Acholi arm or leg ornament
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1966.1.518 .1 .2 .3 .4 .5 .6 .7 .8 .9 .10 .11 .12
Country:
Uganda? , Sudan?
Region:
[Southern Sudan?] Panikware?
Cultural Group:
Acholi
Date Made:
By 1st June 1912
Materials:
Iron Metal , Bark Fibre Plant
Process:
Forged (Metal) , Hammered , Bent , Notched , Decorated , Bound
Dimensions:
Height of stacked group = 69, maximum diameter = 87 x 86, diam rods making up rings = 3.8 mm, W bark strips = 4 mm [RTS 4/8/2005].
Weight:
428.2 g
Other Owners:
This object was originally part of the collection of Frederick John Jackson, and acquired by him on the first of June 1912, while serving as Governor of Uganda. It subsequently became part of the Ipswich Museum collections, before being sold to the PRM in
Field Collector:
?Frederick John Jackson
PRM Source:
Ipswich Museum per Patricia M. Butler
Acquired:
Purchased 1966
Collected Date:
1st June 1912
Description:
Arm or leg ornament made from a group of 20 circular iron rings fastened together on opposite sides by narrow strips of orange bark binding (Pantone 4645C).
Each individual ring has been made from an iron rod, usually with circular section, although a few have flattened sides, bent into a circular loop with the ends generally touching.
Some rings have plain interiors, while others have notches cut into the inner surface at the open ends.
They are arranged with the largest diameter rings on either end of the group, and the smaller rings generally positioned towards the centre, although they are not graded in absolute order of size.
The set is more or less complete, but the binding is in a frayed condition, and one of the end rings is currently attached only on one side.
The iron has rusted and is currently a reddish brown colour (Pantone Black 4C).
The group has a total weight of 428.2 grams; when stacked, they have a height of 69 mm, and a maximum diameter of 87 by 86 mm; the rings are made from rods with a diameter of around 3.8 mm, while the bark strips have a typical width of 4 mm.
This object was originally part of the collection of Frederick John Jackson, and acquired by him on the first of June 1912, while serving as Governor of Uganda. It subsequently became part of the Ipswich Museum, who recorded it as belonging to the 'Panikwar collection', before being sold to the PRM in 1966. This, and other material from Panikwar is identified as part of the Jackson collection on the basis of markings on some of the Ipswich objects that associate the two. Panikwar is thought to refer to a place, rather than a person; C.G. Seligman, for example, records visiting 'the Panikware resthouse' in what is now the district of Eastern Equatoria, around 12 miles from the Acholi village of Magwe in 1922. However the tendency for the same name to be used for different places within a region has been noticed in this part of Sudan may mean that Jackson's Panikware was not the same as that visited by the Seligmans. Information on the Seligman's research itinerary may be found in the unpublished diaries of C.G. and B.Z. Seligman at the Archives of the London School of Economics (Seligman manuscripts, files 1/4/1 and 1/4/6; thanks to Fran Larsen for this information).
The accession book suggests that this group of rings was worn around the arm, although this may be based on the fact that the rings are quite slender and of moderate diameter rather than direct information about how they were used. Several of the rings in this group are notched on the inside edges; this kind of notching was often used to help the owner arrange a group of ornaments in order, often of increasing diameter. Many Nilotic peoples wear multiple armlets or anklets in this fashion, including the Acholi (Trowell, M. & Wachsmann, K.P., 1953, The Tribal Crafts of Uganda, 216, as group wrist ornaments worn by women, and 219-220, worn around ankles and below the knee). Compare this also with other Acholi items from the Ipswich collection, 1966.1.517 - a multiple group of rings that include notched examples, and which may have been worn as a set, although they are not bound together, and 1966.1.571, a neck ornament made of multiple iron rings fastened in a similar fashion.
Rachael Sparks 4/8/2005.
