Dinka Tuich jar
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1979.20.70 .1 .2
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan] Northern Bahr el Ghazal ?Dhangrial ?Wun Rog ?Mayen
Cultural Group:
Dinka Tuich
Date Made:
By 1979
Materials:
Gourd Plant , String
Process:
Hollowed , Dried , Decorated , Pyroengraved Pokerwork , Perforated
Dimensions:
Ht = 130, rim diam = 35, base neck piece diam = 98 x 101, ht neck = 40; top body piece diam = 101 x 105, max diam = 140, Ht = 94; th walls = 4 mm throughout [RTS 30/3/2005].
Weight:
51 g
Local Name:
keyach angar
Other Owners:
Purchased by Patti Langton for 50 piastres on 19th February 1979 as part of the British Institute in Eastern Africa's Expedition to the Southern Sudan [RTS 15/6/2004].
Field Collector:
Patti Langton
PRM Source:
Patti Langton
Acquired:
Purchased 1979
Collected Date:
19 February 1979
Description:
Squat jar made from a gourd plant with the upper part of the neck cut off, the pulpy interior removed and then the remaining shell dried.
It has a narrow rim, cut flat across the top, then turning out to a short, narrow concave neck that flares into a convex shoulder and broad body with convex base; this is slightly concave underneath where the plant stem was originally attached to the centre.
It is round in plan view.
The vessel has been jaggedly cut into two pieces across the top of the shoulder, to create a detachable neck [.2] and separate bowl below [.1].
Two small holes were then bored into the edges of each piece, and a short length of European string passed through to tie them together.
Although the two pieces should fit snugly together, the cuts have not been aligned correctly in relation to these holes.
The flat upper rim, base edge of the neck piece, and top edge of the jar body below have all been burnt black.
Decoration has also been added to both parts.
The neck piece has been decorated with a series of vertical lines, burnt down the sides to make blackened 7 groups, with a single line incised around the lower edge of the circumference.
The body piece has been decorated with a broad band around its upper part, made of a series of triangles pendant from a top line, meeting a second row of triangles pointing upwards.
The triangle bodies are filled with hatching; the smooth surface of the gourd appears as a reserved lozenge-shaped pattern running across the centre of this band.
The gourd interior is a matt yellow colour (Pantone 7508C), while the exterior is a smooth orange (Pantone 7510C); the burnt decoration is a dark brownish black (Pantone black 7C).
This object was originally used as a drinking gourd for young children; it is difficult to see how this could be the case with a detachable neck that does not fit snugly and has not been given any secure means of tying it in place, and it is possible that the neck was removed at a later stage in this object's life, when it began to function as an ashtray for men. This latter use could explain the scorching seen around the interior of the mouth on one side, which would be where cigarettes were extinguished; there is no burning on the base which was apparently filled with sand. The object is complete and intact, with some discolouration on the exterior surface, possible residues on the interior and slight insect damage. It has a weight of 51 grams, and a total height of 130 mm. The rim has an external diameter of 35 mm and is 4 mm wide. The neck piece, [.2] has a base diameter of 98 by 101 mm and is 4 mm thick and 40 mm high. The body piece, [.1] has a rim diameter of 101 by 105 mm, a maximum diameter of 140 mm, is 94 mm high and 4 mm thick.
Purchased by Patti Langton for 50 piastres on 19th February 1979 as part of the British Institute in Eastern Africa's Expedition to the Southern Sudan. The exact purchase place was not specified, but must have been at Dhangrial, Wun Rog, or Mayen, all of which lie in the modern 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 type of vessel has the local name keyach angar; neither term could be located in Nebel's 1979 Dinka-English Dictionary. Gourd vessels were decorated by women; the pattern was first marked out in charcoal, then using a type of needle called a with , before scoring over the marks using a heated spear or knife blade; for another example using this technique, see 1979.20.91. The museum collection also includes an iron with, 1979.20.59.
Rachael Sparks 17/8/2005.
This object was originally used as a drinking gourd for young children; it is difficult to see how this could be the case with a detachable neck that does not fit snugly and has not been given any secure means of tying it in place, and it is possible that the neck was removed at a later stage in this object's life, when it began to function as an ashtray for men. This latter use could explain the scorching seen around the interior of the mouth on one side, which would be where cigarettes were extinguished; there is no burning on the base which was apparently filled with sand. The object is complete and intact, with some discolouration on the exterior surface, possible residues on the interior and slight insect damage. It has a weight of 51 grams, and a total height of 130 mm. The rim has an external diameter of 35 mm and is 4 mm wide. The neck piece, [.2] has a base diameter of 98 by 101 mm and is 4 mm thick and 40 mm high. The body piece, [.1] has a rim diameter of 101 by 105 mm, a maximum diameter of 140 mm, is 94 mm high and 4 mm thick.
Purchased by Patti Langton for 50 piastres on 19th February 1979 as part of the British Institute in Eastern Africa's Expedition to the Southern Sudan. The exact purchase place was not specified, but must have been at Dhangrial, Wun Rog, or Mayen, all of which lie in the modern 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 type of vessel has the local name keyach angar; neither term could be located in Nebel's 1979 Dinka-English Dictionary. Gourd vessels were decorated by women; the pattern was first marked out in charcoal, then using a type of needle called a with , before scoring over the marks using a heated spear or knife blade; for another example using this technique, see 1979.20.91. The museum collection also includes an iron with, 1979.20.59.
Rachael Sparks 17/8/2005.
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.
195] 1979.20.70 Decorated gourd with lid,
keyach angar
.
Used as a drinking gourd for young children.
This one has been used by men as an ash tray, putting sand in the bottom first.
H = 12.7 cm.
Coll.
19.2.79; 50 pt.
Coll.
no.
151.
Additional Accession Book Entry [below accession number in red biro] - A5-F33-24.
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, 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].
Written on object - [.1] 151a [in pencil, Langton marking] S. SUDAN DINKA P. Langton coll. 151, 1979.20.70.1 [ink]; [.2] 151b [pencil, Langton marking], 1979.20.70.2 [ink; RTS 23/3/2005].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - AFRICA, Sudan. Dinka Tuich tribe. Decorated gourd with fitted lid, open at top. This one was used as an ashtray. Coll. P. Langton, 19th February 1979, no. 151. 1979.20.70.1-2 [plastic coated label, tied to object; RTS 23/3/2005].
Additional Accession Book Entry [below accession number in red biro] - A5-F33-24.
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, 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].
Written on object - [.1] 151a [in pencil, Langton marking] S. SUDAN DINKA P. Langton coll. 151, 1979.20.70.1 [ink]; [.2] 151b [pencil, Langton marking], 1979.20.70.2 [ink; RTS 23/3/2005].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - AFRICA, Sudan. Dinka Tuich tribe. Decorated gourd with fitted lid, open at top. This one was used as an ashtray. Coll. P. Langton, 19th February 1979, no. 151. 1979.20.70.1-2 [plastic coated label, tied to object; RTS 23/3/2005].
