Consisting of two parts, a hollow calabash 'body' and a carved wooden stopper, this fine container would have been used by a traditional Zaramo healer to store medicinal cures for ailments and sicknesses. The stopper is surmounted by the abstracted representation of a female's head and coiffure . A strand of tiny white and red glass beads adorn the neck and located below are bands of carved Swahili designs which echo the decorations found on household items along the coastal region of Tanzania. The surface of the stopper exhibits an oily surface patina, and wrapped around the body of the calabash container are multiple strands of tiny black and blue glass beads.
Estimated Period: Mid-20th Century (Or Before)
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