This lot has several gourds, some used for witchcraft and some used for the household. The two (2) dark gourds were used in devil worship to collect blood from animal sacrifices in the Central African Republic. A witch doctor would catch the blood of chickens and goats after the animals were killed. The blood gourds were called “ungacala” and given to a Baptist missionary by the local witchdoctor. The large gourd has a 3 in. crack on the side and measures 4 in. deep x 8 7/8 in. wide, and the smaller gourd measures 3 in. deep x 7 1/4 in. wide. Wear is commensurate with age and use. The decorative gourds were part of everyday life in the Central African Republic. They came in different sizes and were used for measuring out grains at the marketplace and pouring and drinking. The large decorated drinking gourd was a gift from the village chief to the missionary and allowed whoever held the gourd to enter the village if the chief was not there, sort of like keys to the city. The gourds are beautifully decorated, and the largest one measures 3 7/8 in. high and 7 in. in diameter. From the Dale Baker collection.