshunden. The ship sank in June 1495 while King Hans sailed from Copenhagen to Kalmar, Sweden, for a diplomatic summit. When excavated, the tankard's lid was still securely in place, and gas from the degradation of the medieval beverage was trapped inside.[4]
Glass bottomsedit
Metal tankards often come with a glass bottom. The legend is that the glass-bottomed tankard was developed as a way of refusing the King's shilling, i.e., conscription into the British Army or Navy. The drinker could see the coin in the bottom of the glass and refuse the drink, thereby avoiding conscription. However, this is likely a fable since the Navy could press by force, rendering deception unnecessary.[5]
A further story is that the glass bottom merely allowed the drinker to judge the clarity of their drink while forgoing the expense of a fragile pint glass.[6]
Glass bottoms are sometimes retrofitted to antique tankards, reducing their value and authenticity.
Conversionsedit
Covered tankards fell out of fashion in 19th century England resulting in a number of them being converted to other roles such as jugs.[7]
Modern tankardsedit
Metal and ceramic tankards are still manufactured but are regarded as specialty or novelty items. Modern metal tankards are often engraved to commemorate some occasion. Glass tankards—that is, straight-sided or inward-sloping glass vessels with strap handles—are still in everyday use.[citation needed]
Lead leaching from pewteredit
In previous centuries, the pewter used to make tankards often contained lead, which exposed the drinker to medical effects, ranging from heavy metal poisoning to gout.[8] This effect was exacerbated in cider-drinking areas—such as Somerset, UK—as the acidity of the cider leached the lead from the pewter more quickly.[citation needed]Clay tankards became prevalent in this area. Pewter is now widely lead-free.
In popular cultureedit
A 1970s TV advertising campaign for Whitbread beer features a pub landlord spinning a tall tale to an American tourist, who suspiciously asks: "Are you really Lord Tankard?"[9]
In Season 3, Episode 3 of the sitcom Cheers, Frasier Crane says to his bartender friend Sam, “Well, I’ll have a tanker of your finest lager.”
tankard, other, uses, disambiguation, tankard, form, drinkware, consisting, large, roughly, cylindrical, drinking, with, single, handle, usually, made, silver, pewter, made, other, materials, example, wood, ceramic, leather, tankard, have, hinged, tankards, fe. For other uses see Tankard disambiguation A tankard is a form of drinkware consisting of a large roughly cylindrical drinking cup with a single handle Tankards are usually made of silver or pewter but can be made of other materials for example wood ceramic or leather 1 A tankard may have a hinged lid and tankards featuring glass bottoms are also fairly common Tankards are shaped and used similarly to beer steins A wooden tankard found on board the 16th century carrack Mary Rose Contents 1 Wooden tankards 2 Glass bottoms 3 Conversions 4 Modern tankards 5 Lead leaching from pewter 6 In popular culture 7 Gallery 8 See also 9 ReferencesWooden tankards editThe word tankard originally meant any wooden vessel 13th century and later came to mean a drinking vessel 1 The earliest tankards were made of wooden staves similar to a barrel and did not have lids A 2000 year old wooden tankard of approximately four pint capacity has been unearthed in Wales 2 3 nbsp Tankard recovered from Gribshunden shipwreck 1495 A late medieval example of a fine tankard milled from alder wood was recovered by underwater archaeologists excavating the wreck of the royal Danish Norwegian flagship Gribshunden The ship sank in June 1495 while King Hans sailed from Copenhagen to Kalmar Sweden for a diplomatic summit When excavated the tankard s lid was still securely in place and gas from the degradation of the medieval beverage was trapped inside 4 Glass bottoms editMetal tankards often come with a glass bottom The legend is that the glass bottomed tankard was developed as a way of refusing the King s shilling i e conscription into the British Army or Navy The drinker could see the coin in the bottom of the glass and refuse the drink thereby avoiding conscription However this is likely a fable since the Navy could press by force rendering deception unnecessary 5 A further story is that the glass bottom merely allowed the drinker to judge the clarity of their drink while forgoing the expense of a fragile pint glass 6 Glass bottoms are sometimes retrofitted to antique tankards reducing their value and authenticity Conversions editCovered tankards fell out of fashion in 19th century England resulting in a number of them being converted to other roles such as jugs 7 Modern tankards editMetal and ceramic tankards are still manufactured but are regarded as specialty or novelty items Modern metal tankards are often engraved to commemorate some occasion Glass tankards that is straight sided or inward sloping glass vessels with strap handles are still in everyday use citation needed Lead leaching from pewter editIn previous centuries the pewter used to make tankards often contained lead which exposed the drinker to medical effects ranging from heavy metal poisoning to gout 8 This effect was exacerbated in cider drinking areas such as Somerset UK as the acidity of the cider leached the lead from the pewter more quickly citation needed Clay tankards became prevalent in this area Pewter is now widely lead free In popular culture editA 1970s TV advertising campaign for Whitbread beer features a pub landlord spinning a tall tale to an American tourist who suspiciously asks Are you really Lord Tankard 9 In Season 3 Episode 3 of the sitcom Cheers Frasier Crane says to his bartender friend Sam Well I ll have a tanker of your finest lager Gallery edit nbsp A white slipware tankard from Cyprus c 1600 1150 B C nbsp Little ceramic tankard with lid nbsp Pewter tankard nbsp Modern glass stein or tankard nbsp A 19th century Norwegian burr birch tankard nbsp Wooden tankard in the coat of arms of HonkajokiSee also editBeer stein Haufebecher Kronkasa MassReferences edit a b Tankard at British History Online Archived from the original on 2011 05 25 Retrieved 2008 05 12 Tankard Blog Langstone tankard Foley Brendan 2024 01 31 Interim Report on Gribshunden 1495 Excavations 2019 2021 Acta Archaeologica 94 1 132 145 doi 10 1163 16000390 09401052 ISSN 0065 101X Paul Gooddy The Impress Service Archived from the original on 2014 05 12 Retrieved 2014 05 13 Revolutionary Players Pewter Tankards 24 September 2015 Bly John ed 2002 Is it Genuine How to Collect Antiques with Confidence Octopus Publishing group p 121 ISBN 0753708582 Ease Gout Pain 19 January 2000 A Allotment and Vegetable Gardening Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tankard amp oldid 1223750644, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
