Peulh gourd African art primitive arts vintage Africa / mid-century

Very old Peulh gourd that was used for the trade of milk. The Peulhs play the role of pastoralists in the Sahel and tend to the herds for most of the sedentary villagers in this desert region. They move their vast mixed herds (goats, sheep, zebu, camels) from pasture to pasture and earn a living by selling the milk from the animals at each stage of their journey. This age-old activity is still ongoing, and it is not uncommon to see Peulh men or women in the bush markets, easily recognisable by their milk gourds, although these are increasingly often plastic basins nowadays. The gourd offered is extremely old and worn, polished by the fat of the milk it once contained, and the wood is beginning to petrify. Cracked in places, it has been restored for continued use with handmade metal staples and tow. Height: 21 cm. Diameter: 37 cm. Weight: 2500 g. In good condition.