Bongo lenticular knife
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1884.63.28
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan]
Cultural Group:
?Bongo
Date Made:
?Before 1858
Materials:
Iron Metal
Process:
Hammered , Punched , Incised
Dimensions:
L = 237 mm, W blade = 33.6 mm, th. blade 2 mm [RTS 16/2/2004]
Local Name:
[tibah] [tibbah]
Other Owners:
Collected by John Petherick in 1858 and shipped back to England in 1859. Subsequently acquired by Pitt Rivers, perhaps via auction, as Petherick is known to have auctioned some of his collection through Mr Bullock of High Holborn, London, on 27th June 186
Field Collector:
John Petherick
PRM Source:
Augustus Henry Lane Fox Pitt Rivers founding collection
Acquired:
Donated 1884
Collected Date:
1858
Description:
Iron knife, made in a single piece and consisting of a slightly convex disc handle, oval in plan view, with a short, round sectioned shaft below, hammered flat on two sides just before tapering out to form a lenticular blade with flat underside and slightly convex upper surface, of slightly irregular thickness, thinning to two cutting edges on either side.
This blade tapers in again at the other end to form a slightly splayed, blunted point, thickened and hammered flat on either side, with the upper surface flattened and sloping down to the end.
The upper surface of the blade is decorated with a series of incised motifs, made up of short straight or oval depressions that were probably created using a pointed metal punch with a hammer or hammerstone. These consist of two straight lines extending out from the handle end, parallel with the outer edge, with a zigzag filling the space between line and edge; on one side, this has degenerated into simple crosshatching. A running zigzag extends from the apex formed by these two lines, down along the centre of the length, where it meets an oxhide-shaped design with flat top and base lines and concave sides, filled with regular roughly parallel rows made up of short lines. The first three rows are curved, but the pattern then becomes less regular and more tightly spaced. A rectangular motif follows, comprising another zigzag that continues to follow the central line of the blade, framed by straight lines on either side, and then a series of rows made of short lines - twenty rows on one side, nineteen on the other, with a straight line framing the design on one side, parallel to the cutting edge of the blade. There was probably a similar line acting as a frame on the other side, but the design is worn on this part of the knife, probably as a result of use. The oxhide-shaped motif filled with incised lines is repeated on the other side of this rectangular panel, then the framed zigzags follow the edges of the blade to the other end, with a single row of short broken lines between them, running along the centre of the blade.
Complete and intact; opaque silvery gray surface (approximately Pantone 423C). Total length 237 mm, diameter of handle 12 x 10.7 mm, diameter of shaft 5.5 mm, maximum width of blade 33.6 mm, minimum width of blade just above point 4 mm, maximum thickness of blade 2 mm, thickness at cutting edge 0.2 mm.
This object is said to have been collected in 1858; in that year Petherick led a trading expedition through Bongo territory, an account of which is given in his 1861 volume, Egypt, The Sudan and Central Africa; he refers to this group as the Dor. The expedition entered Bongo territory on January 25, 1858, visiting villages called Djau, Kurkur, Maeha, Mura, Umbura, Modocunga, Miha, Nearhe, Gutu, Mungela, Ombelambe and Lungo. Later in February they passed back through the Bongo villages of Djamaga and Lungo again. T his material was shipped back to England in 1859. It was subsequently acquired by Pitt Rivers, perhaps via auction, as Petherick is known to have auctioned some of his collection through Mr Bullock of High Holborn, London, on 27th June 1862 (see the Catalogue of the very interesting collection of arms and implements of war, husbandry, and the chase, and articles of costume and domestic use, procured during several expeditions up the White Nile, Bahr-il-Gazal, and among the various tribes of the country, to the cannibal Neam Nam territory on the Equator, by John Petherick, Esq., H.M. Consul, Khartoum, Soudan ). This auction included 39 objects identified as ‘women’s knives’, most without any indication of cultural origin, although 2 are specified as Bongo. Pitt Rivers sent this object to Bethnal Green Museum for display, as part of the first batch of objects sent there, probably in 1874. It was later displayed in the South Kensington Museum, then transferred from there to become part of the founding collection of the Pitt Rivers Museum in 1884.
