Bongo funerary post
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1930.86.65
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan]
Cultural Group:
Bongo
Date Made:
By ?March 1929
Materials:
Wood Plant
Process:
Carved , Stained , Inlaid , Pyroengraved Pokerwork
Dimensions:
Ht = 730; head diam = 160 x 170; base diam = 111 x 115 mm [RTS 12/9/2005].
Weight:
> 1000 g
Other Owners:
Probably collected by Evans-Pritchard during March 1929. Purchased from Edward Evans-Pritchard for the PRM by Henry Balfour on 31 December 1930, as part of a group of objects, total cost £25
Field Collector:
Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard
PRM Source:
Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard
Acquired:
Purchased 31 December 1930
Collected Date:
?March 1929
Description:
Upright post carved from a single piece of yellowish brown wood (Pantone 729C), the surface of which has been stained a dark purplish red (Pantone 498C).
The upper end has been sculpted to form a stylised human head, which is said to represent that of a deceased man; this consists of a short cylindrical finial with flat-cut top, above a spherical head with facial details carved into one side.
This is set within an oval frame, made from an overhanging brow line, 2 curving ridges that represent the ears, and a projecting, rounded chin.
Within this the eyes have been marked out by 2 shallow depressions, one oval, one almost rectangular, with a red and black abrus seed set into the centre to form the pupil (Pantone 186C).
Small holes have been burnt into the surface to mark the centre of the ears, while the centre of the face is dominated by a long, triangular nose that stands proud of the surface, with 2 circular depressions as nostrils.
There is a raised oval mouth below, with a deep, horizontal v-shaped cut running across the centre.
The surface has been blackened across the brow line, within the recessed eyes, across the top lip, and along the base of the chin.
The head tapers in to form a slight 'neck' at its base; the body below consists of a cylindrical post, round in section, with a double flanged collar cut into the top, a solid body that tapers in slightly to its base, where there is a solid disc foot with flat-cut sides and base.
Tool marks are visible across the surface, and the underside has 2 circular holes bored into the surface, with red staining inside.
These probably relate to some form of mounting on which the figure was previously displayed.
There is also a neat oval hole in one side of the head, and some natural flaws and knots in the wood.
Otherwise, the figure is essentially complete, with a small chip missing from the flanged area and edge of the finial.
The figure has a weight in excess of 1000 grams, and is 730 mm tall, with a base diameter of 111 by 115 mm and head diameter of 160 by 170 mm.
Probably collected during Evans-Pritchard's nine day investigation of the Bongo in March 1929 on way back from Zandeland, as described in his 1929 article The Bongo ( Sudan Notes and Records XII Part I ). Purchased by the Pitt Rivers Museum on 31st December 1930.
These types of figures are said to have been made as effigies of deceased men, and would have been placed near their graves. Compare these funerary posts with other Bongo figure posts noted by Petherick in the 19th century: ‘in the centre of the village is a large circus, where, on a tree, their war-trophies - the skulls of the slain - are suspended .... the several approaches to it were narrow footpaths, and both sides were ornamented with rough wooden posts, carved into semblances of human figures, four feet apart; the first were largest in size, the others had on their heads wooden bowls. These figures were said to represent the chief proceeding to a festival, and followed by his retainers, bearing viands and man to the feast’ (J. Petherick, 1861, Egypt, The Sudan and Central Africa, pp 401-2). Schweinfurth also mentions the carving of 'memorial' figures; he calls such an image of a deceased woman moggioh-kummara, or 'the image of the wife', and suggests these images could be set up inside huts as well as near graves; they were used by the Mittu and Sofi as well as the Bongo, and could be dressed with various ornaments. He also illustrates groups of flanged posts and stylised figures from around burials (G. Schweinfurth, 1875, Artes Africanae, pl. VIII figures 5-8). For some of the funerary posts produced by these other groups, see K.-J. Krüger, 2002, "The Arts of Bahr-el-Ghazal (part 2)", Tribal Arts 28, 80-95. See also C.G. Seligman, 1917, "A Bongo Funerary Figure", Man 17 no. 67, and E.E. Evans-Pritchard, 1929, "The Bongo", Sudan Notes and Records XII no I, pp 38-40.
For other styles of grave marker, also attributed to the Bongo, see 1930.86.64 and 1971.27.5.
