260951 - African Wooden Karamojong / Karimojong milk jug – Uganda / Kenya

Wooden milk jug – Karamojong / Karimojong – Uganda / Kenya

DetailsOrigin: Karamojong / Karimojong peopleRegion: Karamoja / Uganda-Kenya border area

Material: Wood, leather

Height: 30 cm

Period: collected in 1959

This Karamojong is dated mid 20th century and comes with a certificate of authenticity.

A beautiful wooden milk jug attributed to the Karamojong / Karimojong, a pastoral people of the Karamoja region, closely related to other Ateker-speaking pastoral groups of eastern Africa.

Among the Karamojong, cattle and milk occupy a central place in daily life and social identity. Traditional wooden vessels were used for milking, serving or storing milk and other dairy products, and belong to a wider East African pastoral tradition in which functional containers often display great sculptural elegance.

This example is particularly attractive for its refined balance and understated form. The body is tall and gently ovoid, tapering towards a small foot, with a carefully carved pouring spout and a surviving leather attachment on one side. The surface shows a warm blond patina, with traces of handling and use that give the object a quiet, authentic presence.

The strength of the piece lies in its simplicity: no added decoration, but a very pure silhouette, a well-executed spout, and a beautiful natural surface.

A sober and elegant ethnographic object, notable for its form, patina, and connection with the pastoral material culture of eastern Africa.

Condition
Wear, abrasions, stains, minor marks and surface irregularities consistent with age and use. Leather attachment still present. Due to the rounded/narrow foot, the vessel does not stand securely on a perfectly flat surface without discreet support; this is consistent with its original use and is not considered a defect. Please refer to the photographs.