Similar knives are illustrated in J.G. Wood's, The Natural History of Man, 1868, p. 503 figures 3-4, where they are described as women's knives; these are attributed to the Jur of Sudan, which Wood seems to use as a generic term for Central Sudanic speaking groups. See 1884.24.205-6 and 1884.63.28 for similar objects. Schweinfurth calls this type of knife a tibah , and states that Bongo women use them to peel vegetables and slice up gourds (G. Schweinfurth, 1975, Artes Africanae, pl. IV.7,8; In the Heart of Africa, 1873, p. 281). See also E. Castelli, 1984, Orazio Antinori in Africa Centrale 1859-1861, cat. no. 26-29, pp 49-50, all attributed to the Bongo (Museum of Perugia 49525-8). A further example in the British Museum was collected in 1867; their attribution to the Zande is probably incorrect (Accession number 4460, E. Schildkrout & C.A. Keim, 1990, African Reflections, fig. 5.10).
Rachael Sparks 28/9/2005.
The upper surface of the blade is decorated with a series of incised motifs, made up of short straight or oval depressions that were probably created using a pointed metal punch with a hammer or hammerstone. These consist of two straight lines extending out from the handle end, parallel with the outer edge, with a zigzag filling the space between line and edge; on one side, this has degenerated into simple crosshatching. A running zigzag extends from the apex formed by these two lines, down along the centre of the length, where it meets an oxhide-shaped design with flat top and base lines and concave sides, filled with regular roughly parallel rows made up of short lines. The first three rows are curved, but the pattern then becomes less regular and more tightly spaced. A rectangular motif follows, comprising another zigzag that continues to follow the central line of the blade, framed by straight lines on either side, and then a series of rows made of short lines - twenty rows on one side, nineteen on the other, with a straight line framing the design on one side, parallel to the cutting edge of the blade. There was probably a similar line acting as a frame on the other side, but the design is worn on this part of the knife, probably as a result of use. The oxhide-shaped motif filled with incised lines is repeated on the other side of this rectangular panel, then the framed zigzags follow the edges of the blade to the other end, with a single row of short broken lines between them, running along the centre of the blade.
Complete and intact; opaque silvery gray surface (approximately Pantone 423C). Total length 237 mm, diameter of handle 12 x 10.7 mm, diameter of shaft 5.5 mm, maximum width of blade 33.6 mm, minimum width of blade just above point 4 mm, maximum thickness of blade 2 mm, thickness at cutting edge 0.2 mm.
This object is said to have been collected in 1858; in that year Petherick led a trading expedition through Bongo territory, an account of which is given in his 1861 volume, Egypt, The Sudan and Central Africa; he refers to this group as the Dor. The expedition entered Bongo territory on January 25, 1858, visiting villages called Djau, Kurkur, Maeha, Mura, Umbura, Modocunga, Miha, Nearhe, Gutu, Mungela, Ombelambe and Lungo. Later in February they passed back through the Bongo villages of Djamaga and Lungo again. T his material was shipped back to England in 1859. It was subsequently acquired by Pitt Rivers, perhaps via auction, as Petherick is known to have auctioned some of his collection through Mr Bullock of High Holborn, London, on 27th June 1862 (see the Catalogue of the very interesting collection of arms and implements of war, husbandry, and the chase, and articles of costume and domestic use, procured during several expeditions up the White Nile, Bahr-il-Gazal, and among the various tribes of the country, to the cannibal Neam Nam territory on the Equator, by John Petherick, Esq., H.M. Consul, Khartoum, Soudan ). This auction included 39 objects identified as ‘women’s knives’, most without any indication of cultural origin, although 2 are specified as Bongo. Pitt Rivers sent this object to Bethnal Green Museum for display, as part of the first batch of objects sent there, probably in 1874. It was later displayed in the South Kensington Museum, then transferred from there to become part of the founding collection of the Pitt Rivers Museum in 1884.
