Tutsi Rattan Ceremonial Calabash

Long and lean, with the rust and slate of an old tin roof.

Tutsi craftspeople of Rwanda, East Africa, made this ceremonial calabash from gourd and rattan in the early 20th century. Vessels of this type are often associated with milk, and with the ceremony of offering it. The gourd is elongated, almost pear-shaped, its shoulders sloping gently to a narrow neck. Slate-gray areas mix with reddish-brown stripes that run top to bottom. A woven rattan lid, ringed with fine bands, sits on the flared mouth.

About 10 inches tall. A good neighbor for books.