Zande rat trap
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1931.59.2
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan] Uele District
Cultural Group:
Zande
Date Made:
By 1930
Materials:
Cane Plant , Plant Thorn
Process:
Basketry
Dimensions:
L = 637 mm, opening = 79.5 by 71.5 mm, body W = 55 mm, Th = 51.7 mm; point W = 12 mm, Th = 11.5 mm; strip W 5 to 7 mm; diam twigs = 3.5 to 4.5 mm [RTS 6/7/2004].
Weight:
37.5 g
Local Name:
ngbatu?
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].
Field Collector:
Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard?
PRM Source:
Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard
Acquired:
Donated 1931
Collected Date:
1927 - 1930
Description:
Rat trap consisting of a rigid, tubular elongated body with almost triangular mouth that tapers in to a point at the other end.
This has been made by taking 8 long strips of flat cane, 5 to 7 mm wide, and weaving them loosely together into an open hexagonal weave, with two oblique strands threading between 8 vertical struts that run down the length of the body and help maintain its rigidity.
This creates a series of hexagonal openings down the sides through which the prey could see the bait inside the trap.
In places, the cane strips have split into two parts, but this may be incidental as the separation is not made use of for a tighter or more secure weave.
The strips are gathered together at the base of the trap into a group, where they are bound with a cane strip, 4 mm wide; the ends of this are tucked under itself to hold the strip in place.
The mouth of the trap has been armed by inserting three long thorny twigs inside the trap, so that they lie against the sides; the thorns angle downwards, so that an animal could enter the trap without snagging itself, but would be caught on the thorns if it tried to move backwards out of the trap.
These still have their original bark in place, and are a dark grayish brown colour (Pantone Warm Gray 10C).
One of these twigs has been fastened in place using a thin strip of what may be bark, tied around one of the vertical struts with a simple knot halfway down the length of the twig.
The end has also been wedged through one of the openings.
The second twig is held in place by its end being wedged between a vertical strut and one of the oblique strips.
The third twig has been interleaved between the cane weave at its top and base to hold it firm.
The trap is complete, but one strip is broken, and a piece of bark on one twig is currently partially detached from its surface.
The trap is a pale yellowish brown colour (Pantone 7509C), and is 637 mm long, 79.5 by 71.5 mm wide across the mouth opening, 55 by 51.7 mm wide across the body, and 12 by 11.5 mm wide at the point, with a weight of 37.5 grams.
The twigs have diameters of 3.5 to 4.5 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 1931.59.1, .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).
Rachael Sparks 27/8/2005.
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.
The Zande appear to use two different types of rat trap; a rigid variety with thorns set inside the mouth, as here (see also 1931.59.1, .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).
Rachael Sparks 27/8/2005.
Primary Documentation:
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, lined with thorny twigs. AZANDE, WELLE dist., E. SUDAN. Pres. by E. Evans Pritchard, 1931 [rectangular metal-edged tag, tied to object; RTS 6/7/2004].
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, lined with thorny twigs. AZANDE, WELLE dist., E. SUDAN. Pres. by E. Evans Pritchard, 1931 [rectangular metal-edged tag, tied to object; RTS 6/7/2004].
