Bari spindle
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1940.7.023 .1 .2
Country:
Sudan , Congo, Democratic Republic of
Region:
[Southern Sudan] [Al Istiwa'iyah] [Equatoria] Bahr el Jebel Juba
Cultural Group:
Bari
Date Made:
By 1940
Materials:
Wood Plant , Gourd Plant , Cottonwool Fibre Plant , Cotton Yarn Plant
Process:
Carved , Perforated , Spun , Wound
Dimensions:
Spindle L = 295, head W = 9.5, head th = 4.4, shaft diam = 4.5 mm; upper whorl L = 45, W = 42, th = 3.8; lower whorl L = 29.8, W = 27.5, th = 5.5; raw cotton L = 155, W = 35; cotton yarn diam = 0.5 mm [RTS 7/3/2005].
Weight:
10.8 g
Other Owners:
Samuel P. Powell
Field Collector:
Samuel P. Powell
PRM Source:
Samuel P. Powell
Acquired:
Loaned July 1940
Collected Date:
By 1940
Description:
Thread making apparatus consisting of a wooden spindle with 2 whorls [.1] with a hank of raw cotton in the process of being spun into yarn and wound onto the spindle shaft [.2].
The spindle has been carved from a single piece of reddish brown wood (Pantone 4695C), with a finial at the top.
This has a convex head, flattened sides, and 2 downward-pointing barbs at its base; the shaft is round in section and tapers very slightly to a blunt tip; the spindle body has been polished throughout.
Immediately below the head, a large, circular gourd disc with a hole through its centre has been fitted onto the shaft, with the smooth outer face pointing downwards, and the slightly concave inner face at the top.
This latter surface appears to be darkened, and is currently a muddy brown colour (Pantone black 4C).
This serves as a spindle whorl, and is held in place by a short length of brown cotton yarn, wound several times around the shaft immediately above (Pantone 465C).
When in use, the spindle would be held with the head pointing downwards, and in this position, the yarn would prevent the spindle whorl from slipping down towards the head.
A second, smaller gourd disc has been fitted midway around the shaft body, with the smooth reddish brown side facing upwards (Pantone 477C); this fits snugly and cannot easily be moved; when the spindle is held upside down, the increasing diameter of the spindle shaft on the other side of the whorl would be enough to keep this fixed in place.
Between the 2 whorls, there is a hank of white, raw unspun cotton, in the process of being made into yarn [.2].
One end of this has been teased out and spun, gradually becoming tighter along its length until the fibres have begun to interlock and form a coherent thread, which was then wound around the spindle body between the whorls, where a fair amount of finished yarn is now in place.
The gourd whorls have been positioned so that the yarn is wound between their smooth outer faces, to avoid it catching on their rougher surfaces and becoming damaged.
The object is complete and intact; there is some plant debris mixed in with the wool, but it is not clear if this is original or part of some packing material used to transport the item back to England.
It has a total weight of 10.8 grams.
The spindle is 295 mm long; the head is 9.5 mm wide and 4.4 mm thick, and the shaft has an upper diameter of 4.5 mm.
The larger whorl is 45 mm long, 42 mm wide and 3.8 mm thick; the smaller lower whorl measures 29.8 by 27.5 mm across and is 5.5 mm thick.
The raw cotton makes a mass that is 155 mm long and 35 mm wide; the spun cotton yard has a diameter of 0.5 mm.
Collected by Samuel P. Powell at Juba, and given to the museum on loan in 1940.
For a Rek Dinka spindle, see 1929.32.1, and for a photograph depicting a Moru man using a spindle, see H.A. Bernatzik, 1929, Zwischen Weissem Nil und Belgisch-Kongo , fig. 99.
Rachael Sparks 30/9/2005.
Collected by Samuel P. Powell at Juba, and given to the museum on loan in 1940.
For a Rek Dinka spindle, see 1929.32.1, and for a photograph depicting a Moru man using a spindle, see H.A. Bernatzik, 1929, Zwischen Weissem Nil und Belgisch-Kongo , fig. 99.
Rachael Sparks 30/9/2005.
Primary Documentation:
Accession Book Entry
[Loans II, p.
308] - ESTATE OF S.P.
POWELL, C/O N.H.
HASLAM, Esq.
Manager, Westminster Bank, Stony Stratford, Bucks.
Collected by himself.
Data from his labels and notes.
From the BARI TRIBE, EQUATORIAL PROVINCE, ANGLO-EGYPTIAN SUDAN.
[p.
309] 1940.7.023 - Spindle with raw and spun cotton attached.
Coll[ected].
at JUBA.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 12/2/2004].
Related Documents File - Appears on undated typed list as: "A Bari devise [sic] for making cotton from the raw material". List is annotated by hand on back: "List of Curios" and "Far from complete" [RTS 16/12/2003].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - Spindle with raw & spun cotton attached. BARI (coll. at JUBA), ANGLO-EGYPTIAN SUDAN. S.P. Powell [brown luggage tag, tied to object; RTS 7/3/2005].
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 12/2/2004].
Related Documents File - Appears on undated typed list as: "A Bari devise [sic] for making cotton from the raw material". List is annotated by hand on back: "List of Curios" and "Far from complete" [RTS 16/12/2003].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - Spindle with raw & spun cotton attached. BARI (coll. at JUBA), ANGLO-EGYPTIAN SUDAN. S.P. Powell [brown luggage tag, tied to object; RTS 7/3/2005].
