Anuak baby carrier
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1942.8.69
Country:
?Sudan , ?Ethiopia
Region:
[Southern Sudan?]
Cultural Group:
Anywaa [Anuak]
Date Made:
By 1935
Materials:
Animal Hide Skin
Process:
Twisted , Stitched
Dimensions:
Body L = 630, W = 403 mm; distance between top 2 ties = 118.2 mm; L slots = 35 to 40 mm [RTS 27/8/2004].
Local Name:
benh
Other Owners:
Presumably collected by Evans-Pritchard during his period of fieldwork amongst the Anuak between early March and May 1935; entered in PRM records as a donation of Henry Balfour for convenience [RTS 22/3/2004].
Field Collector:
?Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard
PRM Source:
?Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard [Henry Balfour]
Acquired:
?Donated August 1942
Collected Date:
March - May 1935
Description:
Rectangular piece of animal hide with traces of a light buff coloured hair on the outer surface and a short triangular tail section extending from the centre of the top edge.
There is currently a narrow fold along one side edge.
Four short rectangular strips of similar hide have been sewn onto the ends of each corner, to produce ties that could be used to fasten the hide around the body for use as a baby carrying device.
Each tie has been stitched to the body using twisted hide cord, with the stitches running in an wide oval across the overlapping areas.
In addition, there are two oval slots that have been cut near the upper corners; the ties were probably passed through these and pulled tight on the other side.
The edges of the hide are damaged, with numerous tears, and there are many small holes across the surface.
The colour varies from a pale yellowish cream (Pantone 7401C) to brown (Pantone 7532C).
The body is 630 mm long and 403 mm wide; the distance between the ends of the top two ties is 118.2 mm, and between the lower ties, 119.2 mm, while the slots are 35 mm long by 15 mm wide and 40 mm long by 10 mm wide respectively.
Probably collected by E.E. Evans-Pritchard during his fieldwork amongst the Anuak, which took place between early March and May 1935 (E.E. Evans-Pritchard, 1940, The Political System of the Anuak of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, p. 3).
This object is made from the skin of a cob, and is known as benh. It probably belongs with the Anuak material collected by Evans-Pritchard, although it was not accessioned until 1942, several years after the rest of that collection.
This object is currently on display in the Lower Gallery, case 14A.
Rachael Sparks 25/9/2005.
Probably collected by E.E. Evans-Pritchard during his fieldwork amongst the Anuak, which took place between early March and May 1935 (E.E. Evans-Pritchard, 1940, The Political System of the Anuak of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, p. 3).
This object is made from the skin of a cob, and is known as benh. It probably belongs with the Anuak material collected by Evans-Pritchard, although it was not accessioned until 1942, several years after the rest of that collection.
This object is currently on display in the Lower Gallery, case 14A.
Rachael Sparks 25/9/2005.
Primary Documentation:
Accession Book Entry
- [p.
125, August 1942]
The late Henry Balfour, F.R.S.
, Miscellaneous specimens found unlabelled, entered for convenience as donations of the late Curator.
[p.
137] 1942.8.69
- Baby-carrier,
benh
, of animal skin.* ANUAK tribe of the SUDAN-ABYSSINIAN frontier.
- *Probably Evans Pritchard coll.
Found together with a slip of paper with pencilled “
28
ANUAK, baby-carrier (
benh
) cob's skin" (?)
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 30/1/2004].
Related Documents File - In the Related Documents File is a list detailing: "Donors, or probable donors, of material entered under Mr. Balfour's name. ... 1942.8.69, Anuak Baby-carrier, Evans-Pritchard" [MR 10/5/2000].
Old Pitt Rivers Museum label - Baby-carrier, benh , of animal skin. ANUAK tribe, SUDAN-ABYSSINIAN frontier. ?E.E. Evans-Pritchard coll. [rectangular metal-edged tag, tied to object; RTS 27/8/2004].
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 30/1/2004].
Related Documents File - In the Related Documents File is a list detailing: "Donors, or probable donors, of material entered under Mr. Balfour's name. ... 1942.8.69, Anuak Baby-carrier, Evans-Pritchard" [MR 10/5/2000].
Old Pitt Rivers Museum label - Baby-carrier, benh , of animal skin. ANUAK tribe, SUDAN-ABYSSINIAN frontier. ?E.E. Evans-Pritchard coll. [rectangular metal-edged tag, tied to object; RTS 27/8/2004].
