Dinka Tuich headrest
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1979.20.87
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan] Northern Bahr el Ghazal ?Dhangrial ?Wun Rog ?Mayen
Cultural Group:
Dinka Tuich
Date Made:
By 1979
Materials:
Wood Plant , Cotton Yarn Plant , String
Process:
Carved , Twisted , Knotted
Dimensions:
L = 460, Ht = 163, seat L = 450, seat W = 59.5, seat th = 58, central leg diam = 57.5 by 58; cord diam = 2.5, L as strung = 390 mm [RTS 22/3/2005].
Weight:
>1000 g
Other Owners:
Collected by Patti Langton between 17th and 26th February 1979, as part of the British Institute in East Africa's expedition to the southern Sudan [RTS 1/6/2004].
Field Collector:
Patti Langton
PRM Source:
Patti Langton
Acquired:
Purchased 1979
Collected Date:
17 - 26 February 1979
Description:
Headrest carved from a single piece of light yellowish brown wood (Pantone 7509C).
This is an example of 'found form', being carved from a tree branch whose shape, with 3 subsidiary limbs splaying out from one side, is naturally suited for its intended purpose.
This was carved, with the legs trimmed down to the same height and the bark removed, before polishing the surface.
It consist of a rectangular seat, cut flat across its upper surface, which slopes down to its inner edge.
The seat is arc-shaped along its length, with a convex outer edge and concave inner edge.
It has been flattened on its two sides, and the underside cut as 2 sloping facets along its length.
As well as curving, the seat tapers to the ends, which have been cut down to form two knobs with sloping sides and flat-cut end faces.
While the form may be intended to represent a stylised animal, there are no specifically zoomorphic features added on this example.
Three short, thick legs extend from the underside of this seat - one at either end, splaying out in the same direction, and a third leg in the centre, sloping away from them.
In contrast to the seat, the legs have oval sections, and are much more irregular in shape, with varying curvature that reflects the shape of the original branch.
These have all been cut flat across their bases, but two of the legs still tend to rest on their inside edges when the headrest stands upright.
A length of discoloured cream cord has been doubled over, tied around either knob end and strung across the inside face of the headrest to form a handle (Pantone 7401C).
The cord itself is composed of multiple strands of a fibrous yarn, possibly cotton, twisted together and is secured by a knot at one end.
The headrest is complete and intact, although there is some surface damage exposing the lighter cream colour of the wood beneath, and some sooting on the outside face of the seat and central foot.
Tool marks are visible across most of the surface.
It has a weight greater than 1000 grams, and is 460 mm long and 180 mm high.
The seat is 450 mm long, 59.5 mm wide and 58 mm thick, while the central leg is 57.8 mm wide and 50.5 mm thick.
The cord is 390 mm long, as strung, and has a diameter of 2.5 mm.
Collected by Patti Langton between 17th and 26th February 1979 as part of the British Institute in East Africa's expedition to the southern Sudan. The place of collection was not specified, but would have been either Dhangrial, Wun Rog or Mayen, all of which like in 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 particular headrest is much heavier and more solid than usually seen. Langton did not record its Dinka name.
Rachael Sparks 25/9/2005.
Collected by Patti Langton between 17th and 26th February 1979 as part of the British Institute in East Africa's expedition to the southern Sudan. The place of collection was not specified, but would have been either Dhangrial, Wun Rog or Mayen, all of which like in 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 particular headrest is much heavier and more solid than usually seen. Langton did not record its Dinka name.
Rachael Sparks 25/9/2005.
Primary Documentation:
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 [insert] (the collectors) [end insert] were offering money, the Dinka in surrounding compounds came daily, increasing prices as often as they could! [p.
198] 1979.20.87 Wooden headrest (not on list).
Top L = 45.5 cm.; H.
at center [sic] = 16.3 cm.
Coll.
no.
201.
Additional Accession Book Entry [below accession number in red biro] - A5-F34-27.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 03/03/2004].
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 [this entry is in the form of a pencil annotation only and reads '201 not entered'), 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].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - S. SUDAN, DINKA TUICH. Headrest. Pat Langton coll., no. 201. 1979.20.87 [plastic label with metal eyelet, tied to object; RTS 22/3/2005].
Additional Accession Book Entry [below accession number in red biro] - A5-F34-27.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 03/03/2004].
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 [this entry is in the form of a pencil annotation only and reads '201 not entered'), 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].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - S. SUDAN, DINKA TUICH. Headrest. Pat Langton coll., no. 201. 1979.20.87 [plastic label with metal eyelet, tied to object; RTS 22/3/2005].