This object was originally part of the collection of Frederick John Jackson, and acquired by him on the first of June 1912, while serving as Governor of Uganda. It subsequently became part of the Ipswich Museum, who recorded it as belonging to the 'Panikwar collection', before being sold to the PRM in 1966. This, and other material from Panikwar is identified as part of the Jackson collection on the basis of markings on some of the Ipswich objects that associate the two. Panikwar is thought to refer to a place, rather than a person; C.G. Seligman, for example, records visiting 'the Panikware resthouse' in what is now the district of Eastern Equatoria, around 12 miles from the Acholi village of Magwe in 1922. However the tendency for the same name to be used for different places within a region has been noticed in this part of Sudan may mean that Jackson's Panikware was not the same as that visited by the Seligmans. Information on the Seligman's research itinerary may be found in the unpublished diaries of C.G. and B.Z. Seligman at the Archives of the London School of Economics (Seligman manuscripts, files 1/4/1 and 1/4/6; thanks to Fran Larsen for this information).
The accession book suggests that this group of rings was worn around the arm, although this may be based on the fact that the rings are quite slender and of moderate diameter rather than direct information about how they were used. Several of the rings in this group are notched on the inside edges; this kind of notching was often used to help the owner arrange a group of ornaments in order, often of increasing diameter. Many Nilotic peoples wear multiple armlets or anklets in this fashion, including the Acholi (Trowell, M. & Wachsmann, K.P., 1953, The Tribal Crafts of Uganda, 216, as group wrist ornaments worn by women, and 219-220, worn around ankles and below the knee). Compare this also with other Acholi items from the Ipswich collection, 1966.1.517 - a multiple group of rings that include notched examples, and which may have been worn as a set, although they are not bound together, and 1966.1.571, a neck ornament made of multiple iron rings fastened in a similar fashion.
Rachael Sparks 4/8/2005.
Primary Documentation:
Accession Book Entry [XX]
[facing p.
1] - Collection 1966.1 is Ipswich ethnography; see special volumes XVA and XVB [JC 27/6/2001].
Accession Book Entry [Ipswich ethnography XVA] [p. 2] 1966.1[1-] P[urchased] Ethnological Collection; IPSWICH MUSEUM per Miss PATRICIA M. BUTLER, M.A. F.M.A. Curator. [p. 163] 1966.1.518 E. AFRICA, UGANDA, ACHOLI TRIBE. [1 of] 20 circular iron [insert] armlet [end insert] rings linked by vegetable fibre lashing up one side. Panikwar Coll. 1st June 1912. Length 10.7 cm. Max. diameter 9.2 cm. Diameter of iron wire .6 cm.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 30/1/2004].
Pre-PRM label - O.H.M.S. [printed] Acholi. Necklet. Armlets. with burnisher. 1/6/12 fr[om]. Panikwar [long narrow brown tag with metal eyelet, probably a collectors label, and possibly belonging with 1966.1.571, 1966.1.517 and 1966.1.518; tied to 1966.1.571]; 1966.1.518 ACHOLI. Iron armlet. Panikwar coll. Obtd Ipswich Museum [plastic label with metal eyelet, tied to object; RTS 4/8/2005].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - 1966.1.518. ACHOLI. Iron armlet. Panikwar coll. Obt Ipswich Museum [plastic label with metal eyelet, tied to object; RTS 21/7/2005].
Accession Book Entry [Ipswich ethnography XVA] [p. 2] 1966.1[1-] P[urchased] Ethnological Collection; IPSWICH MUSEUM per Miss PATRICIA M. BUTLER, M.A. F.M.A. Curator. [p. 163] 1966.1.518 E. AFRICA, UGANDA, ACHOLI TRIBE. [1 of] 20 circular iron [insert] armlet [end insert] rings linked by vegetable fibre lashing up one side. Panikwar Coll. 1st June 1912. Length 10.7 cm. Max. diameter 9.2 cm. Diameter of iron wire .6 cm.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 30/1/2004].
Pre-PRM label - O.H.M.S. [printed] Acholi. Necklet. Armlets. with burnisher. 1/6/12 fr[om]. Panikwar [long narrow brown tag with metal eyelet, probably a collectors label, and possibly belonging with 1966.1.571, 1966.1.517 and 1966.1.518; tied to 1966.1.571]; 1966.1.518 ACHOLI. Iron armlet. Panikwar coll. Obtd Ipswich Museum [plastic label with metal eyelet, tied to object; RTS 4/8/2005].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - 1966.1.518. ACHOLI. Iron armlet. Panikwar coll. Obt Ipswich Museum [plastic label with metal eyelet, tied to object; RTS 21/7/2005].
