Zande bowl
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1948.2.130
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan]
Cultural Group:
Zande
Date Made:
By 1930
Materials:
Wood Plant
Process:
Carved , Stained
Dimensions:
Ht = 233, diam rim = 320 x 317, diam mouth = 250, rim th = 32 to 36; foot ht = 99, base L = 158, W - 153, th = 25 mm [RTS 12/4/2005].
Weight:
>1000 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].
Field Collector:
Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard
PRM Source:
Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard
Acquired:
Found unentered February 1948
Collected Date:
1927 - 1930
Description:
Slightly oval bowl carved from a single block of wood and consisting of an everted flat-topped rim with thin outer edge, on a deep body with concave sides flaring down and in to an angular carination, where the lower part of the bowl has been given a series of three shaved bands that step down towards a flat underside.
This is set on top of a pedestal foot that splays out to a flat base.
The foot has four flattened sides with narrow strips shaved down each edge to produce bevelled corners.
This has been hollowed out, with an oval window with scalloped lower edge cut into each of the four sides.
The side windows have two concave scallops at their base, while the front and back window have a triple scallop.
The interior of the bowl and flat base underside has been left the natural yellow colour of the wood (Pantone 7508C), while the top of the rim and exterior have been stained a darker brownish black (Pantone black 7C).
A soft, lightweight wood has been used.
The bowl is complete, and has some staining running down over into the upper part of the interior walls; it is not clear if this was part of the colouring process or something resulting from use.
The foot has broken in 3 places and small sections reattached and glued black in place.
Some bore holes attest to insect activity, while there are 3 dots of white paint in a row around the upper walls of the exterior, which may be accidental rather than deliberate.
The bowl is 233 mm high, and has a rim diameter of 320 by 317 mm and mouth diameter of 250 mm.
The rim varies in thickness from 32 to 36 mm.
The foot is 99 mm high, with a base measuring 158 by 153 mm across and being 25 mm thick.
Collected by Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard during his fieldwork amongst the Zande, which took place during 1927, part of 1928 and 1929 and for several months during 1930.
Evans-Pritchard records that wooden food bowls and stools were carved by specialists out of several species of green timber, probably during the dry season, and that they had been in use by the people from whom they were acquired. The black staining and polishing was done by the owners themselves. For similar Zande bowls, see 1948.2.132 (with a solid foot) and 1948.2.134 (fenestrated foot), and 1948.2.135 (with cylindrical rather than pyramidal foot, also fenestrated).
Rachael Sparks 17/9/2005.
Collected by Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard during his fieldwork amongst the Zande, which took place during 1927, part of 1928 and 1929 and for several months during 1930.
Evans-Pritchard records that wooden food bowls and stools were carved by specialists out of several species of green timber, probably during the dry season, and that they had been in use by the people from whom they were acquired. The black staining and polishing was done by the owners themselves. For similar Zande bowls, see 1948.2.132 (with a solid foot) and 1948.2.134 (fenestrated foot), and 1948.2.135 (with cylindrical rather than pyramidal foot, also fenestrated).
Rachael Sparks 17/9/2005.
Primary Documentation:
Accession Book Entry
[p.
264] - E.
E.
EVANS-PRITCHARD, INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY, OXFORD.
Found unentered; collected by donor.
[p.
264] 1948.2.130 - ZANDE.
Wooden bowl, on hollow pyramidal foot, [p.
265] black without, white within 12" across top, 9" high.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 2/2/2004].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - AFRICA, Sudan, ZANDE. Wooden bowl with fenestrated pedestal foot. Coll. E.E. Evans-Pritchard. Found unentered Feb. 1948. 1948.2.130 [plastic coated label, tied to object; RTS 12/4/2005].Pitt Rivers Museum label -
Written on object - ZANDE [pencil]; AZANDE. d.d. Evans Pritchard 1948.2.130 [ink, inside bowl]; ZANDE 1948.2.130 d.d. EVANS-PRITCHARD [ink, bowl rim; RTS 12/4/2005].
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 2/2/2004].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - AFRICA, Sudan, ZANDE. Wooden bowl with fenestrated pedestal foot. Coll. E.E. Evans-Pritchard. Found unentered Feb. 1948. 1948.2.130 [plastic coated label, tied to object; RTS 12/4/2005].Pitt Rivers Museum label -
Written on object - ZANDE [pencil]; AZANDE. d.d. Evans Pritchard 1948.2.130 [ink, inside bowl]; ZANDE 1948.2.130 d.d. EVANS-PRITCHARD [ink, bowl rim; RTS 12/4/2005].
