Why does the piggy bank traditionally have the shape of a pig?

THE piggy bank shaped pig they are a common object in many cultures, fromEurope to Asiabut why this animal? The answer lies in the tradition peasant and in therural economy. The pig has been a symbol of wealth And abundance In many cultures: in rural Europe, possessing a pig meant food safety for his family, he was an animal Easy to breed and provided food throughout the winter. Combining this idea to the concept of savingthe pig has become the perfect metaphor for keep money for the future.

The oldest “pig pigs” known to date come fromSouthern Asiaprecisely from Indonesia and India, and date back to XII-XIII century. The custom of creating pigs with pork features has also spread to Europe in Europe late Middle Agesdaughter of peasant culture: since the products from the pig were able to feed a family for a whole year, the killing of the pig became a real “ritual“Very important from the point of view of the social cementing. Over time, pork -shaped pigs are spread all over the worldtransforming itself from simple containers into Decorative and symbolic objectsoften destined for children to teach them the importance of savings. In Asian countries like China and Japan, where the pig is associated with fortune And prosperityits form has strengthened the idea of accumulate wealthsimilarly to Europe. Today the pig -shaped piggy bank is a universal symbol of savingseven if the concept itself has evolved with the advent of digital technologies and online banking. However, the tradition of putting aside some coins in a small pork of ceramic or plastic remains alive, witnessing the timeless charm of this curious custom from ancient roots.