Dorze Calabash or Vessel, Ethiopia

A gourd with a belt and a design on its shoulders like a checkerboard.

Dorze people of Ethiopia, East Africa, made this calabash vessel from a gourd in the 20th century. Gourds are commonly used across the Horn of Africa for carrying and storing liquids and food. The vessel has a narrow neck and a large round body. A leather band circles the waist, and the neck is decorated with a checkerboard of dark squares. A cross and small dots are incised into the red-brown skin of the body, which is smooth and glossy.

About 7 inches tall. Rich color, simple lines, and a great shine.