Zande rubbing board oracle
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1931.66.36 .1 .2
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan]
Cultural Group:
Zande
Date Made:
By 1930
Materials:
Wood Plant
Process:
Carved , Incised , Stained
Dimensions:
Table (.1): H = 85 mm, W = 103.6 mm, L = 245 mm. Upper part (.2): H = 65 mm Diam = 95 mm
Weight:
[.1] table = 272.3 g; [.2] upper part = 56.6 g.
Local Name:
iwa
Other Owners:
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 December 1931
Collected Date:
1927 - 1930
Description:
Rubbing board oracle consisting of two separate parts, each carved from a single piece of wood and both complete.
1931.66.36.1 is the lower part, and consists of a flat upper surface, lightly scored with incised crosshatching that has been almost completely worn away through use. This is nearly circular in plan view. A long handle projects from one edge and slopes down to touch the ground. This swells out towards its centre then tapers in again towards the end, which has been cut at an angle. The top and side surfaces have been shaved, creating a series of long flat planes. The sides of the table are similarly shaved around the circumference, creating a flat band around the centre with bevelled surfaces above and below. The undersides of both handle and table are flat, with a slight bevel around the edge of the latter. Two short and slightly tapering legs splay out from the base of the table; their sides have been vertically shaved, giving them a faceted or fluted surface. The bases of the legs have been cut flat, but the table is designed to rest on the inside edges of the feet; they combine with the handle tip to make a stable base for the object. There are traces of soil adhering to the surfaces of these feet. The table has been stained a dark brown colour (Pantone black 7C), partially worn or thinner in places; the underside of the feet shows the lighter yellowish brown colour of the wood below (Pantone 7509C). The table is 85 mm high, 103.6 mm wide and 245 mm long, including the handle, which has a maximum width of 54 mm. It weighs 272.3 grams.
1931.66.36.2 is the upper part of the object, and is a modern replica created in the Pitt Rivers Museum to match the lower half; this was made around 1960 by Bob Rivers, working from an illustration - probably E.E. Evans-Pritchard, 1937, Witchcraft, Oracles and Magic among the Azande, p. 362, fig. 4. It consists of a cylindrical handle with flat top and faceted sides tapering out slightly to its base, where it joins onto a disc-shaped body with flat upper surface, bevelled edge and flat sides and underside. The underside represents the working surface, which would be placed onto the top of the table and rubbed to and fro; the degree of resistance would tell the diviner the outcome of the question being asked of him. This part has been stained dark brown to match the table (Pantone black 7C). It has a height of 68 mm; the handle top measures 19 by 17.5 mm, and the body is 98.5 mm long, 95.2 mm wide and 16 mm thick; it weighs 56.6 grams.
Collected by Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard during his fieldwork amongst the Zande, which took place during 1927, part of 1928 and 1929 and for several months during 1930.
This type of object is known as iwa in Zande, and was used in divining. The upper part, which is said to be ‘male’, is rubbed to and fro over the lower ‘female’ part, after a question has been asked of the oracle; the answer given depends on whether the upper part slides or sticks to the surface under the friction.
For the definitive account of the Zande rubbing-board oracle, see E.E. Evans-Pritchard, 1937, Witchcraft, Oracles and Magic among the Azande (Oxford: Clarendon Press), pp. 362-74. Larken also discusses these, and adds that they are cut out of the wood of the dama tree (P.M. Larken, 1926, "An Account of the Zande", Sudan Notes and Records IX no. 1, p. 52).
It does not seem that fig. 4 on page 362 illustrates this particular rubbing-board oracle, nor can it be identified with those seen in plate XXIV. Two other rubbing-board oracles collected by Evans-Pritchard are known. One was donated to the Pitt Rivers Museum in 1940 by Charles and Brenda Seligman (see 1940.12.608, which is a smaller example), the other was given by him to the Cambridge University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (their 22.2269; see also 27.2288 'magic of oracle').
The style of carving, particularly the fluted sections, is seen on other Zande woodwork, such as various types of bowl (1948.2.137 and 140), stool (1948.2.141) and musical instruments (1917.25.72).
Currently on display in the Court, case 29A.
Rachael Sparks and Jeremy Coote 17/9/2005.
1931.66.36.1 is the lower part, and consists of a flat upper surface, lightly scored with incised crosshatching that has been almost completely worn away through use. This is nearly circular in plan view. A long handle projects from one edge and slopes down to touch the ground. This swells out towards its centre then tapers in again towards the end, which has been cut at an angle. The top and side surfaces have been shaved, creating a series of long flat planes. The sides of the table are similarly shaved around the circumference, creating a flat band around the centre with bevelled surfaces above and below. The undersides of both handle and table are flat, with a slight bevel around the edge of the latter. Two short and slightly tapering legs splay out from the base of the table; their sides have been vertically shaved, giving them a faceted or fluted surface. The bases of the legs have been cut flat, but the table is designed to rest on the inside edges of the feet; they combine with the handle tip to make a stable base for the object. There are traces of soil adhering to the surfaces of these feet. The table has been stained a dark brown colour (Pantone black 7C), partially worn or thinner in places; the underside of the feet shows the lighter yellowish brown colour of the wood below (Pantone 7509C). The table is 85 mm high, 103.6 mm wide and 245 mm long, including the handle, which has a maximum width of 54 mm. It weighs 272.3 grams.
