Zande bowl
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1970.38.8
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan] Western Equatoria near Yambio
Cultural Group:
Zande
Date Made:
By 1930
Materials:
Wood Plant , Pigment
Process:
Carved , Stained , Polished
Dimensions:
Ht = 120, rim diam ext. = 310 x 274, diam rim int. = 281 x 274, W between handles = 385, handle L = 89.5, W = 62, Ht = 74.6 mm [RTS 17/5/2005].
Weight:
>1000 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].
Field Collector:
Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard
PRM Source:
Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard
Acquired:
Purchased 1970, by grant aid from the MCG/ V&A purchase grant fund.
Collected Date:
1927 - 1930
Description:
Food bowl carved from a single block of wood and consisting of an oval body with a narrow flat-topped upright rim and short concave upper body turning out to a sharp carination, then convexly down and in to a flattened base, the edges of which are poorly defined.
The rim is flanked by 2 paired lug handles on either end.
These have a flat upper surface in the shape of 2 semicircles, joined at their bases to the rim, then dividing into 2 independent parts that project out from the vessel body then turn downwards and taper in to a flat-cut base, creating an ¬-shape.
The outer edge of the handle tops have been bevelled, and the sides vertically shaved.
The bowl has been made from a orangey brown coloured wood (Pantone 721C), with its rim, handles and exterior stained a dark brownish black (Pantone black 7C) and then polished; this stain has worn off in some areas.
The object is nearly complete; there are 2 areas of damage to the mouth edge, some cuts in the base and side of the bowl interior, and the bases of 3 of the 4 handles have broken off and are missing.
It has a weight in excess of 1000 grams, and is 120 mm high, with an external rim diameter of 310 by 274 mm, a mouth diameter of 281 by 250 mm, and a width between the handles of 385 mm.
Each handle pair is 89.5 mm long and 62 mm wide; the surviving handle is 74.6 mm high.
Collected by Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard near Yambio 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 bowl was used for food. It may be the form that Larken describes as follows: "Shallow wooden bowls, kurungbu , usually oval, though sometimes circular, from six inches to two feet in length and half an inch thick, are universal. They may be smoothed on both sides, or the outside may be so trimmed that it presents a series of flat, narrow surfaces, running longitudinally, parallel with the grain of the wood. A small protuberance at either end is left as a handle, and the outside is wholly or partly blackened with a hot iron. These are used as platters … the buttresses at the base of a vura (kapok) tree are usually selected for the making of bowls, for they are easily cut and worked, and though flat, are thick enough for a bowl." (P.M. Larken, 1927, "Impressions of the Azande", Sudan Notes and Records X, pp 131-132). Note that Larken suggests the blackening is caused by applying a heated tool to the surface, while Evans-Pritchard referred to ‘staining’ of the surface. A photograph taken by the latter shows the woodworker, Kisanga, staining a stool by applying a liquid from a clay pot boiling on a fire, and this is probably the method used in this instance as well (photograph 1998.316.1).
Wooden bowls and stools were carved by specialist Zande craftsmen from several species of green timber, probably during the dry season, and were used by the people from whom they were acquired. The black staining and polishing was done by the owners themselves, according to notes from Evans-Pritchard, although note that photograph described above also included an unstained wooden bowl that may have been waiting to be stained in turn - which might suggest that the craftsmen would sometimes do this treatment themselves.
Rachael Sparks 18/9/2005.
