Closed with a wooden stopper, the calabash body of this traditional medicine container has been decorated with multiple strands of early glass beads, plastic and metal rings. The stopper, carved as a human head, exhibits a pair of glass-beaded eyes and pronounced facial features, from a pair of large semi-circular ears to its protruding chin. A wooden spoon – which possibly served as a functional or even a decorative item – is attached to the container. This piece was collected in Makanya village, in the mountainous Lushoto region of north-eastern Tanzania.
Estimated Period: Mid 20th-Century (Or Before)
GBH.GDO
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