1931.66.36.2 is the upper part of the object, and is a modern replica created in the Pitt Rivers Museum to match the lower half; this was made around 1960 by Bob Rivers, working from an illustration - probably E.E. Evans-Pritchard, 1937, Witchcraft, Oracles and Magic among the Azande, p. 362, fig. 4. It consists of a cylindrical handle with flat top and faceted sides tapering out slightly to its base, where it joins onto a disc-shaped body with flat upper surface, bevelled edge and flat sides and underside. The underside represents the working surface, which would be placed onto the top of the table and rubbed to and fro; the degree of resistance would tell the diviner the outcome of the question being asked of him. This part has been stained dark brown to match the table (Pantone black 7C). It has a height of 68 mm; the handle top measures 19 by 17.5 mm, and the body is 98.5 mm long, 95.2 mm wide and 16 mm thick; it weighs 56.6 grams.
Collected by Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard during his fieldwork amongst the Zande, which took place during 1927, part of 1928 and 1929 and for several months during 1930.
This type of object is known as iwa in Zande, and was used in divining. The upper part, which is said to be ‘male’, is rubbed to and fro over the lower ‘female’ part, after a question has been asked of the oracle; the answer given depends on whether the upper part slides or sticks to the surface under the friction.
For the definitive account of the Zande rubbing-board oracle, see E.E. Evans-Pritchard, 1937, Witchcraft, Oracles and Magic among the Azande (Oxford: Clarendon Press), pp. 362-74. Larken also discusses these, and adds that they are cut out of the wood of the dama tree (P.M. Larken, 1926, "An Account of the Zande", Sudan Notes and Records IX no. 1, p. 52).
It does not seem that fig. 4 on page 362 illustrates this particular rubbing-board oracle, nor can it be identified with those seen in plate XXIV. Two other rubbing-board oracles collected by Evans-Pritchard are known. One was donated to the Pitt Rivers Museum in 1940 by Charles and Brenda Seligman (see 1940.12.608, which is a smaller example), the other was given by him to the Cambridge University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (their 22.2269; see also 27.2288 'magic of oracle').
The style of carving, particularly the fluted sections, is seen on other Zande woodwork, such as various types of bowl (1948.2.137 and 140), stool (1948.2.141) and musical instruments (1917.25.72).
Currently on display in the Court, case 29A.
Rachael Sparks and Jeremy Coote 17/9/2005.
Primary Documentation:
Accession Book Entry
[IX, p.
16] 1931 [insert, in pencil] 66 [end insert]
E.
EVANS-PRITCHARD
, Esq.
Dec.
Specimens collected by himself in the EASTERN SUDAN, viz.
[...] [pencil insert, p.
20] 36 [end insert] - Wooden tripod friction instrument used in divining.
A wooden rubber (missing) is rubbed to & fro over the surface of this "saddle", & the answer depends upon its sliding or sticking under the friction,
NUER
[insert] Azande E[dward].E[van].E[vans]-P[ritchard] [end insert].
Additional Accession Book Entry [p. 19] - 1931.66.36 Number given and entered on computer. 11/6/96 JC.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [JC 11/6/1996]
Stuck-on label (on underside of 'handle'): Friction divining instrument. A shaped wooden rubber (lost) is rubbed to & fro over the 'saddle' & the answer depends upon its sliding or sticking under the friction. AZANDE tribe, E. SUDAN. Pres. by E. Evans-Pritchard, 1931. [NB: It seems that the word 'AZANDE' has been written over a previously deleted word, presumably 'NUER'. This label is surrounded by the remnants of a stuck-on piece of paper. According to Bob Rivers it was at one time the practice to stick a piece of paper over a label to mask it from students when the object was used in examinations; JC 11/6/1996].
Additional Accession Book Entry [p. 19] - 1931.66.36 Number given and entered on computer. 11/6/96 JC.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [JC 11/6/1996]
Stuck-on label (on underside of 'handle'): Friction divining instrument. A shaped wooden rubber (lost) is rubbed to & fro over the 'saddle' & the answer depends upon its sliding or sticking under the friction. AZANDE tribe, E. SUDAN. Pres. by E. Evans-Pritchard, 1931. [NB: It seems that the word 'AZANDE' has been written over a previously deleted word, presumably 'NUER'. This label is surrounded by the remnants of a stuck-on piece of paper. According to Bob Rivers it was at one time the practice to stick a piece of paper over a label to mask it from students when the object was used in examinations; JC 11/6/1996].
Display History:
Display label front (pre 1996): Rubbing-board Oracle (iwa), Azande.
Of the two parts, one, the flat surface of the table supported by two legs and a tail, is "female" and the other (here a copy of the missing original) which fits the surface of the table like a lid, is "male".
For a description of the making and use of rubbing-board oracles, see E.
E.
Evans-Pritchard's Witchcraft, Oracles and Magic Among the Azande, pp.
362-374.
dd.
E.
E.
Evans-Pritchard 1931.
Display label back - TYPED BY S.
CLEGG.
[JC 11/6/1996].
