Box of Gourds

My first question is why? Apparently they are inedible due to a lack of flesh or bad taste so what is thier purpose? Gourds are one of the earliest crops domesticated by man having been grown for at least 10,000 years and they were used as ornamentation or for making musical instruments. I wonder what a gourd sounds like? Has anyone heard a gourd being played? "Yes it's music Jim but not as we know it" Fascinating!