Figure, Zande?
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1953.11.3
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan]
Cultural Group:
Zande ?
Date Made:
By 1953
Materials:
Animal Ivory Tooth
Process:
Carved , Polished
Dimensions:
Ht = 137 mm, W head = 30 mm, W shoulders = 33.6 mm, W hips = 36.7 mm, L base = 40.6, W base = 37.4 mm [RTS 1/10/2004].
Weight:
157.5 g
Other Owners:
R.P. Elderton
Field Collector:
Rowland Percy Somerset Elderton?
PRM Source:
Rowland Percy Somerset Elderton
Acquired:
Donated November 1953
Collected Date:
By 1953
Description:
Small figure carved in the round from a single piece of ivory and depicting a woman with artificially elongated skull standing naked with both arms bent at the elbows and held just touching over the stomach area.
Almond shaped eyes, long nose, mouth and ears are simply indicated, along with pendulous breasts, arms and hands; the fingers have not been carved, and no detail is shown on the the lower body which is presented as a convex sided cylinder flaring out to form an everted base with slightly concave underside.
There is less detail on the back of the figure, but the backs of the arms and shoulder blades have been carved as raised areas, and the top of the buttocks projects from the curve of the lower body with a recessed area cut below.
The surface has been highly polished.
The figure is complete, but has a long crack running down from the shoulder area to the base, visible on the object front and back, with minor cracks evident elsewhere on the upper body.
It has a weight of 157.5 grams, is 137 mm high, measures 30 mm across the head (from ear to ear), 33.6 mm across the shoulders, 36.7 mm across the hips and 40.6 by 37.4 mm across its base.
Acquired by Rowland Percy Somerset Elderton in the Southern Sudan, sometime between 1903 and 1925, while serving in the Egyptian army. Donated to the Pitt Rivers Museum in November 1953.
Rachael Sparks 30/9/2005.
Acquired by Rowland Percy Somerset Elderton in the Southern Sudan, sometime between 1903 and 1925, while serving in the Egyptian army. Donated to the Pitt Rivers Museum in November 1953.
Rachael Sparks 30/9/2005.
Primary Documentation:
Accession Book Entry
[p.
82] - MAJOR R.P.
ELDERTON, ...
BROCKENHURST, HANTS.
[p.
83] 1953.11.3 - SOUTH SUDAN.
Small ivory figure 6" high, of female with conically-shaped head.
This shape was caused by binding the children's heads with bandages.
Flat base.
(Cracked).
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the tribes catalogue card [RTS 28/1/2004].
Written on object - SOUTH SUDAN. The shape of the head is caused by artificial deformation. 1953.11.3. R.P. Elderton [RTS 25/8/2004].
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the tribes catalogue card [RTS 28/1/2004].
Written on object - SOUTH SUDAN. The shape of the head is caused by artificial deformation. 1953.11.3. R.P. Elderton [RTS 25/8/2004].
