The “talhão de Santa Maria” recalls a time when water was treated as a scarce resource and the Azores economy had its own internal markets. Before the widespread adoption of the modern water supply system that brings water directly into our homes, these types of vessels were used to store and keep fresh the water needed for domestic use, including daily hygiene and cooking.
Placed in the kitchen workspace, near the dough-making area and stove, water from the family cistern or tank—or from the communal fountain—arrived in containers usually made of cedar or rosewood. The water was then drawn from the talhão using a small metal dipper or a clay cup.
Although similar vessels were produced on other islands, the talhão became strongly associated with pottery from Santa Maria. The expression “talhão de Santa Maria” is often used pejoratively to describe someone with a more robust physique.
This artifact is part of the Ethnography Management Unit at the Museum of Angra do Heroísmo.
Text | Maria Helena Ormonde
