This Borana jug from southern Ethiopia is a vessel used within the pastoral traditions of the Borana Oromo people. Its tall neck, narrow mouth, and bulbous body create a form well-suited for storing and pouring liquids, especially milk, which is central to Borana sustenance and cultural identity. The surface is richly decorated with incised geometric patterns that repeat in bands across the jug, combining both visual rhythm and tactile texture.
 
Borana artisans often relied on a combination of natural materials and introduced ones. Here, the jug is made of grass then coiled and reinforced with wirework, strengthening the structure while also adding ornamental detail. Such adaptations demonstrate the community’s creativity in merging older pastoral practices with newer materials available through trade.
 
Jugs like this carried both practical and symbolic significance. On one level, they were everyday objects used to store milk, butter, or water in households and herding camps. On another, they were linked to hospitality and social relations, since serving milk or butter to guests was a gesture of respect and generosity. Over time, the vessel’s surface darkened and smoothed through use, further emphasizing its life as an object embedded in daily and ritual practice.
 
This jug illustrates how Borana craft seamlessly ties together function, artistry, and identity, transforming a utilitarian container into an object that speaks to continuity, adaptation, and the lived experience of pastoral life in Ethiopia.