Olla

An olla is a ceramic jar, often unglazed, used for cooking stews or soups, for the storage of water or dry foods, or for other purposes. Ollas have a short wide neck and a wider belly, resembling beanpots or handis.

The Latin word olla or aulla (also aula) meant a very similar type of pot in Ancient Roman pottery, used for cooking and storage as well as a funerary urn to hold the ashes from cremation of bodies. Later, in Celtic Gaul, the olla became a symbol of the god Sucellus, who reigned over agriculture.

In Spain, the popular dish olla podrida (literally “rotten pot”), cooked in an olla, dates back to the Middle Ages.

In certain areas of the Pyrenees in Catalonia a type of olla, known locally as tupí, is used as container for the preparation of tupí, a certain type of cheese.

The Spanish settlers may have introduced the olla to Native American tribes, but it is likely they had developed a similar shape on their own. They often used unglazed pottery. The olla by its Spanish name has become associated with the region. It was used by settlers and natives both.

Among Southwestern Native American tribes, ollas used for storing water often were made with narrow necks to prevent evaporation in the desert heat. The olla is used by the Kwaaymii people, among many others, for cooking, storing water, serving meals and even nursing infants.

...
Wikipedia