Zande circumcision skirt
Accession Number:
1930.86.30
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan]
Cultural Group:
Zande
Date Made:
By 1930
Materials:
Plant Fibre
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]. Purchased from Edward Evans-Pritchard for the PRM by Henry Bal
Field Collector:
Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard
PRM Source:
Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard
Acquired:
Purchased 31 December 1930
Collected Date:
1927 - 1930
Description:
Fringed skirt made of plant fibre, worn by boys during circumcision rites.
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.
Brock describes the circumcision process and ceremony, as took place in the Meridi district in 1918. He describes the boys as wearing 'a kind of abbreviated ballet skirt made of dried banana leaves cut into thin strips', while being trained to perform the circumcision dance, and a ' rokko ' or loin cloth of fig tree bark during the final ceremony when this dance is actually performed (R.G.C. Brock 1918, "Some Notes of the Zande Tribe as Found in the Meridi District", Sudan Notes and Records 1, pp 251-2). See also Larken's discussion of the circumcision rituals (P.M. Larken, 1926, "An Account of the Zande", Sudan Notes and Records IX no. 1, pp 28-30).
Rachael Sparks 17/9/2005.
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.
Brock describes the circumcision process and ceremony, as took place in the Meridi district in 1918. He describes the boys as wearing 'a kind of abbreviated ballet skirt made of dried banana leaves cut into thin strips', while being trained to perform the circumcision dance, and a ' rokko ' or loin cloth of fig tree bark during the final ceremony when this dance is actually performed (R.G.C. Brock 1918, "Some Notes of the Zande Tribe as Found in the Meridi District", Sudan Notes and Records 1, pp 251-2). See also Larken's discussion of the circumcision rituals (P.M. Larken, 1926, "An Account of the Zande", Sudan Notes and Records IX no. 1, pp 28-30).
Rachael Sparks 17/9/2005.
Primary Documentation:
Accession Book Entry
[BIV, p.
138] - 1930 [insert] 86 [end insert]
E.E.
EVANS PRITCHARD
31 Dec.
Specimens collected by himself in the EASTERN SUDAN, etc.
[...] [p.
139, insert] 30-31 [end insert] - [1 of] 2 fringe-skirts, worn by boys during the circumcision rites, AZANDE [...] [Base of p.
139, total of items 1930.86.1-65] - P[ai]d by cheque 31 Dec £
25-0-0
.
Added Accession Book Entry [page opposite 138] - 1930.86 See Related Documents File for letter from Henry Balfour to Evans-Pritchard concerning the purchase of this collection. [p. 139a] - 1930.86.30 Number given - LW.
Card Catalogue Entry - The card repeats the information in the accession book, with photographic reference 'A9-F4-34' added. It is not clear if this refers to one, or both objects [RTS 2/2/2004].
Related Documents File - This contains a letter from Balfour to Evans-Pritchard, dated 31 December 1930 that specifies the objects which he would like to purchase for the Pitt Rivers Museum, and suggests a price of £25, which was one quarter of his annual budget. The list matches the objects ultimately accessioned quite closely. 1930.86.30 appears on the list as one of "2 boys' circumcision skirts (Zande)" [RTS 17/5/2004].
Added Accession Book Entry [page opposite 138] - 1930.86 See Related Documents File for letter from Henry Balfour to Evans-Pritchard concerning the purchase of this collection. [p. 139a] - 1930.86.30 Number given - LW.
Card Catalogue Entry - The card repeats the information in the accession book, with photographic reference 'A9-F4-34' added. It is not clear if this refers to one, or both objects [RTS 2/2/2004].
Related Documents File - This contains a letter from Balfour to Evans-Pritchard, dated 31 December 1930 that specifies the objects which he would like to purchase for the Pitt Rivers Museum, and suggests a price of £25, which was one quarter of his annual budget. The list matches the objects ultimately accessioned quite closely. 1930.86.30 appears on the list as one of "2 boys' circumcision skirts (Zande)" [RTS 17/5/2004].
