Dinka Tuich hoe
Accession Number:
1979.20.118
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan] Northern Bahr el Ghazal ?Dhangrial ?Wun Rog ?Mayen
Cultural Group:
Dinka Tuich
Date Made:
By 1979
Materials:
Wood Plant , Iron Metal
Process:
Forged (Metal) , Hammered , Socketed , Carved
Dimensions:
Total L = 1167; iron section L = 110; blade L = 38, blade W = 60, blade th = 1.7; socket diam = 28.5 x 27.7; shaft diam (upper) = 33.5 x 30 mm [RTS 19/8/2005].
Weight:
918.4 g
Other Owners:
Purchased by Patti Langton in April 1979 as part of the British Institute in Eastern Africa's Expedition to the Southern Sudan [RTS 15/6/2004].
Field Collector:
Patti Langton
PRM Source:
Patti Langton
Acquired:
Purchased 1979
Collected Date:
April 1979
Description:
Hoe consisting of a small iron blade, oval in plan view and sharpened along the bottom, which is slightly curved.
This opens out at the top to form a cylindrical socket with a wide open seam running down the front, and has been fitted onto the end of a long wooden handle.
The handle itself has been cut from a branch and is straight, but with various natural irregularities along its length.
This has been shaved to a point at the lower end, where it fits onto the blade, and cut flat across the top.
The blade is a metallic gray colour (Pantone 877C), with some reddish surface rust; the shaft is a yellowish brown colour (Pantone 7509C) and has been polished.
Both parts are complete, but the shaft has numerous splits along its length.
The object has a weight of 918.4 grams, and a total length of 1167 mm.
The iron part is 110 mm long, with a blade length of 38 mm, width of 60 mm and thickness of 1.7 mm; the iron socket has a diameter of 28.5 by 27.7 mm, and the wooden shaft an upper diameter of 33.5 by 30 mm.
Purchased by Patti Langton in April 1979 as part of the British Institute in Eastern Africa's Expedition to the Southern Sudan, just as she was leaving the area. The collection place was not specified, but it was probably obtained at 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.
Langton did not record the Dinka Tuich name for this type of object.
Rachael Sparks 30/9/2005.
Purchased by Patti Langton in April 1979 as part of the British Institute in Eastern Africa's Expedition to the Southern Sudan, just as she was leaving the area. The collection place was not specified, but it was probably obtained at 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.
Langton did not record the Dinka Tuich name for this type of object.
Rachael Sparks 30/9/2005.
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.
202] 1979.20.118 Wooden hoe with iron spatulate head hafted on.
Total L = 1.16 M.; L.
head = 11 cm.
Purchased just as P[atti]L[angton] was leaving; no number.
Additional Accession Book Entry [below accession number in red biro] - A5-F34-3.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 16/2/2004].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - AFRICA, Sudan. Dinka Tuich. Wooden hoe with iron spatulate head. P. Langton collection. 1979.20.118 [plastic coated label, tied to object; RTS 19/8/2005].
Written on object - S. SUDAN DINKA P. Langton Coll. 1979.20.118 [RTS 18/8/2005].
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 (entry reads '1 hoe bought just as we were leaving. No information. Any knobkerry'), 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; no purchase price is given in any of these sources [RTS 12/1/2004].
Additional Accession Book Entry [below accession number in red biro] - A5-F34-3.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 16/2/2004].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - AFRICA, Sudan. Dinka Tuich. Wooden hoe with iron spatulate head. P. Langton collection. 1979.20.118 [plastic coated label, tied to object; RTS 19/8/2005].
Written on object - S. SUDAN DINKA P. Langton Coll. 1979.20.118 [RTS 18/8/2005].
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 (entry reads '1 hoe bought just as we were leaving. No information. Any knobkerry'), 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; no purchase price is given in any of these sources [RTS 12/1/2004].
