Zande hat
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1930.86.32
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan]
Cultural Group:
Zande
Date Made:
By 1930
Materials:
Palm Fibre Plant , Cane Plant? , Bamboo Plant?
Process:
Basketry , Twill Woven , Woven , Stitched , Carved , Decorated Dyed
Dimensions:
Ht = 94, crown L = 135, W = 133, internal diam base = 165; W cross pieces = 10, W fibre strips = 2 mm [RTS 2/2/2005].
Weight:
33.3 g
Other Owners:
Probably collected by Evans-Pritchard himself during his fieldwork amongst the Zande, which took place during 1927, part of 1928 and 1929 and for several months during 1930 [CM; RTS 6/7/2004]. Purchased from Edward Evans-Pritchard for the PRM by Henry Bal
Field Collector:
Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard
PRM Source:
Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard
Acquired:
Purchased 31 December 1930
Collected Date:
1927 - 1930
Description:
Basketry hat, consisting of a flat, square crown that has been woven from flat narrow palm fibre strips in a twill pattern of over 2, under 2.
This has been stiffened across the top with 2 narrow strips of cane or bamboo that cross over one another at the centre, with sharpened ends that have been pushed through the hat surface at each corner to hold them in place.
They have segmented bodies, following the natural segmentation of the parent material, and polished, convex upper surfaces, and are a warm orangey yellow colour (Pantone 7509C).
The body of the hat becomes increasingly circular below the crown, where the weave has changed to a looser pattern made up of vertical and horizontal elements, arranged in a geometric design in which the natural yellow brown colour of the fibre strips (Pantone 7509C) is contrasted with strips dyed a darker brown (Pantone Black 7C).
The latter provides the background, over which a series of vertical zigzags framing vertical rows of lozenges are picked out in yellow.
There are 2 groups of zigzags on each side of the hat, made up of 3 parallel lines each.
In the centre of these is a solid lozenge, divided into quadrants of opposing colours, above concentric lozenges.
At each corner of the hat, there are variant forms of concentric lozenges, with concentric triangles above and below.
The result is a continuous pattern that seems to repeat itself around the hat, although with minor variations throughout.
The weaving technique is slightly flawed, with some long fibre strips running across almost the entire length of the hat on the inside face, rather than being woven in and out of the design as would be more usual.
Below this section, the style of weaving changes yet again to form a circular band around the lower edge.
This is made up of vertical elements on the inside face, in yellow, and horizontal strips running around the outside face in 2 bands of brown with a band of yellow between.
These vertical and horizontal strips have been sewn together using a very fine fibre thread.
One row above the base, a series of fibre strips have been wrapped around the horizontal rib, with the ends protruding upwards at an angle to form a long fringe.
The hat is complete, except for some sections of the fringe which have been broken off.
There are some bloodstains on the interior walls near one of the corners.
The hat has a weight of 33.3 grams, and is 94 mm high.
The crown measures 135 by 133 mm across the sides, while the lower edge has an internal diameter of 165 mm.
The cross pieces are 10 mm wide, and the narrow fibre strips from which the body has been made are 2 mm wide.
Probably collected by Evans-Pritchard himself during his fieldwork amongst the Zande, which took place during 1927, part of 1928 and 1929 and for several months during 1930.
This type of hat is worn by boys during their circumcision rites. According to Brock, a grass hat is made new for the occasion of a ceremony that takes place several months after a boy's circumcision (at age 12 onwards). A special dance is performed, then a grass hat placed before each boy, into which offerings such as rings, bracelets, and spears can be placed. These offerings go to the men who circumcised and trained the boys to do the circumcision dance. Later, the hats are worn by the boys, and the dance is performed throughout the night (R.G.C. Brock 1918, "Some Notes of the Zande Tribe as Found in the Meridi District", Sudan Notes and Records 1, pp 251-2). For similar hats, see 1930.86.33 and 1948.2.162-164. These may be related to an older kind of Zande hat, called the kutuku, that was worn high on the crown of the head, secured by hat pins and decorated with feathers (see Schweinfurth, In the Heart of Africa, Vol. I, p. 439 and Vol. II, p. 8, and E.E. Evans-Pritchard, 1971, The Azande, pp 70-71, who suggests that the use of black designs over the surface was something that was borrowed from the Mangbetu.
