This lovely water carrier, sometimes miss identified as a drum, is a mid 18th to early 18th century item. Totally hand made it is designed to carry water from a well or river, either on the head or on the hip. There is a small round indentation on the base that, will the help of a small cushion or chiffon/scarf to aleviate the considerable pressure on the carrier's head. It is said to originate from eastern France but I picked this one up near Paris. The name Ferrat comes from the Auvergne region. This is a super antique pot with a real story to tell.