Nuer butter jar
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1936.10.37 .1 .2
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan]
Cultural Group:
Nuer
Date Made:
By 1936
Materials:
Gourd Plant , Grass Fibre Plant
Process:
Hollowed , Dried , Perforated , Twisted , Stitched
Dimensions:
Total Ht = 135; [.1] body diam = 128, th = 3, lid [.2] L = 55, W = 53, th = 3 mm; cord diam = 1 mm [RTS 24/3/2005].
Weight:
126.8 g
Other Owners:
This object was probably collected in 1935 or 1936, when Evans-Pritchard held a research fellowship from the Leverhulme Trust (see E.E. Evans-Pritchard, 1940, The Nuer) [RTS 28/9/2004].
Field Collector:
Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard
PRM Source:
Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard
Acquired:
Donated 1936
Collected Date:
1935 - 1936
Description:
Vessel consisting of a small gourd cut off at the base of the neck to form a closed container with narrow circular mouth on a globular body and slightly flattened base [.1].
This is accompanied by a circular disc lid [.2], slightly larger than the vessel mouth and cut from another gourd, with roughly shaped edges and 12 small holes bored around its perimeter.
A similar row of holes pierce the upper body of the matching vessel; these are more unevenly spaced.
A length of twisted 2-ply yellow grass fibre cord has been passed through both sets of holes and drawn tight, to hold the lid in place (Pantone 7508C).
While this makes use of all the holes on the lid, only some of those in the vessel body have been utilised.
The lid has been discoloured around its outer edge, and looks slightly greasy; both it and the body are a reddish brown colour (Pantone 483C).
The body exterior was found covered with a thick white residue that gives off a strong, unpleasant smell, which was removed by conservation; the interior is similarly coated.
The object is complete, but has cracked down the side and one fragment has become detached from the lower body, now mended.
It has a weight, together with its lid, of 126.8 grams, and a total height of 135 mm.
The vessel body has a diameter of 128 mm, and is 3 mm thick, while the lid is 55 mm long, 53 mm wide and 3 mm thick, and the fibre cord has a diameter of 1 mm.
Evans-Pritchard did his fieldwork amongst the Nuer in four expeditions, which took place in 1930, 1931, 1935 and 1936 amongst the Eastern Jikany and Lou of eastern Nuerland, and the Leek and western Jikany of western Nuerland. This object was probably collected in 1935 or 1936, when he held a research fellowship from the Leverhulme Trust (see E.E. Evans-Pritchard, 1940, The Nuer ).
This particular vessel is said to have been used to store butter, but has a similar form to gourds used by the Nuer to store cheese, also with stitched on lids (E.E. Evans-Pritchard, 1940, The Nuer, pp 22-25, fig. 2; this example is now in the Cambridge Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, possibly accession number 1931.1218). Evans-Pritchard describes the use of these on p. 25: "The cheese is suspended in a net from the roof of a hut in a round gourd, a piece of the shell of which has been cut out so that cords run through it and it acts as a sliding lid (see Fig. 2), and, if air is excluded by a coating of cattle dung, it will keep in good condition for months... it is eaten with porridge and is also used for anointing the body". This could be the gourd illustrated in his figure 2, but this is not certain as the latter seems slightly plumper in its body.
Rachael Sparks 17/8/2005.
Evans-Pritchard did his fieldwork amongst the Nuer in four expeditions, which took place in 1930, 1931, 1935 and 1936 amongst the Eastern Jikany and Lou of eastern Nuerland, and the Leek and western Jikany of western Nuerland. This object was probably collected in 1935 or 1936, when he held a research fellowship from the Leverhulme Trust (see E.E. Evans-Pritchard, 1940, The Nuer ).
This particular vessel is said to have been used to store butter, but has a similar form to gourds used by the Nuer to store cheese, also with stitched on lids (E.E. Evans-Pritchard, 1940, The Nuer, pp 22-25, fig. 2; this example is now in the Cambridge Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, possibly accession number 1931.1218). Evans-Pritchard describes the use of these on p. 25: "The cheese is suspended in a net from the roof of a hut in a round gourd, a piece of the shell of which has been cut out so that cords run through it and it acts as a sliding lid (see Fig. 2), and, if air is excluded by a coating of cattle dung, it will keep in good condition for months... it is eaten with porridge and is also used for anointing the body". This could be the gourd illustrated in his figure 2, but this is not certain as the latter seems slightly plumper in its body.
Rachael Sparks 17/8/2005.
Primary Documentation:
Accession Book Entry
[p.
410] - 1936 [insert] 10 [end insert] E.
EVANS-PRITCHARD, M.A., Exeter College, Oxford.
- Specimens collected by himself in the EASTERN SUDAN, while travelling with a Grant from the
Rockefeller
Leverhulme Trustees, viz: [p.
412] [insert] 37 [end insert] - Gourd with stitched-on lid, for holding butter, NUER.
Card Catalogue Entry - EASTERN SUDAN, NUER. Five gourd containers [insert, red] A4-F5-30 [end insert] .36 [insert, 36 crossed out, replaced with] 37 [end insert] Gourd with stitched-on lid; for holding butter. H = ca. 14 cm. Collected and donated by E. Evans-Pritchard [RTS 23/7/2004].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - Ghi , butter-pot. NUER, E. SUDAN. d.d. E. Evans-Pritchard, 1936.10. 36 [last 2 digits crossed out] .37 [rectangular paper label, stuck to side of object].
Card Catalogue Entry - EASTERN SUDAN, NUER. Five gourd containers [insert, red] A4-F5-30 [end insert] .36 [insert, 36 crossed out, replaced with] 37 [end insert] Gourd with stitched-on lid; for holding butter. H = ca. 14 cm. Collected and donated by E. Evans-Pritchard [RTS 23/7/2004].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - Ghi , butter-pot. NUER, E. SUDAN. d.d. E. Evans-Pritchard, 1936.10. 36 [last 2 digits crossed out] .37 [rectangular paper label, stuck to side of object].
