Bari arm ornament

Bari arm ornament
Other views of this artifact:


Accession Number:
1940.7.017
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan] Bahr el Jebel Terakeka
Cultural Group:
Bari
Date Made:
By 1940
Materials:
Brass Metal , Ochre , Resin Plant
Process:
Cast ? , Bent ? , Incised , Inlaid ? , Decorated , Polished
Dimensions:
Max. L = 115.5 mm Max W = 108 mm Max H = 36 mm Internal Diam = 83 x 79 mm [RTS 10/3/2005].
Weight:
885.5 g
Other Owners:
Samuel P. Powell
Field Collector:
Samuel P. Powell
PRM Source:
Samuel P. Powell
Acquired:
Loaned July 1940
Collected Date:
By 1940
Description:
Arm ornament cast from a single piece of brass with tapering ends that has been bent into an oval loop with the ends almost touching, 4 mm apart. This has a narrow, slightly convex upper surface, concave sides then a flanged base with slightly convex underside. These top and bottom flanges become less marked towards the open ends of the object. The inner face is almost flat, but has slightly raised top and bottom edges. There is some polish on these raised sections, possibly from use, while the outside surfaces have been highly polished. Decoration has been added to the upper and lower surfaces. These consists of a series of narrow crosshatched bands arranged as opposing obliques around the circumference, framed at the top and base by a single incised line, with a narrow band of incised crosshatching around the outside edge that occasionally reverts to more simple hatching. These opposing oblique bands are simplified into single incised oblique lines, also alternating in direction, near the tapering ends of the armlet. The pattern described is repeated on both upper and lower surface. In places, the decoration has worn away, particularly on the inside edges. The sides of the armlet are left mostly plain, but there is a further band of crosshatching covering the flat projecting surfaces of either flanges. There are traces of red ochre and also brown resin preserved in some of the incisions; it is not clear if this was intentional. The object is complete and intact, currently a metallic yellow colour (Pantone 871C) and with a weight of 885.5 grams. It has an external diameter of 115.5 by 108 mm and an internal diameter of 83 by 79 mm, with a height of 36 mm.

This object was collected by Samuel P. Powell at Terakeka, in the modern administrative district of Bahr el Jebel, and loaned to the Pitt Rivers Museum in 1940.

Rachael Sparks 14/9/2005.

Primary Documentation:
Accession Book Entry [Loans II, p. 308] - ESTATE OF S.P. POWELL, C/O N.H. HASLAM, Esq. Manager, Westminster Bank, Stony Stratford, Bucks. Collected by himself. Data from his labels and notes. From the BARI TRIBE, EQUATORIAL PROVINCE, ANGLO-EGYPTIAN SUDAN. 1940.7.017 - Armlet, brass, exceptionally heavy. TER R EKKA.

Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 12/2/2004].

Related Documents File - Appears on undated typed list: "Bari Collection from the Equatorial Province, Sudan ... An arm bangle from Terrekka [sic] of heavy brass, and of interesting design. This is exceptionally heavy". List is annotated by hand on back: "List of Curios" and "Far from complete" [RTS 16/12/2003].

Pitt Rivers Museum label - Armlet, brass. BARI. Terrekka (on the Nile) Equatorial Province. Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. S.P. Powell 1940.7.017 [brown luggage tag, tied to object] [EC 'DCF 2004-2006 What's Upstairs?' 20/10/2005]



 
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