As soon as you set foot in an Italian trattoria, there’s a good chance your gaze will lock with a showy, colorful, eye-catching rooster…just the way any rooster worth its salt would want. But this fellow is not looking for a fight; he’s just one example of Italy’s iconic and beloved ceramic rooster pitchers gracing tables and shop shelves all over the Bel Paese.

While these flamboyant rooster vessels seem as much a part of the folkloric Italian landscape as a glass of red wine, they haven’t always been such an intrinsic part of Italian table culture. And like most traditional hallmarks, there’s a good back-story to be told.