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Hôtel des Ventes de Troyes

200 - Medicinal gourd - Luguru - Tanzania - Materials : Calabash B…
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Estimate €200 - €300
Sale commission
Description
Medicinal gourd - Luguru - Tanzania - Materials : Calabash Base included (gallery condition). Provenance: Private collection, Belgium Dimensions: H. 17 cm. This medicinal gourd comes from the Luguru people of the Uluguru mountains in eastern Tanzania. Made from a dried calabash and used as a container, it is closed by a sculpted stopper depicting a stylised human head. A vegetable cord surrounds the neck, probably enabling it to be carried or suspended in domestic or ritual spaces. Traditional healers (waganga) used this type of container to store therapeutic preparations made from plants, barks, roots, powders and other substances with medicinal and protective properties. In addition to its practical function, the gourd may also have had a symbolic and spiritual dimension, as remedies were often associated with practices of protection, divination or communication with invisible forces. The anthropomorphic head on top of the container is not just decorative. In many East African traditions, the human representation refers to the identity of the holder, the presence of the ancestors or the power contained in the object. The eyes, inlaid with light-coloured material, accentuate the expression on the face and add to the symbolic power of the piece. The dark, patinated surface of the calabash bears witness to long use.
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About the sale ARTS OF AFRICA & OCEANIA: Three exceptional family collections
Auction location
Auction time 06/22/2026 at 2:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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