Ethiopian Cylindrical Milk Jug with String Tied Leather Top

Straight-sided and dignified, with a small grid scratched near the lid.

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, round-edged cylinder with a lid that sits close over a smooth, tan body. A small incised block pattern appears on the shoulder, and a thin strap hangs at one side. The lower half has a stitched, creased brown covering. It is 6.75 inches high and 5 in diameter.

It keeps its own counsel, and its contents.