American Toby Jug Museum 

Ariadne Pearlware character jug produced in Staffordshire, England, circa 1820. In Greek mythology, Ariadne was a Cretan princess and the daughter of King Minos of Crete. There are different variations of Ariadne's myth, but she is known for helping Theseus escape the Minotaur and being abandoned by him on the island of Naxos. There, Dionysus, also known as Bacchus, saw Ariadne sleeping, fell in love with her, and later married her. Many versions of the myth recount Dionysus throwing Ariadne's jeweled crown into the sky to create a constellation, the Corona Borealis. Ariadne is associated with mazes and labyrinths because of her involvement in the myths of Theseus and the Minotaur. There are also festivals held in Cyprus and Naxos in Ariadne's honor. The Pearlware finish refers to the final clear glazing that contained cobalt and gave a slight blue coloring to glaze that tended to pool between fingers and in the creases in the face.