Ewerer is a medieval term

Vatican City — Following the Fall of View in 476 AD, the medieval time called from about the fifth to around the end Christian antiquated periods is one of social, political and social progress. Most of the terminology and trades that developed during this age, give glimpses into the societal structure and every day life for medieval man. Another interesting and somewhat obscure job title from among these is "ewerer" —someone who worked in royal or noble households.

An ewerer was a servant in medieval courts who was in charge of the storing, care, and cleaning of containers for water (particularly a type known as an ewer), as well as drinking vessels, basins and bowls used for washing hands or serving food. The word is strongly associated with the table manners of the nobility and, more generally, with the medieval social hierarchy. That very word is a Middle English form of ewer: a large jug used for water, in general. Here, we discuss the etymology, duties and significance of the ewerer in both its medieval courtly context and beyond.

Origins and Language of the word

Ewerer 'one who works with a ewer] from Old French ivrier, source of or related to ewer used in sense 1 (from Latin aquarium se related to water by domicile,'also, aquarius) In 12th and 13th century English, the word had developed further as "ewerer", referring to a person who kept care of and looked after the ewer.

Its inspiration, the household item — called an "ewer" — was typically found in medieval dining halls, especially within the noble and royal courts. It was used to contain water for drinking, washing or purifying hands before meals. Therefore, the position of ewerer was directly linked with providing clean and accessible water needed for those purposes.

Responsibilities of an Ewerer

Ewerers had many specific duties, but they always centred around the water. The position was usually entangled amongst a household of other servants, many of them performing specialized functions. Ewerers were in direct contact with water containers, making sure they were filled and maintained.

Ewer maintenance — The ewerer was responsible for looking after and dealing with the ewer, or large jug or pitcher that contained water or other liquids. The ewerer would ensure that water was available in clean vessels, as guests sometimes washed their hands before meals in front of one another in medieval courts.

Watering: In some instances, the ewerer was responsible for bringing water to the lords or guests himself, particularly during meals. Such custom was one of the many ornate gestes to which the medieval elites clung, each servant performing an ever-surreal and formal role at dinner.

Ritualised Functions: In royal or noble courts, offering water (and washing hands) could be part of a ceremonial process. Ewerer: an official charged with presenting water at banquets or public occasions. Not infrequently an ewerer would also wash the feet, a mark of humility performed by the host or nobleman and one which had significance in religious or symbolic contexts.

Cleanliness and hygiene: Medieval people had very different ideas of cleanliness and what constitutes good hygiene. For the upper class, water was essential for cleanliness and purification. Ewerer were instrumental in maintaining both the aesthetics and functionality of receptacles for water. Since water was frequently sourced from wells or similar communal locations, the onus of maintaining these vessels clean and serviceable rested predominantly with the ewerer.

Management of water sources: In bigger homes, an ewerer may also oversee the transport of potable H20. This might have included coordinating water delivery by servants or workers who traveled to nearest wells, rivers, or fountains to fill the necessary amount of supply for the household.

Maintenance of other household vessels: In addition to ewers, the ewerer may have taken care or responsibility for basins, pitchers or bowls used for washing, drinking, or food-related etc. The position involved knowledge of various types of vessels and their maintenance.

Medieval Household and Court: Ewerer in Context

The medieval court was characterized by degrees of separation, with various roles corresponding to levels in its highly stratified environment; the position of each servant (and their identity) within that great household—and by extension, often society—was integral to maintain efficiency. Ewerers were included within a large and sophisticated hierarchy of servile workers/apparatus and operated under the charge of higher ranking household officers, like the steward, butler, or chamberlain.

Although the ewerer was a low-ranking role, they were crucial to court hygiene and ceremonial practices. They would have served along with other specific servants such as the scullion (the servant that dealt with cleaning dishes), cupbearer (the servant that dealt with drinks, especially wine), and yeoman of the guard, who was in charge of security. These people helped keep the court running smoothly and participated in the elaborate ceremonial functions, oftenly rather pompous, that defined medieval aristocratic life.

Although the tasks of the ewerer were practical, they also bore ritual significance. In medieval culture, water possessed symbolic significance as an agent of purification and its association with religious rites. In this way, the offerer’s role could be considered as possessing the ritual purity necessary for social meetings or devotions.

The Ewerer in Religious Situations

The essential nature of water in Christian liturgies highlights once again the role of the ewerer. Water played an important role in the religious aspects of baptism, mass and other such Christian rites. In medieval times, they often prescribed various rites of washing or purification prior to holy communion or before entering any holy place. It has also suggested a connection to an early Christian religious ceremony and may refer to the ewerer, who was in charge of washing the vessels containing water; this individual would have been involved in such duties at larger monastic houses or royal chapels.

In addition, hospitality and charity were highly valued among medieval Christians and washing was considered a an aspect of grace (not referred to as such at the time) and humility. Within some noble houses and monastic orders, the ewerer may or may not have been responsible for washing feet, which was a very potent symbol of Christ's act with his disciples at the Last Supper. It was a role that reaffirmed the purity and holiness associated with both the aristocratic household and Christendom as a whole.

The Ewerer Slowly Fades into Oblivion

The importance of the role ewerer subsequently began to decline century after century. As the role of the professional butler, valet, and other types of household manager grew and expanded to include more tasks in a day-to-day home setting, water maintenance and washing duties were subsumed into these roles as well. The role of the ewerer, performed in traditional fashion, also became redundant with developments in plumbing and sanitation.

Nonetheless, the ewerer's legacy lives on in roles such as waiter and valet, who bear much of the same responsibility by supplying a flow of water to their patrons, and making sure they feel at home at the dinner table. The symbolic essence of the task of ewerer lives on in rituals and functions where water is a central element, especially in religious or ceremonial settings. The ewerer may have been a newbottom of the medieval court as it were, but their work was absolutely necessary to contend with both practical and ceremonial aspects of water use. The ewerer spotlights the complexities of medieval life, whether as a servant doing everyday tasks or an active participant in important social or religious rituals. The role they play — stemming from the unquenchable thirst for drinking water shared by all humans and reflected in their behaviour or manners — reveal the high degree of cleanliness, hospitality, social structure and order underpinning medieval society. The title of ewerer has since faded away but its history represents a part of the elaborate picture outline of the medieval household giving us both some valuable insights into medieval social structure as well as contemporary practice.