Nuer necklet

Nuer necklet
Other views of this artifact:


Accession Number:
1903.16.124
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan] Wahda Lake No
Cultural Group:
Nuer
Date Made:
By 1903
Materials:
Wood Plant , String , ?Animal Hide Skin
Process:
Carved , Perforated , Twisted , Tied
Dimensions:
Max L [total, as strung with cord] = 365 mm Max L [upper bar] = 122 mm Max W [upper bar] = 9.8 mm Max Th [upper bar] = 9.3 mm Max L [bottom bar] = 121.7 mm Max W [bottom bar] = 9.5 mm Max Th [bottom bar] = 9.2 mm Max Diam [cord] = 1.7 mm
Weight:
18.7 g
Field Collector:
Donald Gunn
PRM Source:
Donald Gunn
Acquired:
Donated 1903
Collected Date:
By 1903
Description:
Necklet made from two joined pieces of twisted light brown cord (Pantone 466C), the surface of which seems to be coated with a darker brown, greasy material. This has been strung with two wooden pendants, each made from a length of twig with its rough surface bark left in place (light yellowish brown, Pantone 7509C). The pendants have been only slightly worked by adding a single hole near each flat-cut end. The cord has been threaded through these holes and run along the base of the lower, slightly shorter pendant, where a knot has been tied, so that the pendants lie horizontally across the chest. A second knot has been tied at the opposite end to secure the cord around the neck. The object is complete and intact, weighing 18.7 grams. As strung, it has a length of 365 mm; the cord itself is 1.7 mm in diameter, while the upper bar measures 122 by 9.8 by 9.3 mm, and the lower bar 121.7 by 9.5 by 9.2 mm.

Collected by Donald Gunn from Lake No in the Southern Sudan and presented to the Pitt Rivers Museum in 1903. Gunn appears to have collected Shilluk material from the ‘White Nile’, ‘Upper Nile’, Kodok and Bor, Nuer material from around Lake No, Dinka material from the ‘White Nile’ and Arab material from Omdurman.

This object may have had some amuletic significance. For a similar object, strung with a single wooden bar, see 1903.16.125.

Currently on display in the Lower Gallery, case 106A.

Rachael Sparks 18/9/2005.

Primary Documentation:
Accession Book Entry [III, p. 110] - 1903 [pencil insert] 16 [end insert] DR D. GUNN Esq., M.B. 40 Dover Street, London, W. June. [...] [p. 114, pencil insert] 124 [end insert] - Nuer necklet with 2 small wooden bars as pendants, Lake No.

Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the tribes catalogue card [RTS 23/7/2004].

Old Pitt Rivers Museum label - NUER necklet, LAKE NO, UPPER NILE Pres. by Dr. Gunn, 1903 [N.B. 'DCF 2004-2006 What's Upstairs?' 3/6/2005]



 
Funded by Arts and Humanities Research Council
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