When we were children, we saved our pocket money in piggy banks given by banks, and sometimes we had metal piggy banks that we bought from stationery. Sometimes we even used a jar as a piggy bank.
Although we are not used to it, piggy banks around the world are usually designed in the shape of pigs and they are made of breakable materials. The starting point of these designs, which we are familiar with from the movies, goes back to earthen pots and jugs.
The history of the piggy bank is even older than money. In those years, seeds, food, jewelry, weapons and precious stones were collected in these jugs.
Its history dates back to Ancient Greek life in the 2nd century BC. In fact, one of the oldest piggy bank finds was unearthed from the Ancient City of Priene in Aydın’s Söke district. These pots made of terracotta have a hole big enough to put money into. Therefore, in order to discharge the accumulated money, the test must be broken. In addition, metal was expensive in those years and was not used in household appliances.
The equivalent of the word piggy bank in English is “piggy bank”. While it was not related to the “pig” meaning pig at first, it was later associated with it.
The name of the clay used in the making of pottery piggy banks is “pygg”. With the effect of the similarity of the words pygg and piggy, piggy banks were designed in the shape of a pig and have survived in this way until today.
It is also estimated that the piggy bank was given the shape of a pig because the piggy banks are made of mud and because pigs like to roll in the mud.
There are pig-shaped piggy banks from the 14th and 15th centuries in Indonesia, so it is thought that there may be a culture from here.
Sources: 1, 2
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