Lidded basket

Lidded basket
Other views of this artifact:


Accession Number:
1919.29.29 .1 .2
Country:
Sudan
Date Made:
By 1919
Materials:
Plant Fibre , Animal Leather Skin
Process:
Coiled , Basketry , Coiled , Wound , Stitched , Plaited Tied Knotted
Dimensions:
Lid diam = 75, Ht = 15, th = 4 mm; basket body Ht = 68, rim diam = 89, mouth diam = 77.5, base diam = 57, handle cord diam = 3 mm [RTS 14/12/2004].
Weight:
74.7 g
Other Owners:
Harry Hamilton Jackson
Field Collector:
Harry Hamilton Jackson
PRM Source:
Harry Hamilton Jackson
Acquired:
Donated 1919
Collected Date:
By 1919
Description:
Small basketry container [.1] with matching inset lid [.2]. The lid is circular and has been made by coiling bundles of plant fibres into a spiral, running outwards from its centre, with each loop fastened to its neighbour using flat strips of plant fibre. The base of the lid is slightly concave and the upper surface slightly convex; this turns up at the outer edges into a short upright wall at right angles to the body. The top edge has been overstitched with a narrow strip of leather thong. This lid fits inside the mouth of the basket, with the top of the walls flush with the basket rim. The basket body has been made using a similar techniques; in both cases, the plant fibres are a yellowish brown colour (Pantone 7508C). A narrow strip of reddish brown leather has been wrapped just below the rim (Pantone 469C); the rim itself has been overstitched with a leather thong, that passes through the top edge of this strip as well, holding it in place. Below the rim, the walls bulge out slightly then flare down and in to a narrow, flat base. On one side, the body has been further decorated with two rows of leather stitching that run from rim to base edge, each made up of pairs of vertical stitches. Just above this, and on the opposite side of the body, a horizontal loop handle has been added, composed of a plaited hide cord, pushed through the basket walls and knotted on the inside. On the side with the decorative stitching, there is a further short strip of leather attached, whose function is not clear. On the other side, a second strip has been used to tie the top of the handle to a plaited band, that passes through the centre of the lid and is knotted below. This prevents the lid from becoming separated from the basket. Both basket and lid are complete, although the hide bands are becoming worn. There are two holes through the upper part of the basket; these originally had a piece of modern European string through them, that is thought to have been used to hang the basket in an earlier museum display. This string was removed. The complete object has a weight of 74.7 grams. The lid has a diameter of 75 mm, is 15 mm high and 4 mm thick; the basket body has a outer rim diameter of 89 mm and inner mouth diameter of 77.5 mm; the base measures 57 mm across, and it is 68 mm high. The handles have a diameter of 3 mm.

Collected by Harry Hamilton Jackson in the Sudan and donated to the Museum in 1919.

Currently on display in the Court, case 121A.

Rachael Sparks 30/9/2005.

Primary Documentation:
Accession Book Entry [VI, p. 132] - 1919. [pencil insert] 29 [end insert] REV. H. HAMILTON JACKSON , M.A. Milton Rectory, Steventon, Berks. [...] The following collected by himself in the ANGLO-EGYPTIAN SUDAN. [pencil insert, p. 133] 29 [end insert] - Small basket with lid, coiled-work of very close texture.

Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the tribes catalogue card [RTS 28/1/2004].

Old Pitt Rivers Museum label - EASTERN SUDAN. Pres. by Rev. H.H. Jackson 1919 [Circular metal-edged tag, tied to object; RTS 5/11/2004]



 
Funded by Arts and Humanities Research Council
Help | About | Bibliography