Collected by Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard near Yambio 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 bowl was used for food. It may be the form that Larken describes as follows: "Shallow wooden bowls, kurungbu , usually oval, though sometimes circular, from six inches to two feet in length and half an inch thick, are universal. They may be smoothed on both sides, or the outside may be so trimmed that it presents a series of flat, narrow surfaces, running longitudinally, parallel with the grain of the wood. A small protuberance at either end is left as a handle, and the outside is wholly or partly blackened with a hot iron. These are used as platters … the buttresses at the base of a vura (kapok) tree are usually selected for the making of bowls, for they are easily cut and worked, and though flat, are thick enough for a bowl." (P.M. Larken, 1927, "Impressions of the Azande", Sudan Notes and Records X, pp 131-132). Note that Larken suggests the blackening is caused by applying a heated tool to the surface, while Evans-Pritchard referred to ‘staining’ of the surface. A photograph taken by the latter shows the woodworker, Kisanga, staining a stool by applying a liquid from a clay pot boiling on a fire, and this is probably the method used in this instance as well (photograph 1998.316.1).
Wooden bowls and stools were carved by specialist Zande craftsmen from several species of green timber, probably during the dry season, and were used by the people from whom they were acquired. The black staining and polishing was done by the owners themselves, according to notes from Evans-Pritchard, although note that photograph described above also included an unstained wooden bowl that may have been waiting to be stained in turn - which might suggest that the craftsmen would sometimes do this treatment themselves.
Rachael Sparks 18/9/2005.
Primary Documentation:
Accession Book Entry
- P[urchased].
Professor E.E.
Evans-Pritchard.
...
Headington, Oxford.
Collection of carved wooden objects obtained by him in the 1920’s.
- SUDAN, Near YAMBI VILLAGE, AZANDE.
Food bowl, oval, light-coloured wood blackened on the outside.
Handles at each end of oval carved to form twin downward projections.
Three of the 4 broken off.
Ht.
12.5 cm.
diam of bowl 28 x 25 cm.
max l[ength] incl[uding] handles 38.5 cm.
Additional Accession Book Entry (page opposite 289) - Documents relating to purchase of collection in RDF. - See file 001.10. Prof. Evans-Pritchard writes that these objects are carved by specialists and were in use by the people from whom they were acquired. Green timber is used and the work is most likely to be carried out in the dry season. Several species of timber are used. The black staining and polishing is done by the owners themselves. - 1970.38.1 - 12 Purchased by grant aid from the MCG/ V+A purchase grant fund. [p. 292, red biro] - 70.11.13.
Card Catalogue Entry - The catalogue card repeats the accession book entry, but adds 'Coll[ected] by Prof. E.E. Evans Pritchard in the 1920's. Purch[ased] from him [RTS 10/2/2004].
Related Documents File - 1970.38.1-12: letter dated 2 June 1970, from Evans-Pritchard to Bernard Fagg, Curator of the PRM, offering several Zande and Mangbetu specimens for sale; this is annotated with a reply, which was typed up as a letter sent on the 4th June 1970, arranging for them to be brought to the PRM for appraisal. Letter from Fagg to 'Billy' in Barnes, dated 24th July 1970, enclosing photographs of the objects and requesting an assessment of their value. Another letter from Fagg to Evans-Pritchard, dated 27th July 1970, with notes about the objects made after an earlier telephone conversation between the two, and requesting more information about them. The Zande material is described only as ' Azande the balance [e.g. the remaining items] - stools, food bowls, etc.'. There is also an annotated copy of this letter which has been corrected and updated, resumably after a reply was received. This states that the Zande material came from near Yambio Village, in the Sudan; that it was acquired in the 1920's, the items had been used by the people from whom they were acquired, that several types of timber were used, that the timber was carved when green, most likely during the dry season, that the carvers were specialists, and that the objects had been polished and stained by the owners themselves, not after purchase.
