Coffee Jug

Label

This Eritrean jug, known locally as a jebena, represents a traditional Ethiopian container used to brew Arabic coffee for ceremonies. These cultural events bring together family, friends, and relatives, and coffee is a symbol of hospitality and community.

Thanks to its bulbous design, brewers are able to roast and grind the beans as well as boil the coffee directly in the jug through a horsehair filter that prevents the beans from exiting the jug during pouring. The container’s terracotta material and innovative design not only enable a unique all-in-one technique for brewing coffee but also sustain the warmth of the liquid for an extended period.

From the 2024 exhibition A Space for Dialogue 118, Coffee and Tea in Art: A Brew of Cultural Symbolism, Solace, and Introspection, curated by Jeffrey Liu '24, Class of 1954 Intern

Exhibition History

A Space for Dialogue 118, Coffee and Tea in Art: A Brew of Cultural Symbolism, Solace, and Introspection, Jeffrey Liu '24, Class of 1954 Intern, Alvin P. Gutman Gallery, Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, May 11 - July 7, 2024

Provenance

Collected by Joel Whiting, Asmara, Eritrea (formerly Ethiopia), early 1960's; given to present collection, 1965.

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