Abstract: An ink cartridge for an ink jet type printing apparatus having a print head, the ink cartridge including: a container having an ink chamber for containing ink therein; an ink supply port for ejecting the ink from the ink chamber to the print head; a memory device for storing data related to the ink or the ink cartridge, the memory device has an area in which the data is stored in a rewritable manner; and a contact device enabling the transmission of data between the memory device and an external device. The memory device may include data indicative of the history of the ink cartridge which may be utilized to control a reproduction of the ink cartridge.