• A gourd is a fleshy fruit with a hard skin such as pumpkins and squash
• These plants are in a family (grouping of organisms) Cucurbitaceae
• Watermelon, cucumber, zucchini, and cantelope are also in this group
• This group of plants is diverse (has a great variety) – over 700 species in the group
• These plants are classified based on their leaves, seeds, and fruit stalks

• Gourds are colorful, come in many shapes, and their skin can be smooth or ridged
• Gourds are believed to be one of the oldest domesticated (once wild, but tamed by humans) plant species
• Gourds have been found in:
  • Egyptian tombs dating back to 2,000 – 4,000 B.C.
  • Florida dating back to 11,000 B.C.
  • Peruvian archaeological sites dating from 23,000 – 11,000 B.C.

• Between 1,000 and 1,500 A.D., Native Americans farmed, hunted, and fished.
• They lived in small towns or homesteads, maintained trade networks, had powerful leaders, and shared similar symbols rituals.
• Tribes of Alabama: Cherokee, Chocktaw, chickasaw, and Creek
• They were creative with their uses for things that they could grow or find in nature.

• In the beginning, gourds were used for many basic purposes like jewelry, utensils, dishes, and undecorated containers.
• People began using carving and burning techniques on the gourds.
• They were later decorated, hollowed out, dried, and filled with small materials and used as shaken instruments for songs and ceremonies.

• A significant use of gourds for Native Americans was as bird houses to attract colonies of purple martins.
• Martins are insectivores (only eat insects) that catch their prey while flying.
• They eat dragonflies, wasps, moths, butterflies, flies, beetles, and other insects that are active during the day.
• Colonies of martins can make a large impact on insect populations, so they were a natural source of insect control in early days!
• To read more about this historical and current use of gourds to attract martins, CLICK HERE.

• Gourds storing foods and other belongings were tied to trees to protect the items from animals or carried as canteens.
  • They stored rubbing oils, body dyes, medicines, seeds, bait, and gunpowder.
• Gourds were used as cooking pots to boil food
  • They would be filled with water before hot rocks were dropped in to heat the water.
• They could be made into ladles for pouring and spreading butter onto cooking stones.

• Different parts of the plant from different species were used for different purposes to treat humans and sick horses.

• Sometimes the part of the plant was used on a similar part of the body.
  • For example, the root may be used to treat the feet.
  • The top of the gourd would be used to treat ailments in the head.
• Teas were made from different parts of the plant.

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• Some gourds are still used today!
• The Luffa gourd is used to make non-food items such as scrubbing sponges, oil filters, life preservers, hats, and upholstery.