Zande ladle
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1930.86.52
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan]
Cultural Group:
Zande
Date Made:
By 1930
Materials:
Gourd Plant
Process:
Hollowed , Perforated , Burnished , Pyroengraved Pokerwork , Decorated
Dimensions:
L = 258, bowl W = 190 by 150, handle W = 45.7, handle th = 25, diam hole = 7, Ht = 95 mm [RTS 24/3/2005].
Weight:
88.9 g
Other Owners:
Probably collected by Evans-Pritchard himself during his fieldwork amongst the Zande, which took place during 1927, part of 1928 and 1929 and for several months during 1930 [CM; RTS 6/7/2004]. Purchased from Edward Evans-Pritchard for the PRM by Henry Bal
Field Collector:
Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard
PRM Source:
Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard
Acquired:
Purchased 31 December 1930
Collected Date:
1927 - 1930
Description:
Gourd ladle consisting of a narrow flat topped rim and hemispherical body with convex base and a long handle extending from the rim on one side; this also has a convex underside.
This shape was created by slicing a gourd plant in half down its length and hollowing it out.
Cut marks running along the sides of the handle show where the original edge of the handle interior was intended, but the pithy centre has not been fully removed.
The handle has also been pierced through the end with a suspension hole; blackening around the edges suggest this was bored using a heated tool.
The upper edge of the rim is similarly blackened.
The inside surface of the gourd is a matt yellow colour (Pantone 7508C), while the exterior is a glossy orange (Pantone 7517C).
The exterior has been decorated by using a heated blade to burn blackened linear designs into the surface.
This consists of 2 broad bands around the upper body, applied with some irregularity, with double, triple and then double lines acting as horizontal frames around the circumference, and the 2 bands within filled with a series of U shapes, with the areas between covered in horizontal or oblique hatching.
The upper band stops at the handle, while the lower band continues to run around the body beneath it.
The ladle is complete and intact, but has a few insect bores over the interior, as well as a series of shallow cut marks, while the exterior surface is slightly spotted.
It has a weight of 88.9 grams, and is 258 mm long, with a bowl width of 190 by 150 mm, a handle width of 45.7 mm and thickness of 25 mm, and a height of 95 mm; the suspension hole has a diameter of 7 mm.
Probably collected by Evans-Pritchard himself during his fieldwork amongst the Zande, which took place during 1927, part of 1928 and 1929 and for several months during 1930. Purchased from Edward Evans-Pritchard for the Pitt Rivers Museum by Henry Balfour on 31 December 1930.
Patti Langton describes how similar decoration was applied to Dinka gourds; see the entry for 1979.20.91, where the pattern is marked out in charcoal, then with an iron needle, before being scored over with a heated spear or knife blade.
Rachael Sparks 17/9/2005.
Probably collected by Evans-Pritchard himself during his fieldwork amongst the Zande, which took place during 1927, part of 1928 and 1929 and for several months during 1930. Purchased from Edward Evans-Pritchard for the Pitt Rivers Museum by Henry Balfour on 31 December 1930.
Patti Langton describes how similar decoration was applied to Dinka gourds; see the entry for 1979.20.91, where the pattern is marked out in charcoal, then with an iron needle, before being scored over with a heated spear or knife blade.
Rachael Sparks 17/9/2005.
Primary Documentation:
Accession Book Entry
[BIV, p.
138] - 1930 [insert] 86 [end insert]
E.E.
EVANS PRITCHARD
31 Dec.
Specimens collected by himself in the EASTERN SUDAN, etc.
[...] [p.
139, insert] 52 [end insert] - Large-bowled ladel [sic] of calabash with engraved decoration, AZANDE.
[...] [Base of p.
139, total of items 1930.86.1-65] - P[ai]d by cheque 31 Dec £
25-0-0
.
Added Accession Book Entry [page opposite 138] - 1930.86 See Related Documents File for letter from Henry Balfour to Evans-Pritchard concerning the purchase of this collection.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 2/2/2004].
Related Documents File - This contains a letter from Balfour to Evans-Pritchard, dated 31 December 1930 that specifies the objects which he would like to purchase for the Pitt Rivers Museum, and suggests a price of £25, which was one quarter of his annual budget. The list matches the objects ultimately accessioned quite closely. This item appears on the list as "1 calabash ladle". This letter also mentions rejecting a number of items; these may relate to an undated list in the file of 48 objects, which do not seem to match accessioned material.
RDF 1930.86 also contains a letter from Evans-Pritchard to Mr. Malcolm dated 12 December 1930, offering him some 81 Zande and Nuer objects. As Malcolm was curator of the Wellcome Historical Medical Museum, it seems unlikely that these objects were ever sent to the Pitt Rivers Museum and this letter is only useful as background for Evans-Pritchard's attritudes to the intended future use of his material, and as evidence for the temporary storage of these objects in Professor Seligman's office in the London School of Economics at the time.
Pitt Rivers Museum label - AFRICA, Sudan. Zande tribe. Decorated gourd ladle. Purch. E.E. Evans-Pritchard 31st December 1930. 1930.86.52 [plastic coated label, RTS 23/3/2005].
Written on object - Ladle. AZANDE, BAHR EL GHAZAL. Evans Pritchard coll. Pur. 31.12.1930 [RTS 23/3/2005].
Added Accession Book Entry [page opposite 138] - 1930.86 See Related Documents File for letter from Henry Balfour to Evans-Pritchard concerning the purchase of this collection.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 2/2/2004].
Related Documents File - This contains a letter from Balfour to Evans-Pritchard, dated 31 December 1930 that specifies the objects which he would like to purchase for the Pitt Rivers Museum, and suggests a price of £25, which was one quarter of his annual budget. The list matches the objects ultimately accessioned quite closely. This item appears on the list as "1 calabash ladle". This letter also mentions rejecting a number of items; these may relate to an undated list in the file of 48 objects, which do not seem to match accessioned material.
RDF 1930.86 also contains a letter from Evans-Pritchard to Mr. Malcolm dated 12 December 1930, offering him some 81 Zande and Nuer objects. As Malcolm was curator of the Wellcome Historical Medical Museum, it seems unlikely that these objects were ever sent to the Pitt Rivers Museum and this letter is only useful as background for Evans-Pritchard's attritudes to the intended future use of his material, and as evidence for the temporary storage of these objects in Professor Seligman's office in the London School of Economics at the time.
Pitt Rivers Museum label - AFRICA, Sudan. Zande tribe. Decorated gourd ladle. Purch. E.E. Evans-Pritchard 31st December 1930. 1930.86.52 [plastic coated label, RTS 23/3/2005].
Written on object - Ladle. AZANDE, BAHR EL GHAZAL. Evans Pritchard coll. Pur. 31.12.1930 [RTS 23/3/2005].