The decoration on this hat has a design that is closest to that seen on 1948.2.162; for other comparable hats, see 1930.86.33 and 1948.2.163-164.
Rachael Sparks 19/08/2005.
Probably collected by Evans-Pritchard himself during his fieldwork amongst the Zande, which took place during 1927, part of 1928 and 1929 and for several months during 1930.
This type of hat is worn by boys during their circumcision rites. According to Brock, a grass hat is made new for the occasion of a ceremony that takes place several months after a boy's circumcision (at age 12 onwards). A special dance is performed, then a grass hat placed before each boy, into which offerings such as rings, bracelets, and spears can be placed. These offerings go to the men who circumcised and trained the boys to do the circumcision dance. Later, the hats are worn by the boys, and the dance is performed throughout the night (R.G.C. Brock 1918, "Some Notes of the Zande Tribe as Found in the Meridi District", Sudan Notes and Records 1, pp 251-2). For similar hats, see 1930.86.33 and 1948.2.162-164. These may be related to an older kind of Zande hat, called the kutuku, that was worn high on the crown of the head, secured by hat pins and decorated with feathers (see Schweinfurth, In the Heart of Africa, Vol. I, p. 439 and Vol. II, p. 8, and E.E. Evans-Pritchard, 1971, The Azande, pp 70-71, who suggests that the use of black designs over the surface was something that was borrowed from the Mangbetu.
The decoration on this hat has a design that is closest to that seen on 1948.2.162; for other comparable hats, see 1930.86.33 and 1948.2.163-164.
Rachael Sparks 19/08/2005.
Primary Documentation:
Accession Book Entry
[BIV, p.
138] - 1930 [insert] 86 [end insert]
E.E.
EVANS PRITCHARD
31 Dec.
Specimens collected by himself in the EASTERN SUDAN, etc.
[...] [p.
139, insert] 32-33 [end insert] - [1 of] 2 caps of decorated basketry, worn by boys, during the circumcision rites, AZANDE [...] [Base of p.
139, total of items 1930.86.1-65] - P[ai]d by cheque 31 Dec £
25-0-0
.
Added Accession Book Entry [page opposite 138] - 1930.86 See Related Documents File for letter from Henry Balfour to Evans-Pritchard concerning the purchase of this collection. [p. 139a] - 1930.86.32 Number given - LW.
Card Catalogue Entry - The card repeats the information in the accession book, with photographic reference 'A9-F4-28' added. It is not clear if this refers to one, or both caps [RTS 2/2/2004].
Related Documents File - This contains a letter from Balfour to Evans-Pritchard, dated 31 December 1930 that specifies the objects which he would like to purchase for the Pitt Rivers Museum, and suggests a price of £25, which was one quarter of his annual budget. The list matches the objects ultimately accessioned quite closely. 1930.86.32 appears on the list as one of "2 Boy's circumcision caps (Zande)" [RTS 17/5/2004].
Old Pitt Rivers Museum label - Cap worn by a boy during the circumcision rites. AZANDE, BAHR-EL-GHAZAL, E. CENT. AFRICA. Evans-Pritchard colln. Pur. 31.12.1930 [rectangular metal-edged tag, tied to object; RTS 2/2/2005].
Added Accession Book Entry [page opposite 138] - 1930.86 See Related Documents File for letter from Henry Balfour to Evans-Pritchard concerning the purchase of this collection. [p. 139a] - 1930.86.32 Number given - LW.
Card Catalogue Entry - The card repeats the information in the accession book, with photographic reference 'A9-F4-28' added. It is not clear if this refers to one, or both caps [RTS 2/2/2004].
Related Documents File - This contains a letter from Balfour to Evans-Pritchard, dated 31 December 1930 that specifies the objects which he would like to purchase for the Pitt Rivers Museum, and suggests a price of £25, which was one quarter of his annual budget. The list matches the objects ultimately accessioned quite closely. 1930.86.32 appears on the list as one of "2 Boy's circumcision caps (Zande)" [RTS 17/5/2004].
Old Pitt Rivers Museum label - Cap worn by a boy during the circumcision rites. AZANDE, BAHR-EL-GHAZAL, E. CENT. AFRICA. Evans-Pritchard colln. Pur. 31.12.1930 [rectangular metal-edged tag, tied to object; RTS 2/2/2005].