An application was made to the purchase grant fund, written on 11th September 1970, and sent the following day, concerning the purchase of these items. This provided an itemised list, in which this object appears as 'Oval Azande bowl. Handles on each end of oval carved to form twin downard projections. Three of the four broken off. Height 12 1/2 cm. Diameter of bowl: 25 cm'. A letter dated the 16th September, from Schuyler Jones (Assistant Curator of PRM) to Mr Dawes of the V&A added two further object descriptions which had been ommitted from the application by mistake. Fagg also wrote a letter to Hugh Wakefield, of the V&A Museum, dated 27th August 1970 requesting a grant in support of the purchase of these items; the reply, dated 30th September 1970, agrees to pay half the sum required; there is finally a direction dated 6th October 1970 for Barclays Bank to Pay Evans-Pritchard £120. The file also contains a copy of several black and white prints of the objects acquired [RTS 6/1/2004].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - 1970.38.8. SUDAN, near YAMBI [sic] VILLAGE, AZANDE. Food bowl. Coll. by Prof. E.E. Evans-Pritchard in the 1920's. Purch. from him [plastic coated label with metal eyelet, tied to object; RTS 6/4/2005].
Written on object - SUDAN, AZANDE. 1970.38.8. Evans-Pritchard coll.
Additional Accession Book Entry (page opposite 289) - Documents relating to purchase of collection in RDF. - See file 001.10. Prof. Evans-Pritchard writes that these objects are carved by specialists and were in use by the people from whom they were acquired. Green timber is used and the work is most likely to be carried out in the dry season. Several species of timber are used. The black staining and polishing is done by the owners themselves. - 1970.38.1 - 12 Purchased by grant aid from the MCG/ V+A purchase grant fund. [p. 292, red biro] - 70.11.13.
Card Catalogue Entry - The catalogue card repeats the accession book entry, but adds 'Coll[ected] by Prof. E.E. Evans Pritchard in the 1920's. Purch[ased] from him [RTS 10/2/2004].
Related Documents File - 1970.38.1-12: letter dated 2 June 1970, from Evans-Pritchard to Bernard Fagg, Curator of the PRM, offering several Zande and Mangbetu specimens for sale; this is annotated with a reply, which was typed up as a letter sent on the 4th June 1970, arranging for them to be brought to the PRM for appraisal. Letter from Fagg to 'Billy' in Barnes, dated 24th July 1970, enclosing photographs of the objects and requesting an assessment of their value. Another letter from Fagg to Evans-Pritchard, dated 27th July 1970, with notes about the objects made after an earlier telephone conversation between the two, and requesting more information about them. The Zande material is described only as ' Azande the balance [e.g. the remaining items] - stools, food bowls, etc.'. There is also an annotated copy of this letter which has been corrected and updated, resumably after a reply was received. This states that the Zande material came from near Yambio Village, in the Sudan; that it was acquired in the 1920's, the items had been used by the people from whom they were acquired, that several types of timber were used, that the timber was carved when green, most likely during the dry season, that the carvers were specialists, and that the objects had been polished and stained by the owners themselves, not after purchase.
An application was made to the purchase grant fund, written on 11th September 1970, and sent the following day, concerning the purchase of these items. This provided an itemised list, in which this object appears as 'Oval Azande bowl. Handles on each end of oval carved to form twin downard projections. Three of the four broken off. Height 12 1/2 cm. Diameter of bowl: 25 cm'. A letter dated the 16th September, from Schuyler Jones (Assistant Curator of PRM) to Mr Dawes of the V&A added two further object descriptions which had been ommitted from the application by mistake. Fagg also wrote a letter to Hugh Wakefield, of the V&A Museum, dated 27th August 1970 requesting a grant in support of the purchase of these items; the reply, dated 30th September 1970, agrees to pay half the sum required; there is finally a direction dated 6th October 1970 for Barclays Bank to Pay Evans-Pritchard £120. The file also contains a copy of several black and white prints of the objects acquired [RTS 6/1/2004].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - 1970.38.8. SUDAN, near YAMBI [sic] VILLAGE, AZANDE. Food bowl. Coll. by Prof. E.E. Evans-Pritchard in the 1920's. Purch. from him [plastic coated label with metal eyelet, tied to object; RTS 6/4/2005].
Written on object - SUDAN, AZANDE. 1970.38.8. Evans-Pritchard coll.
