Dinka Tuich helmet

1979.20.100

Sudan

[Southern Sudan] Northern Bahr el Ghazal ?Dhangrial ?Wun Rog ?Mayen

Dinka Tuich

By 1979

Palm Fibre Plant , Animal Hide Skin

Basketry , Woven , Coiled , Twisted , Tied , Knotted Stitched Perforated

L brim = 257, W brim = 215, Ht = 115, depth crown = 105.4, cord diam = 4, stitch W = 4 mm [RTS 17/11/2004].

193.0 g

athugo nhoon

Purchased by Brian John Mack (known as John Mack) (then at the Museum of Mankind) for 75 piastres on 22nd February 1979 as part of the British Institute in East Africa's expedition to the Southern Sudan, headed by Patti Langton [RTS 14/6/2004].

Brian John Mack (known as John Mack), Museum of Mankind

Patti Langton

Purchased 1979

22 February 1979

Hat or helmet with an oval plan view, made from several strands of plant fibre, bundled together, and then bound round with narrow palm strips, creating a continuous circular coil that is bent round in a spiral, with each loop being woven into neighbouring loops by the binding strips. This has a flat circular top, with a small circular hole at the centre, where the spiral begins. The sides then curve out and down to a slightly bulging middle before turning concavely into the base of the crown, where a narrow brim projects out at right angles for around 30 mm. The lip of the brim curls up slightly. This has been carefully finished, with the overlapping starting edge of the coil woven tightly into the adjacent loop. A series of narrow gaps have been left in the body, where the adjacent coils have not been woven into each other. This creates a narrow 'buttonhole'-like slot, around 12 to 14 mm long, that could have been used to seat various attachments, such as a feather plume. There are 2 such slots on opposite sides of the brim, 3 slots in an oblique line rising up one side of the crown, and an additional slot near the top edge. 3 hide cords have also been sewn into the top of the crown, leaving a single stitch across the upper surface in each case and their ends dangling down inside the hat. These loose ends are very short, and may have been broken or cut away; this may have been to secure further ornaments. Finally, a short length of cord made from two narrow hide strips twisted together has been threaded through holes on either side of the brim, where it joins the crown, and knotted on the outside to hold it in place. This was presumably added as a chin or neck strap to keep the hat in place; it has begun fraying near its ends, where the cord has rubbed against the edges of the holes. The original colour of the palm strips appears to be a light yellowish brown (Pantone 7508C), now a darker brown over most of the surface (Pantone 462C); the hide cord is a similar colour. The hat is complete, apart from the apparently broken hide ties at the top of the crown, but there is some damage to the inside edge of the brim where the hat would have been in contact with the head. This consists of sections where the fibre binding has been worn away, exposing the fibrous core beneath. The hat has a brim length of 257 mm, brim width of 215 mm, and height of 115 mm; the crown itself is 105.4 mm deep. The chin cord has a diameter of 4 mm, while the hide stitches are 4 mm wide.

Purchased by Brian John Mack (known as John Mack) for 75 piastres on 22nd February 1979, as part of the British Institute in East Africa's expedition to the Southern Sudan, directed by Patti Langton. The exact place of collection was not specified, but it probably came from Dhangrial, Wun Rog, or Mayen, all of which lie within the modern administrative district of Northern Bahr el Ghazal. For a map showing the distribution of Dinka Tuich groups, see J. Ryle, 1982, Warriors of the White Nile: The Dinka , p. 25.

This type of helmet is called athugo nhoon. Nebel gives the definition of Athugo as 'Helmet of a recently initiated youth, to cover his wounds’; presumably athugo nhoon must be a related term (Nebel 1979, Dinka-English Dictionary, p. 13). These helmets were probably worn for protection during fighting; they are said to be no longer made.

Currently on display in the Upper Gallery, case 26A.

Rachael Sparks 25/9/2005.

Accession Book Entry [p. 185] - 1979.20 (.1 - 206) P[urchase] MISS PATTI LANGTON, DEPT. of ETHNOLOGY & PREHISTORY, OXFORD. Collection made by Patti Langton during the British Institute in East Africa's expedition to the Southern Sudan; Jan. - April 1979. The collection was made in three culture areas during the dry season. The amount paid for each object is listed if the information is known. In Jan. 1979 £1 is equivalent to 95 piastres (pt.) Sudanese. This documentation is based largely upon Patti's own list of objects and her notes on these. Sometimes objects included in the Pitt Rivers alottment of the collection do not appear on her list and have been added here. See Related Documents file as well. [p. 191] 1979.20.43-135 SOUTHERN SUDAN the DINKA TUICH. The Dinka Tuich, a pastoral people, live to the north of Wau, in Bahr el Ghazal province. This collection was made mostly at Dhangrial, the archaeological site at which we camped. Other artifacts were collected either at Wun Rog, a small town about a mile south of Dhangrial, or at Mayen, the new administrative centre 12 miles north. This was a remote area, difficult of access and rarely visited by outsiders. The Dinka are very aware of the potential of money, which is used either to help family members acquire education or entry into commerce and administration in Juba or Khartoum. Once it was known we (the collectors) were offering money, the Dinka in surrounding compounds came daily, increasing prices as often as they could! [p. 199] 1979.20.100 Palm fibre fighting helmet, athugo nhoon . No longer made. L = 25.7 cm; W = 22 cm; H = 11 cm. Coll. by J. Mack, 22.2.79; 75 pt. Coll. no. 247.
Additional Accession Book Entry [below accession number in red biro] - A5-F34-12.

Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 6/4/2004].

Related Documents File - 1979.20 contains a typed packing list, which has been annotated; a typed list of objects arranged by Langton collection numbers and with pencil and biro annotations, and a handwritten list of objects by museum number, essentially repeating this information and annotated with PRM photo numbers in red. This handwritten list seems to be the direct source for the accession book entry [RTS 12/1/2004].

Old Pitt Rivers Museum label - Africa, Sudan; Dinka. Palm fibre helmet. Purch. Patti Langton, 1979. 1979.20.100 [Plastic tag with metal eyelet, tied to object; RTS 17/11/2004].

Current display label - SUDAN, BAHR EL GHAZAL; DINKA. Palm-fibre basketry hat, athugao nhoon, with chin strap, possibly worn for protection during fighting. Collected by J. Mack and purchased from P. Langton. 1979.20.100 [in case U.26.A, RTS 13/12/2004].