THE ORIGIN OF THE BOTIJO
A botijo is a clay jug that is used for cooling water.
The function of the botijo is very simple: it is based on the
principles of evaporative cooling. The botijo is typically made of
a very porous material. Therefore, as the water within filters through the
pours of the clay, it evaporates once it passes through the miniscule holes
(capillaries) and comes into contact with the supposed dry
Mediterranean-type climate. In order to change into a gaseous state, the
water needs energy which can be taken from the outside environment as
well as from the liquid that remains within, while simultaneously lowering
its temperature. This phenomenon is know as the botijo effect.
Its origin can be traced back to prehistoric times, presumably the Neolithic
era. The first versions of botijos were derived from ostrich eggs
for use by the adults, quail eggs for the children and bird eggs for the
babies. In order to distinguish one from the other, each egg would be
painted differently with the blood of animals they hunted.
The history of the botijo is revisited within the ancient
Mesopotamian cultures where the first remains of the containers similar in
shape to the modern botijo were found. The bronze era in the
Mediterranean and Hellenistic Greece saw the botijo at its greatest
when they were also used as decorative art pieces. Its decadence began at
the second half of the 20th century with the appearance of domestic
refrigerators. In Spain, where it’s been used traditionally, the botijo
still remains as an ornamental element.