Dinka Tuich staff
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1979.20.115
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan] Northern Bahr el Ghazal ?Dhangrial ?Wun Rog ?Mayen
Cultural Group:
Dinka Tuich
Date Made:
By 1979
Materials:
Wood Plant , Ebony Wood Plant?
Process:
Carved , Polished
Dimensions:
L = 466, L decorated upper part = 90, diam head = 42.3, diam shaft = 21.5 mm [RTS 21/12/2004].
Weight:
167.6 g
Local Name:
atuel
Other Owners:
Purchased by Brian John Mack (known as John Mack) (then at the Museum of Mankind) for £1.50 on 25th February 1979 as part of the British Institute in East Africa's expedition to the Southern Sudan, headed by Patti Langton [RTS 14/6/2004].
Field Collector:
Brian John Mack (known as John Mack), Museum of Mankind
PRM Source:
Patti Langton
Acquired:
Purchased 1979
Collected Date:
25 February 1979
Description:
Short stick carried by young men, carved from a single piece of dense, hard black wood, possibly ebony (Pantone black 7C).
This consists of a small knob at the upper end, crowning a spherical head with slight carination around mid circumference that then flares in to a shaft, the upper part of which has been decoratively carved with a truncated cone, expanding to its base, and biconical beading; below these the shaft is plain and gradually tapers to a point at the other end.
This is round in section and comparatively straight.
The surface of the wood has been highly polished, and the object is complete, except for some surface scratches and wear.
It has a weight of 167.6 grams, and has a total length of 466 mm.
The decorated upper part is 90 mm long; the spherical head has a diameter of 42.3 mm, while the shaft has a maximum diameter of 21.5 mm.
Purchased by Brian John Mack (known as John Mack) for £1.50 on 25th February 1979, as part of the British Institute in East Africa's expedition to the Southern Sudan, directed by Patti Langton. The exact place of collection was not specified, but it probably came from Dhangrial, Wun Rog, or Mayen, all of which lie within the modern administrative district of Northern Bahr el Ghazal. For a map showing the distribution of Dinka Tuich groups, see J. Ryle, 1982, Warriors of the White Nile: The Dinka , p. 25.
This type of stick is described as a ‘dress cane’, and is carried only by young men, as a recently developed custom. It is too short to serve as an aid when walking. It is known as atuel, which Nebel defines as a club (Nebel 1979, Dinka-English Dictionary, p. 13). Powell-Cotton also uses a similar term, atwel , to describe a wooden club.
Currently on display in the Upper Gallery, case 26A.
Rachael Sparks 25/9/2005.
Purchased by Brian John Mack (known as John Mack) for £1.50 on 25th February 1979, as part of the British Institute in East Africa's expedition to the Southern Sudan, directed by Patti Langton. The exact place of collection was not specified, but it probably came from Dhangrial, Wun Rog, or Mayen, all of which lie within the modern administrative district of Northern Bahr el Ghazal. For a map showing the distribution of Dinka Tuich groups, see J. Ryle, 1982, Warriors of the White Nile: The Dinka , p. 25.
This type of stick is described as a ‘dress cane’, and is carried only by young men, as a recently developed custom. It is too short to serve as an aid when walking. It is known as atuel, which Nebel defines as a club (Nebel 1979, Dinka-English Dictionary, p. 13). Powell-Cotton also uses a similar term, atwel , to describe a wooden club.
Currently on display in the Upper Gallery, case 26A.
Rachael Sparks 25/9/2005.
Primary Documentation:
Accession Book Entry
[p.
185] - 1979.20 (.1 - 206) P[urchase] MISS PATTI LANGTON, DEPT.
of ETHNOLOGY & PREHISTORY, OXFORD.
Collection made by Patti Langton during the British Institute in East Africa's expedition to the Southern Sudan; Jan.
- April 1979.
The collection was made in three culture areas during the dry season.
The amount paid for each object is listed if the information is known.
In Jan.
1979 £1 is equivalent to 95 piastres (pt.) Sudanese.
This documentation is based largely upon Patti's own list of objects and her notes on these.
Sometimes objects included in the Pitt Rivers alottment of the collection do not appear on her list and have been added here.
See Related Documents file as well.
[p.
191] 1979.20.43-135 SOUTHERN SUDAN the DINKA TUICH.
The Dinka Tuich, a pastoral people, live to the north of Wau, in Bahr el Ghazal province.
This collection was made mostly at Dhangrial, the archaeological site at which we camped.
Other artifacts were collected either at Wun Rog, a small town about a mile south of Dhangrial, or at Mayen, the new administrative centre 12 miles north.
This was a remote area, difficult of access and rarely visited by outsiders.
The Dinka are very aware of the potential of money, which is used either to help family members acquire education or entry into commerce and administration in Juba or Khartoum.
Once it was known we (the collectors) were offering money, the Dinka in surrounding compounds came daily, increasing prices as often as they could! [p.
201] 1979.20.115 Dress cane,
atuel
, of dark, dense wood.
Carried only by young men and represents a recent custom.
L = 47 cm.
Coll.
by J.
Mack, 25.2.79; £1.50.
Coll.
no.
293.
Additional Accession Book Entry [below accession number in red biro] - A5-F34-20.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 6/4/2004].
Related Documents File - 1979.20 contains a typed packing list, which has been annotated; a typed list of objects arranged by Langton collection numbers and with pencil and biro annotations, and a handwritten list of objects by museum number, essentially repeating this information and annotated with PRM photo numbers in red. This handwritten list seems to be the direct source for the accession book entry [RTS 12/1/2004].
Additional Accession Book Entry [below accession number in red biro] - A5-F34-20.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 6/4/2004].
Related Documents File - 1979.20 contains a typed packing list, which has been annotated; a typed list of objects arranged by Langton collection numbers and with pencil and biro annotations, and a handwritten list of objects by museum number, essentially repeating this information and annotated with PRM photo numbers in red. This handwritten list seems to be the direct source for the accession book entry [RTS 12/1/2004].
