Zande hat

Zande hat
Other views of this artifact:


Accession Number:
1930.86.33
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan]
Cultural Group:
Zande
Date Made:
By 1930
Materials:
Palm Fibre Plant
Process:
Basketry , Twill Woven , Woven , Stitched , Carved , Decorated Dyed
Dimensions:
Ht = 88, crown L = 130, W = 120, lower edge internal diam = 175, cross pieces W = 9, fibre strips W = 2 mm [RTS 2/2/2005].
Weight:
26.3 g
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:
Basketry hat, consisting of a flat, square crown that has been woven from flat narrow palm fibre strips in a twill pattern of over 2, under 2. This has been stiffened across the top with 2 narrow cane pieces that cross over one another at the centre, with sharpened ends that are pushed through the fibre body at each corner to secure them. The cane pieces have very slightly convex upper surfaces and a flat cut underside, and are a mid brown colour (Pantone 7505C). The body of the hat becomes increasingly circular below the crown, where the weave has changed to a looser pattern made up of vertical and horizontal elements, arranged in a geometric design in which the natural orangey brown colour of the fibre strips (Pantone 7509C) is contrasted with strips that have been dyed a darker brown colour (Pantone Black 7C). The background is predominantly this dark brown, over which there are a series of chevron and lozenge motifs in yellow. These focus around a central lozenge on 3 sides, while on the fourth side the focal point is an angular spiral. Chevrons radiate out from either side of these elements, while each corner is decorated with concentric pendant triangles pointing down from the top, and larger concentric triangles pointing upwards from the base. The result is a continuous pattern that repeats itself around the body of the hat. The weaving technique is flawed in places, with the loose ends of some strips protruding from the design. Below this section the style of weaving changes yet again to form a broad circular band around the lower edge. This is made up of vertical strips on the inside face, in yellow, and continuous horizontal strips running around the outside face in 3 bands of yellow, alternating with two bands of brown. The vertical and horizontal elements have been stitched together using very fine fibre thread. Short fibre strips have been used to finish off the lower edge, rapping once around the lowest horizontal row, with the loose ends protruding upwards at an angle to form a short fringe. This varies in length around the circumference. The hat is essentially complete, with some minor damage to the fringe. It has a weight of 26.3 grams, and is 88 mm high. The crown measures 130 by 120 mm across, while the lower edge has an internal diameter of 175 mm. The cross pieces are 9 mm wide, and the narrow fibre strips from which the body is woven are 2 mm wide.

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.

This type of hat is worn by boys during their circumcision rites. According to Brock, a grass hat is made new for the occasion of a ceremony that takes place several months after a boy's circumcision (at age 12 onwards). A special dance is performed, then a grass hat placed before each boy, into which offerings such as rings, bracelets, and spears can be placed. These offerings go to the men who circumcised and trained the boys to do the circumcision dance. Later, the hats are worn by the boys, and the dance is performed throughout the night (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). For similar hats, see 1930.86.33 and 1948.2.162-164. These may be related to an older kind of Zande hat, called the kutuku, that was worn high on the crown of the head, secured by hat pins and decorated with feathers (see Schweinfurth, In the Heart of Africa, Vol. I, p. 439 and Vol. II, p. 8, and E.E. Evans-Pritchard, 1971, The Azande, pp 70-71, who suggests that the use of black designs over the surface was something that was borrowed from the Mangbetu.

For similar hats, see 1930.86.33 and 1948.2.162-164

Rachael Sparks 19/08/2005..

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] 32-33 [end insert] - [1 of] 2 caps of decorated basketry, 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.

Card Catalogue Entry - The card repeats the information in the accession book, with photographic reference 'A9-F4-28' added. It is not clear if this refers to one, or both caps [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. 1930.86.33 appears on the list as one of "2 Boy's circumcision caps (Zande)" [RTS 17/5/2004].

Old Pitt Rivers Museum label - Cap worn by a boy during the circumcision rites. AZANDE, BAHR-EL-GHAZAL. E. CENT. AFRICA. Evans-Pritchard colln. Pur. 31.12.1930 [rectangular metal-edged tag, tied to object; RTS 1/2/2005].



 
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