Zande rat trap

1931.59.1

Sudan

[Southern Sudan] Uele District

Zande

By 1930

Cane Plant , Plant Thorn , Plant Fibre

Basketry , Tied

L = 665 mm, W opening = 78 mm, Th opening = 69 mm, W body = 47.5 mm, Th body = 43.8 mm, W point = 14 mm, Th point = 13 mm, Diam twigs = 3.7 to 2.8 mm, W strips = 6 mm [RTS 7/7/2004].

43.6 g

ngbatu?

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].

Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard?

Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard

Donated 1931

1927 - 1930

Rat trap consisting of a rigid, elongated, tubular body with oval mouth that tapers to a point at the other end. This has been made by taking 8 long strips of flat cane, 6 mm wide, and weaving them loosely together into an open hexagonal weave. Around 60 mm from the mouth, or three rows, these strips split into two parts, each 2 to 3 mm wide, which are then woven in and out between each other, as well as between 8 vertical struts that run down the length of the body and help maintain its rigidity. This creates a series of large hexagonal openings, with smaller diamond-shaped and triangular openings above and below these, running down the sides of the trap and through which the prey could see the bait placed inside. The cane strips have been gathered together at the base, and bound with one of the thinner strips to secure it. The mouth of the trap has been armed by inserting three long thorny twigs inside the trap so that they lie against its sides. The thorns are angled downwards, so that an animal could enter the trap without snagging itself but would be caught on the points if it tried to move backwards to leave. These twigs are round in section and still have their grayish brown surface bark in place (Pantone 7518C). Each has been held in place with plant fibre strips, fastened around the trap body with knots on the outside face. Two twigs have been tied midway down their bodies, and are held firm; one twig has been tied near its top and is rather loosely positioned. The trap is complete, although the fibre tie ends are rather frayed, and currently a yellowish brown colour (Pantone 7509C). It is 665 mm long, measures 78 by 69 mm across the mouth opening, 47.5 by 43.8 mm across the body and 14 by 13 mm at the point, with a weight of 43.6 grams. The twigs have diameters of 3.7 to 2.8 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.

The Zande appear to use two different types of rat trap; a rigid variety with thorns set inside the mouth, as here (see also 1931.59.2-3), and a flexible trap without thorns (see 1931.59.4-5). Evans-Pritchard was probably referring to these two types when he commented that "the funnel-shaped baskets used to trap mice ( ngbatu ) are of two kinds, the one Mbomu and the other Miangba" (E.E. Evans-Pritchard, 1963 "A Further Contribution to the Study of Zande Culture", Africa 33.3, p. 191), although it is not clear which of these types is represented here. The Lotuko also use a similar style of rigid trap (see 1946.3.16), while Schweinfurth describes Bongo boys using similar basketry tubes to catch rats and field mice, as a source of food, or to use as bait in catching cats (G. Schweinfurth, 1873, The Heart of Africa Vol. 1, pp 273-4). .

This object was displayed in the special exhibition Objects Talk at the Pitt Rivers Museum from 5 October 2002 to 17 August 2003. In this exhibition, objects were displayed with curatorial notes and with comments elicited by Museum staff from members of the local community, who selected the objects from the Museum's displays and reserve collections. This object was accompanied by the following texts: Curatorial note: ‘Basketry rattrap, Sudan. Tubular rattrap lined with thorn twigs. The points of the thorns are directed inwards to prevent the animal from escaping. People of many different cultures use traps of this type to catch fish, eels, rats, and many other creatures. Local comment: ‘Basketry rattrap, Sudan. They used those sorts of traps but bigger, to catch ducks on the river in Oxford. Ron Clifton.’

Rachael Sparks 27/8/2005.

Accession Book Entry [IX, p. 8] 1931 [insert, in pencil] 59 [end insert] - E. E. EVANS-PRITCHARD , Esq. [in pencil] 1-3 - [1 of] 3 Openwork tubular basketry rat-traps, lined with the thorn-bearing twigs from a tree or shrub. The points of the thorns are directed inwards & prevent the animal’s egress. AZANDE, WELLE district, E. SUDAN.

Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the tribes catalogue card [RTS 3/2/2004].

Old Pitt Rivers Museum label - Tubular rat-trap, with a lining of thorn-bearing twigs. AZANDE, WELLE dist., E. SUDAN, pres. by E. Evans Pritchard, 1931 [rectangular metal edged tag, tied to object; RTS 7/7/2004].

Displayed in the special exhibition Objects Talk at the PRM from 5 October 2002 to 17 August 2003. In this exhibition, objects were displayed with curatorial notes and with comments elicited by Museum staff from members of the local community, who selected the objects from the Museum's displays and reserve collections. This object was accompanied by the following texts - Comment: ‘Basketry rattrap, Sudan. They used those sorts of traps but bigger, to catch ducks on the river in Oxford. Ron Clifton.’ Curatorial note: ‘Basketry rattrap, Sudan. Tubular rattrap lined with thorn twigs. The points of the thorns are directed inwards to prevent the animal from escaping. People of many different cultures use traps of this type to catch fish, eels, rats, and many other creatures. Museum accession number: 1931.59.1.’ [OD 23/10/2002].