flagons

A flagon is a large vessel for holding and serving liquids, typically with a handle and a spout or narrow lip. In European contexts it has historically been used for wine or beer and ranged from everyday household containers to ceremonial vessels.

The word flagon comes from Old French flacon, via Middle English flagon, and has long referred to portable vessels for beverages. Its use dates to the medieval and early modern periods, when such vessels were common in both domestic settings and public taverns.

Flagons are made from a variety of materials, including metal (pewter and silver), ceramic, and glass. They usually have a rounded or ovoid body, a short neck, and a single vertical handle; many examples also feature a hinged or removable lid to protect the contents. Early flagons tended toward simple forms, while later ones frequently displayed decorative engraving, pictorial motifs, or heraldic devices.

In liturgical contexts, the flagon is a wine vessel used in the Eucharist to hold sacramental wine before and during consecration; it is typically paired with a chalice and sometimes a paten or ciborium. In secular use, flagons served beer, ale, or wine for household or tavern service, with many 17th- and 18th-century pewter examples remaining common in museums and collections.

Today flagons appear in museum collections and in contemporary studio pottery, where designers produce interpretations in glass, metal, and ceramic. The term endures in everyday language as well, often referring generically to any large jug or decanter of a beverage.