Pig bladder (also pig's bladder) is the

urinary bladder The urinary bladder, or simply bladder, is a hollow organ in humans and other vertebrates that stores urine from the kidneys before disposal by urination. In humans the bladder is a distensible organ that sits on the pelvic floor. Urine enters ...

of a

domestic pig The pig (''Sus domesticus''), often called swine, hog, or domestic pig when distinguishing from other members of the genus '' Sus'', is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is variously considered a subspecies of ''Sus s ...

, similar to the human urinary bladder. Today, this

hollow organ In biology, an organ is a collection of tissues joined in a structural unit to serve a common function. In the hierarchy of life, an organ lies between tissue and an organ system. Tissues are formed from same type cells to act together in a ...

has various applications in

medicine Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care pract ...

, and in traditional cuisines and customs. Historically, the pig bladder had several additional uses, all based on its properties as a lightweight, stretchable container that could be filled and tied off.

Traditional uses

BoysBlowingBladder by Peter Perez Burdett

The pig bladder has several traditional ceremonial uses in Europe. It is traditional during the festival

Fasching A variety of customs and traditions are associated with Carnival celebrations in the German-speaking countries of Germany, Switzerland and Austria. They can vary considerably from country to country, but also from one small region to another. Th ...

Bad Aussee Bad Aussee (Central Bavarian: ''Bod Ossee'') is a town in the Austrian state of Styria, located at the confluence of the three sources of the Traun River in the Ausseerland region. Bad Aussee serves as the economic and cultural center of the Styri ...

to brandish inflated pig bladders on sticks. Similarly, in

Xinzo de Limia Xinzo de Limia is a town and municipality in the province of Ourense, Autonomous Community of Galicia, Spain. It lies on the important Autovia das Rias Baixas in the fertile valley of Antela, approximately 33 km from Verín and 43 ...

, Spain, inflated pig bladders are carried during

Carnival Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival typi ...

. See also

Clown society Clown society is a term used in anthropology and sociology for an organization of comedic entertainers ( Heyoka or "clowns") who have a formalized role in a culture or society. Description and function Sometimes clown societies have a sacred role, ...

and

Jester A jester, court jester, fool or joker was a member of the household of a nobleman or a monarch employed to entertain guests during the medieval and Renaissance eras. Jesters were also itinerant performers who entertained common folk at fairs and ...

and

Gigantes y cabezudos Processional giants, french: géants processionnels, es, gigantes y cabezudos, va, gegants i cabuts, ca, gegants i capgrossos, eu, erraldoi eta buruhandiak are costumed figures in European folklore, particularly present in Belgian, Fren ...

and

Vejigante A ''vejigante'' is a folkloric character in Puerto Rico, Puerto Rican festival celebrations, mainly seen during Carnaval de Ponce, Carnival time. Traditional colors of the Vejigantes were green, yellow, and red or red and black. Today, Vejigante ...

. In traditional Germanic communities a public

Schlachtfest A ''Schlachtfest'' is the German term for the ritual or ceremonial slaughter of an animal, which is often followed by feast. Today, it usually refers to the practice in many parts of Germany, such as the Palatinate, for a celebration or festiva ...

(of a pig) is announced by hanging the pig's inflated bladder in front of the host establishment. The bladder is used as a casing for several traditional food items, including the

sausage A sausage is a type of meat product usually made from ground meat—often pork, beef, or poultry—along with salt, spices and other flavourings. Other ingredients, such as grains or breadcrumbs may be included as fillers or extenders. ...

s known as

ventricina Ventricina is a pork sausage commonly found in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. It is similar to certain luncheon meats, included in the category English-speakers from the United States refer to as "cold cuts". It is traditionally made using ...

and

sobrassada Sobrassada in Balearic or Sobrasada in Spanish, is a raw, cured sausage from the Balearic Islands (Spain) made with ground pork, paprika and salt and other spices. Sobrassada, along with , are traditional Balearic meat products prepared in t ...

Historical uses

Historically the pig bladder was used in sports, as the airtight membrane ("bladder") inside a

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

. In the early 19th century the inventor William Gilbert used pig bladders in the manufacture of

rugby ball A rugby ball is an elongated ellipsoidal ball used in both codes of rugby football. Its measurements and weight are specified by World Rugby and the Rugby League International Federation, the governing bodies for both codes, rugby union and rugby ...

s. Decades later,

Richard Lindon Richard Lindon (30 June 1816 – 10 June 1887) was an English leatherworker who was instrumental in the development of the modern-day rugby ball by advancing the craft for ball, rubber bladder, and air pump. Life and career Lindon was born at ...

did the same. (See also

Mob football Mob football is a modern term used for a wide variety of the localised informal football games which were invented and played in England during the Middle Ages. Alternative names include folk football, medieval football and Shrovetide football. ...

Medieval football Mob football is a modern term used for a wide variety of the localised informal football games which were invented and played in England during the Middle Ages. Alternative names include folk football, medieval football and Shrovetide football ...

, and

La soule ', later ' (french: chôle), is a traditional team sport that originated in Normandy and Picardy. The ball, called a ', could be solid or hollow and made of either wood or leather. Leather balls would be filled with hay, bran, horse hair or moss ...

.) For centuries before the invention of the paint tube, artists used to store their paints in pig bladders. When the artist was ready to use the paint, they would puncture a hole in the bladder and squeeze out the desired amount of paint. They would have to mend the hole when finished and the whole process was quite messy. The

oil paint Oil paint is a type of slow-drying paint that consists of particles of pigment suspended in a drying oil, commonly linseed oil. The viscosity of the paint may be modified by the addition of a solvent such as turpentine or white spirit, and varn ...

tube was invented in 1841, as the primary packaging of paints for transport and storage.Callen, Anthea. ''The Art of Impressionism: How Impressionism Changed the Art World''. Yale University Press. 2000. In the bian lian ("face changing") style of Chinese opera, painted pig bladders were used as face masks.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pig Bladder Pigs Pork Offal Urinary system Urinary bladder