Toposa spoon
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1979.20.196
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan]
Cultural Group:
Toposa
Date Made:
By 1980
Materials:
Wood Plant , Animal Hide Skin
Process:
Carved , Stained , Perforated , Polished , Plaited , Tied
Dimensions:
L = 373 mm, W handle top = 13.8 mm, th handle top = 13 mm, W handle centre = 14.3 mm, th handle centre = 13.5 mm; diam hole = 4 mm; L bowl = 93 mm, W bowl = 60 mm, Ht bowl = 29 mm, depth bowl = 20 mm; w hide loop = 5 mm, th hide loop = 2 mm [RTS 21/6/2004
Weight:
194.9 g (of 3 spoons tied together)
Other Owners:
This object was collected by Brian John Mack when working amongst the Toposa in the Southern Sudan in 1980. It appears to have been accessioned retrospectively as part of Patti Langton's collection later that year, using the same group number assigned to
Field Collector:
Brian John Mack (known as John Mack).
PRM Source:
Patti Langton
Acquired:
Purchased 1979
Collected Date:
1980
Description:
Spoon carved from a single piece of yellow wood stained a dark reddish brown colour (Pantone 168C) on all surfaces except the bowl interior (Pantone 7510C), and then polished.
The top of the handle has been carved to form a point with six flat sides; the handle is long and slightly irregular, with an oval plan view.
This has been pierced just below the top with a circular hole.
At the other end, the handle joins onto a shallow, elongated bowl with thin rim, concave interior hollow and convex underside.
This is lentoid in plan view, cut flat at the end near the handle, and slightly pointed at the opposite end.
On its underside, the handle continues along the base of the bowl as a tapering, slightly raised and flattened rib that extends to the tip of the bowl, presumably to strengthen the place where these two elements join.
A narrow strip of hide has been threaded through the suspension hole at the top of the handle, bent to form a rough loop, and then both split ends plaited together to secure it.
A long, narrow yellow hide strip with traces of light buff coloured animal hair has been passed twice through this loop and two others that have spoons 1979.20.195 and 197 attached, before being knotted off, leaving one short and one long end trailing.
The group as a whole weighs 194.9 grams.
The spoon is complete and intact, and is 373 mm long; the handle measures 13.8 by 13 mm at the end and 14.3 by 13.5 mm at the centre; the hole has a diameter of 4 mm; the spoon bowl is 93 mm long, 60 mm wide, 29 mm high and 20 mm deep, while the hide loop through the handle hole is 5 mm wide and 2 mm thick.
This object was collected by Brian John Mack when working amongst the Toposa in the Southern Sudan in 1980. It appears to have been accessioned retrospectively as part of Patti Langton's collection later that year, using the same group number assigned to material from her 1979 expedition, which Mack had been a part of. However his 1980 fieldwork appears to have been undertaken independently of Langton, although she was working amongst the nearby Boya at the same time.
The collector did not record any further information on how this type of spoon was used, or the name that it was known by locally. Among other Nilotic cultures such as the Larim, they were used for eating (see 1979.20.151-152). For general discussions of the Toposa, see the article by Captain G.R. King in L.F. Nalder (ed.), 1937, A Tribal Survey of the Mongalla Province, pp 65-81 and A.C. Beaton, 1950, "Record of the Toposa Tribe", Sudan Notes and Records XXXI .
Rachael Sparks 20/08/2005.
This object was collected by Brian John Mack when working amongst the Toposa in the Southern Sudan in 1980. It appears to have been accessioned retrospectively as part of Patti Langton's collection later that year, using the same group number assigned to material from her 1979 expedition, which Mack had been a part of. However his 1980 fieldwork appears to have been undertaken independently of Langton, although she was working amongst the nearby Boya at the same time.
The collector did not record any further information on how this type of spoon was used, or the name that it was known by locally. Among other Nilotic cultures such as the Larim, they were used for eating (see 1979.20.151-152). For general discussions of the Toposa, see the article by Captain G.R. King in L.F. Nalder (ed.), 1937, A Tribal Survey of the Mongalla Province, pp 65-81 and A.C. Beaton, 1950, "Record of the Toposa Tribe", Sudan Notes and Records XXXI .
Rachael Sparks 20/08/2005.
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.
214] 1979.20.194 - SOUTHERN SUDAN TOPOSA Collected in 1980 and sent via John Mack, Mus.
of Mankind [p.
214] 1979.20.194 - 197 Four wooden spoons: [1979.20].196 Dark brown wood; Total L = 36 cm.
[1979.20.195 - 197] none decorated.
All perforated and tied together with leather string.
Additional Accession Book Entry [beside accession numbers .195 - .197 in red biro] - A6-F25-2.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the tribes catalogue card [RTS 23/7/2004].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - S.SUDAN TOPOSA. 3 wooden spoons coll. by Pat Langton 1979.20.195-197 [plastic label with metal eyelet, stored in RDF; RTS 19/5/2005].
Written on object - There may be some pencil marking on the inside face of the spoon bowl, but it could not be deciphered [RTS 21/6/2004].
Additional Accession Book Entry [beside accession numbers .195 - .197 in red biro] - A6-F25-2.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the tribes catalogue card [RTS 23/7/2004].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - S.SUDAN TOPOSA. 3 wooden spoons coll. by Pat Langton 1979.20.195-197 [plastic label with metal eyelet, stored in RDF; RTS 19/5/2005].
Written on object - There may be some pencil marking on the inside face of the spoon bowl, but it could not be deciphered [RTS 21/6/2004].
