Carved wooden object

Museum number:
5-15148
Permalink:
ark:/21549/hm21050015148
Accession number:
Acc.4413
Object count:
1
Description:
Henna holder, pyroengraved gourd. Central band has 2 large insects, 1 with 8 pairs of legs, 1 with 10 pairs. Between insects are X-shaped designs with crossbars. Linear design bands at each end. Length 38 centimeters. From Niger, Lake Chad area, N'guigmi Market. Context of use: Container for henna leaves made into paste used to dye palms and fingernails red (to dye feet they used henna paste covered with plastic wrap). A Kanouri woman would put her whole arm inside the gourd to dye palms and fingernails.
Donor:
Bruce Max Feldman and Kate Delos
Collection place:
N'Guigmi market, Lake Chad, Niger
Verbatim coll. place:
Niger; Lake Chad; N'guigmi
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Carvings (visual works)
Function:
1.8 Toilet Articles
Department:
Africa (except Ancient Egypt)
Images:
Hearst Museum object titled Carved wooden object, accession number 5-15148, described as Henna holder, pyroengraved gourd. Central band has 2 large insects, 1 with 8 pairs of legs, 1 with 10 pairs. Between insects are X-shaped designs with crossbars. Linear design bands at each end. Length 38 centimeters. From Niger, Lake Chad area, N'guigmi Market. Context of use: Container for henna leaves made into paste used to dye palms and fingernails red (to dye feet they used henna paste covered with plastic wrap). A Kanouri woman would put her whole arm inside the gourd to dye palms and fingernails.
Legacy documentation:
Documentation associated with Hearst Museum object titled Carved wooden object, accession number 5-15148, described as Henna holder, pyroengraved gourd. Central band has 2 large insects, 1 with 8 pairs of legs, 1 with 10 pairs. Between insects are X-shaped designs with crossbars. Linear design bands at each end. Length 38 centimeters. From Niger, Lake Chad area, N'guigmi Market. Context of use: Container for henna leaves made into paste used to dye palms and fingernails red (to dye feet they used henna paste covered with plastic wrap). A Kanouri woman would put her whole arm inside the gourd to dye palms and fingernails.

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