Nuer fighting bracelet
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1931.66.34
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan]
Cultural Group:
Nuer
Date Made:
By 1931
Materials:
Iron Metal
Process:
Forged (Metal) , Hammered
Dimensions:
L = 76.8 mm; W = 66.3 mm; th = 3 mm [RTS 4/3/2004]
Weight:
14.3 g
Other Owners:
Collected by Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard either in the early part of 1930 (probably February to April), or between February and June of 1931 [CM; RTS 9/7/2004].
Field Collector:
Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard
PRM Source:
Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard
Acquired:
Donated December 1931
Collected Date:
1930 - 1931
Description:
Armlet made from a single piece of iron with square section, hammered and bent into a loop with the ends not touching, some 28 mm apart.
This have been cut at an angle.
The upper surface has been worked with a chisel to form 45 sharp pointed spikes around its outer edge; each of these has been pulled away from the surface and angled downwards; some have also been slightly twisted.
The inner surface, which rests against the skin, and the underside are both flat.
The object is complete and intact; there is no obvious poison on the barbs.
The length across the armlet is 76.8 mm with spikes, and 69 mm without, while the width across it is 66.3 mm with spikes, and 55 mm without.
The width and thickness of the bar from which the armlet has been made is 3 mm, and it weighs 14.3 grams.
The metal is currently a silvery gray colour (Pantone 422C).
This object was collected by Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard during his first or second seasons of fieldwork amongst the Nuer, e.g.: in February to April 1930 or between February and June of 1931, in 'the dry season'. In the former, he spent around three and a half months in Leek territory at Yahnyang and Pakur on the Bahr el Ghazal, in Lou territory at Muot Dit, and at Adok, amongst the Dok Nuer. In the latter, he spent five and a half months at Nasir, on the Nyanding River, and at Yakwat on the Sobat River (see E.E. Evans-Pritchard, 1940, The Nuer , and the map of Evans-Pritchard's fieldwork in D.H. Johnson, "Evans-Pritchard, the Nuer, and the Sudan Political Service", African Affairs 81 no. 323, p. 233) (pers. comm. Chris Morton 2004).
This object was worn around the wrist by boys when fighting or wrestling (E.E. Evans-Pritchard, 1940, The Nuer, p. 151), but in other groups they could be associated with men (the Lotuko), or women, who used them for both fighting and dance (the Moru) (see C. Spring, 1993, African Arms and Armour, p. 116). Lindblom has suggested that this type of fighting bracelet developed out of metal arm rings, and can be found among a number of African groups, including the Nuer, Dinka, Shilluk, Jibbeh, Bongo, Jur, Acholi, Madi, Latuka, Irenga, Jibbeh [= Murle], Abukaya and Mittu. He illustrates an example similar to this one, said to come from the Mbum, in Cameroon (K.G. Lindblom, 1927, ‘Fighting-bracelets and Kindred Weapons in Africa’, Smärre Meddelanden, p. 7 and fig. 6).
For other Nuer fighting bracelets in the Pitt Rivers collection, see 1931.66.35 and 1936.10.13-20.
Evans-Pritchard, writing in 1940, commented on the scarcity of iron amongst the Nuer and the high value consequently placed on objects made from it: 'Nuer have always been poor in iron objects ... Iron bells ... are rare and highly prized even at the present time, and in the old days iron rings and bracelets were important pieces of property' (E.E. Evans-Pritchard, 1940, The Nuer, p. 86).
Currently on display in the Upper Gallery, case 75A display number 16.
Rachael Sparks 18/9/2005.
This object was collected by Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard during his first or second seasons of fieldwork amongst the Nuer, e.g.: in February to April 1930 or between February and June of 1931, in 'the dry season'. In the former, he spent around three and a half months in Leek territory at Yahnyang and Pakur on the Bahr el Ghazal, in Lou territory at Muot Dit, and at Adok, amongst the Dok Nuer. In the latter, he spent five and a half months at Nasir, on the Nyanding River, and at Yakwat on the Sobat River (see E.E. Evans-Pritchard, 1940, The Nuer , and the map of Evans-Pritchard's fieldwork in D.H. Johnson, "Evans-Pritchard, the Nuer, and the Sudan Political Service", African Affairs 81 no. 323, p. 233) (pers. comm. Chris Morton 2004).
This object was worn around the wrist by boys when fighting or wrestling (E.E. Evans-Pritchard, 1940, The Nuer, p. 151), but in other groups they could be associated with men (the Lotuko), or women, who used them for both fighting and dance (the Moru) (see C. Spring, 1993, African Arms and Armour, p. 116). Lindblom has suggested that this type of fighting bracelet developed out of metal arm rings, and can be found among a number of African groups, including the Nuer, Dinka, Shilluk, Jibbeh, Bongo, Jur, Acholi, Madi, Latuka, Irenga, Jibbeh [= Murle], Abukaya and Mittu. He illustrates an example similar to this one, said to come from the Mbum, in Cameroon (K.G. Lindblom, 1927, ‘Fighting-bracelets and Kindred Weapons in Africa’, Smärre Meddelanden, p. 7 and fig. 6).
For other Nuer fighting bracelets in the Pitt Rivers collection, see 1931.66.35 and 1936.10.13-20.
Evans-Pritchard, writing in 1940, commented on the scarcity of iron amongst the Nuer and the high value consequently placed on objects made from it: 'Nuer have always been poor in iron objects ... Iron bells ... are rare and highly prized even at the present time, and in the old days iron rings and bracelets were important pieces of property' (E.E. Evans-Pritchard, 1940, The Nuer, p. 86).
Currently on display in the Upper Gallery, case 75A display number 16.
Rachael Sparks 18/9/2005.
Primary Documentation:
Accession Book Entry
[IX, p.
16] 1931 [insert, in pencil] 66 [end insert]
E.
EVANS-PRITCHARD
, Esq.
Dec.
Specimens collected by himself in the EASTERN SUDAN, viz.
[...] [pencil insert, p.
20] 34-35 [end insert] - [One of] 2 Iron armlet sharply toothed round the external margin.
Worn by boys for fighting & wrestling, NUER.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the tribes catalogue card [RTS 23/7/2004].
Old Pitt Rivers Museum label - Spiked wristlet, worn by boys for fighting. NUER tribe, E. SUDAN. d.d. E. Evans-Pritchard, 1931 [label still tied to object; RTS 4/3/2004].
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the tribes catalogue card [RTS 23/7/2004].
Old Pitt Rivers Museum label - Spiked wristlet, worn by boys for fighting. NUER tribe, E. SUDAN. d.d. E. Evans-Pritchard, 1931 [label still tied to object; RTS 4/3/2004].