Rachael Sparks 15/9/2005
Probably collected during Evans-Pritchard's nine day investigation of the Bongo in March 1929 on way back from Zandeland, as described in his 1929 article The Bongo ( Sudan Notes and Records XII Part I ). Purchased by the Pitt Rivers Museum on 31st December 1930.
These types of figures are said to have been made as effigies of deceased men, and would have been placed near their graves. Compare these funerary posts with other Bongo figure posts noted by Petherick in the 19th century: ‘in the centre of the village is a large circus, where, on a tree, their war-trophies - the skulls of the slain - are suspended .... the several approaches to it were narrow footpaths, and both sides were ornamented with rough wooden posts, carved into semblances of human figures, four feet apart; the first were largest in size, the others had on their heads wooden bowls. These figures were said to represent the chief proceeding to a festival, and followed by his retainers, bearing viands and man to the feast’ (J. Petherick, 1861, Egypt, The Sudan and Central Africa, pp 401-2). Schweinfurth also mentions the carving of 'memorial' figures; he calls such an image of a deceased woman moggioh-kummara, or 'the image of the wife', and suggests these images could be set up inside huts as well as near graves; they were used by the Mittu and Sofi as well as the Bongo, and could be dressed with various ornaments. He also illustrates groups of flanged posts and stylised figures from around burials (G. Schweinfurth, 1875, Artes Africanae, pl. VIII figures 5-8). For some of the funerary posts produced by these other groups, see K.-J. Krüger, 2002, "The Arts of Bahr-el-Ghazal (part 2)", Tribal Arts 28, 80-95. See also C.G. Seligman, 1917, "A Bongo Funerary Figure", Man 17 no. 67, and E.E. Evans-Pritchard, 1929, "The Bongo", Sudan Notes and Records XII no I, pp 38-40.
For other styles of grave marker, also attributed to the Bongo, see 1930.86.64 and 1971.27.5.
Rachael Sparks 15/9/2005
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.
139a, insert] 64-65 [end insert] - [1 of] 2 carved effigies of dead men, for placing near graves.
(One [.64] a complete figure, the other [.65] a post with head carved at the top), BONGO.
[...] [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. [p. 139a]- Figure 3 ft high, post 2' 6".
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 6/4/2004].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - AFRICA, E. SUDAN, BONGO. Grave Figure. 1930.86.65. Evans Pritchard, 1930 [plastic label with metal eyelet, tied to object]; AFRICA, Sudan. BONGO. Wooden posts with a carved head, used as a grave marker. Purch. E.E. Evans-Pritchard. 1930.86.65 [plastic coated label, tied to object; RTS 12/9/2005].
Written on object - Grave effigy of a dead man. BONGO, E. SUDAN. Purch. 31.12.1930 (Evans-Pritchard) [RTS 12/9/2005].
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. This item appears on the list as part of the entry "Bongo & Jur carved model grave figures (models)", with a later comment that if Evans-Pritchard is not content with the price offered for the collection, he could 'discard' [i.e. exclude from the purchase] some more of the knives, and one of the grave figures. It is not clear how many figures were originally offered, but the PRM currently has two accessioned for this group (1930.86.64-5). There is therefore the possibility that one of these two figures might be Jur rather than Bongo [JC 22/6/2000; RTS 17/5/2004]. 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 [RTS 18/8/2005].
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. [p. 139a]- Figure 3 ft high, post 2' 6".
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 6/4/2004].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - AFRICA, E. SUDAN, BONGO. Grave Figure. 1930.86.65. Evans Pritchard, 1930 [plastic label with metal eyelet, tied to object]; AFRICA, Sudan. BONGO. Wooden posts with a carved head, used as a grave marker. Purch. E.E. Evans-Pritchard. 1930.86.65 [plastic coated label, tied to object; RTS 12/9/2005].
Written on object - Grave effigy of a dead man. BONGO, E. SUDAN. Purch. 31.12.1930 (Evans-Pritchard) [RTS 12/9/2005].
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. This item appears on the list as part of the entry "Bongo & Jur carved model grave figures (models)", with a later comment that if Evans-Pritchard is not content with the price offered for the collection, he could 'discard' [i.e. exclude from the purchase] some more of the knives, and one of the grave figures. It is not clear how many figures were originally offered, but the PRM currently has two accessioned for this group (1930.86.64-5). There is therefore the possibility that one of these two figures might be Jur rather than Bongo [JC 22/6/2000; RTS 17/5/2004]. 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 [RTS 18/8/2005].
