Dinka Wood Grain Bowl

A bowl the size of a small table, hewn from a single piece and a little bit bruised.

Dinka people of Sudan, East Africa, made this grain bowl in wood in the 20th century. Large wooden vessels of this type are commonly associated with preparing, serving and storing grain in the Nile region. This one is broad and round, with a wide flat floor, a thick rim and a small lug projecting at one edge. The surface is reddish brown, warm and slightly uneven, with tool marks and shallow cracks across the interior. The wood has darkened along the lip from handling.

Twenty inches across and 3 and a half inches deep. Hang it, set it on a console or fill it with sourdough.