Similar knives are illustrated in J.G. Wood's, The Natural History of Man, 1868, p. 503 figures 3-4, where they are described as women's knives; these are attributed to the Jur of Sudan, which Wood seems to use as a generic term for Central Sudanic speaking groups. See 1884.24.205-6 and 1884.63.28 for similar objects. Schweinfurth calls this type of knife a tibah , and states that Bongo women use them to peel vegetables and slice up gourds (G. Schweinfurth, 1975, Artes Africanae, pl. IV.7,8; In the Heart of Africa, 1873, p. 281). See also E. Castelli, 1984, Orazio Antinori in Africa Centrale 1859-1861, cat. no. 26-29, pp 49-50, all attributed to the Bongo (Museum of Perugia 49525-8). A further example in the British Museum was collected in 1867; their attribution to the Zande is probably incorrect (Accession number 4460, E. Schildkrout & C.A. Keim, 1990, African Reflections, fig. 5.10).
Rachael Sparks 28/9/2005.
Primary Documentation:
Accession Book IV entry
[p.
140]
-
[insert] 1884.63 [end insert]
DESIGN (DEVELOPMENT OF GEOMETRICAL)
[p.
141, insert] 28 [end insert] - Woman's lenticular iron knife, ornamented with scratched zigzags & punched & scored designs ?DOR.
C.
AFRICA.
Petherick coll.
1858.
28 red.
Added Accession Book Entry [page opposite 141] - [drawing].
Collectors Miscellaneous XI Accession Book entry [p. 193] - PETHERICK, Consul [p. 195] [insert] 1884.68.28, .29 [end insert] 2 women's iron knives with hatched and zigzag ornament [Drawing] ?DOR. C[ENTRAL] AFRICA. 1858. (PR 28 red). [p. 197] [insert] BONGO is tribe's name for itself. They are called DOR by neighbours [end insert, by BB].
Red book entry [p. 85] - Tools . (28) Iron woman's knives, variously ornamented (4) obt[ained] by Consul Petherick. C Africa.
Additional Red Book Entry [p. 85 in left column] - 2 knives ? 1 needle ret. 20.xii.23 [handwriting is difficult to read clearly, RTS 4/12/2003].
Delivery Catalogue I entry [p. 15] - Illustrations of Geometrical Design. [insert] 1884.24.206 ? + 63.28+29. [1 of] 3 women's knives. 2887. [For the other two knives, see 1884.24.206 and 1884.63.29]. [screen?] 11, Panel 17 Case 18.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 6/4/2004].
Old Pitt Rivers Museum label - Woman's knife, DOR. C. AFRICA. Petherick coll. 1858. P.R. Coll. ... [28 red] [rectangular metal edged label, tied to object; RTS 15/3/2004].
Written on object - Faint traces of former object marking are visible in the central area of the knife underside; these are now illegible. The accession number was added to this surface on 16/2/2004 [RTS 16/2/2004].
Added Accession Book Entry [page opposite 141] - [drawing].
Collectors Miscellaneous XI Accession Book entry [p. 193] - PETHERICK, Consul [p. 195] [insert] 1884.68.28, .29 [end insert] 2 women's iron knives with hatched and zigzag ornament [Drawing] ?DOR. C[ENTRAL] AFRICA. 1858. (PR 28 red). [p. 197] [insert] BONGO is tribe's name for itself. They are called DOR by neighbours [end insert, by BB].
Red book entry [p. 85] - Tools . (28) Iron woman's knives, variously ornamented (4) obt[ained] by Consul Petherick. C Africa.
Additional Red Book Entry [p. 85 in left column] - 2 knives ? 1 needle ret. 20.xii.23 [handwriting is difficult to read clearly, RTS 4/12/2003].
Delivery Catalogue I entry [p. 15] - Illustrations of Geometrical Design. [insert] 1884.24.206 ? + 63.28+29. [1 of] 3 women's knives. 2887. [For the other two knives, see 1884.24.206 and 1884.63.29]. [screen?] 11, Panel 17 Case 18.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 6/4/2004].
Old Pitt Rivers Museum label - Woman's knife, DOR. C. AFRICA. Petherick coll. 1858. P.R. Coll. ... [28 red] [rectangular metal edged label, tied to object; RTS 15/3/2004].
Written on object - Faint traces of former object marking are visible in the central area of the knife underside; these are now illegible. The accession number was added to this surface on 16/2/2004 [RTS 16/2/2004].
Display History:
Displayed in Bethnal Green and South Kensington Museums (V&A).
[AP]
