Ethiopian Cylindrical Milk Jug with String Tied Leather Top

A plump brown pot hugged by a braided cord that trails down the front.

This cylindrical milk jug with a string-tied leather top is from Ethiopia, East Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is wood, hemp & leather. Cylindrical vessels with tied lids are easy to carry and to seal against spills, a form that suits herders who move with their animals. A tall cylinder with a rounded lid and a smooth amber upper section. The lower body is wrapped in a rough, stitched brown cover. A flat braided strap loops across the front and ends in loose tails, with several creases and scuffs. It is 10 inches high and 6 in diameter.

The knot was tied, and then someone left it.