Spear, Ingessana?
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1944.10.25 .1 .2
Country:
Sudan
Region:
Blue Nile ?Darfung
Cultural Group:
?Ingessana
Date Made:
By 1912
Materials:
Iron Metal , Cane Plant
Process:
Forged (Metal) , Hammered , Socketed , Carved Stained , Polished , Decorated
Dimensions:
Total L = 1298; spear-head L = 402, W = 13, th = 12.8, socket diam = 19 x 18.5; shaft diam upper body = 16 x 15.2; discoloured section at end of butt L = 55 mm [RTS 14/7/2005].
Weight:
430.3 g
Other Owners:
L. Gorringe and Mrs L. Gorringe
Field Collector:
L. Gorringe
PRM Source:
Mrs L. Gorringe
Acquired:
Donated October 1944
Collected Date:
1902 - 1912
Description:
Spear consisting of an iron spear-head with narrow, square sectioned body, decorated with incised and cutaway designs.
These are arranged in 3 groups, with spaces between.
The first two groups are identical, and consist of lozenge-shaped beading framed by parallel grooves around the body above and below.
This beading has been created by cutting away small triangular segments from the top and bottom of each edge - making eight such cut-outs around the body, leaving a raised lozenge at the centre of each of the four flat faces.
The third group is made up of the top part of this design - two parallel lines, then a half-lozenge, or triangle, created by triangular cut-outs around the upper corners only.
The spear-head then tapers out to a cylindrical socket with closed seam running up the front, and 2 closely spaced grooves incised around its upper part.
This has been fitted over the top of a cane shaft with six segments along its length.
This has a slightly oval section and has been stained a reddish brown colour (Pantone 469C).
The butt has been damaged, and has not been stained; traces of copper corrosion suggest that there was originally some kind of metal attachment; the accession record indicates this was a reused brass cartridge case, currently missing.
The spear is otherwise complete, with some splits down the shaft body.
It has a weight of 430.3 grams and a total length of 1298 mm.
The spear-head is 403 mm long, 13 mm wide and 12.8 mm thick, with a socket diameter of 19 by 18.5 mm, while the shaft has an upper body diameter of 16 by 15.2 mm.
Collected by L. Gorringe in the Sudan sometime between 1902 and 1912, and donated to the Museum by his widow in October 1944.
Rachael Sparks 30/9/2005.
Collected by L. Gorringe in the Sudan sometime between 1902 and 1912, and donated to the Museum by his widow in October 1944.
Rachael Sparks 30/9/2005.
Primary Documentation:
Accession Book Entry
[p.
375] -
Mrs L.
GORRINGE, Rosaries Farm, Ngong, Kenya
.
Specimens collected by her late husband, Captain L.
Gorringe, M.C., in the ANGLO-EGYPTIAN SUDAN between 1902 and 1912.
Undocumented.
[p.
379] 1944.10.25.
- Spear, or pike, with socketed iron head, consisting of a spike of quadrangular section having a round-sectioned socket, the lower part of the spike, above the socket, divided into ornamental sections; thin bamboo shaft with European cartridge-case of brass serving as ferrule.
Total length 6' 4 1/8", length of head [p.
381] 1' 3 7/8".
Provenance uncertain, probably DAR FUNG (INGASSANA?).
Pitt Rivers Museum label - INGASSANA? DAR FUNG, A.-E. SUDAN. Coll. by Capt. L Gorringe 1902-1912. d.d. Mrs L. Gorringe, 1944.10.25 [black ink on rectangular paper label, stuck to side of object]; AFRICA, Sudan, probably Darfung. INGESSANA tribe? Spear with socketed iron head, d.d. Mrs L. Gorringe. 1944.10.25.1-.2 [plastic coated label, tied to object; RTS 13/7/2005].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - INGASSANA? DAR FUNG, A.-E. SUDAN. Coll. by Capt. L Gorringe 1902-1912. d.d. Mrs L. Gorringe, 1944.10.25 [black ink on rectangular paper label, stuck to side of object]; AFRICA, Sudan, probably Darfung. INGESSANA tribe? Spear with socketed iron head, d.d. Mrs L. Gorringe. 1944.10.25.1-.2 [plastic coated label, tied to object; RTS 13/7/2005].
