San Carved Ostrich Egg - Botswana, New Acquisition

Roy Sieber, in his book “African Furniture and Household Objects” remarks, “A number of natural forms have served as vessels, often with no reworking or considerably less work than basketry or clay require. A marvelous instance is an ostrich egg shell which if pierced at one end, emptied and the contents eaten, produces instantly a fine water vessel. In its primary form, undecorated, it may be described as simple…..decorated it can become a rather remarkable object”.

Decorated with ostrich, lizard motifs and abstract motifs, this vessel has a leather thong for carrying.

Height: 8"