Set of 3 Traditional Calabash Medicine Containers With Wooden Stoppers

The items shown in the image are traditional calabash (gourd) medicine containers topped with anthropomorphic carved wooden stoppers, which originate from Tanzania in Eastern Africa, rather than Indonesia.These specific styles are distinct cultural artifacts crafted primarily by tribal groups such as the Kwere, Zaramo, or Makonde peoples of Tanzania. Historically traditional healers used these naturally waterproof calabash gourds to store liquid or powdered medicines, sacred oils, and herbs used during healing and divination ceremonies. Tanzania Expe... +1Spirit Identification: The woodenstoppers are meticulously hand-carved to represent human heads or full figures. These often mimic ancestor spirits or traditional fertility dolls. Beyond their aesthetic and spiritual value, the unique hairstyles and facial features carved on each stopper acted as visual markers to help a healer differentiate between various medicines at a glance. Large guard 6 inches high next size 4 inches high and smallest guard 3 inches.