Northern Larim ear stud

Other views of this artifact:

Accession Number:

1979.20.158 .1

Country:

Sudan

Region:

[Southern Sudan] Eastern Equatoria Napongayit

Cultural Group:

Northern Larim

Date Made:

By 1979

Materials:

?Aluminium Metal , ?Tin Metal

Process:

Hammered

Dimensions:

L = 35 mm, W = 11 mm, Th top plate = 1 mm, W end of prongs = 4 mm [RTS 12/5/2004].

Weight:

2.3 g

Local Name:

kachikinu

Other Owners:

Purchased at Napongayit by Patti Langton for 50 piastres during the British Institute in East Africa's expedition to the Southern Sudan on the 24th March 1979.

Field Collector:

Patti Langton

PRM Source:

Patti Langton

Acquired:

Purchased 1979

Collected Date:

24 March 1979

Description:

White metal ear stud consisting of a flat upper surface, cut into a distinctive narrow shape with convex sides that become concave at its centre; these finish in two points at either end. A raised, rounded ridge runs down the length of this section. The shape is reminiscent of Lotuko shields; Langton suggested similarities to the form of some types of Larim headrests. The underside of this surface is flat, with thickening around the bases of three rectangular prongs that are attached at right angles to it, in a row running down the centre. The prongs splay out towards their ends, which look to have been compressed slightly through hammering. The metal from which this stud has been made is very light and soft, and currently a light gray colour (Pantone 420C), suggesting that it is probably either aluminium or tin. The object is complete and intact, with a series of shallow scratches on the upper surface exposing the original colour of the metal. It has a length of 35 mm, a maximum width of 11 mm and a thickness of 1 mm. The prongs are 4 mm wide at their ends. The stud weighs 2.3 grams.

Purchased by Patti Langton at Napongayit, in the Kerenge Clan area, for 50 piastres on the 24th March 1979, during the British Institute in East Africa's expedition to the Southern Sudan. This is one of a pair, known as kachikinu ; for the other, see 1979.20.158.2. Despite this, the earrings are not identical, with one being notably longer than the other, while weighing less.

These earrings were made by specialist men, and worn by both men and women. Langton commented that all Larim children have their ears pierced with three holes, a pierced lip, and get their two lower incisors removed when they are around seven years old. For a different type of Larim earring, see 1979.20.190.

Rachael Sparks 8/9/2005.

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 alootment of the collection do not appear on her list and have been added here. See Related Documents file as well. [p. 204] 1979.20.136 - 193 SOUTHERN SUDAN the LARIM The Larim live about 50 miles west of Kapoeta in the eastern corner of S. Sudan. They are a non-Nilotic pastoral people, living in permanent mountain villages. They are part of the Didinga-Longarim-Murle language group. They live in the Boya Hills - Boya is the Topasa (neighbouring group) name for the Larim, which is also used by the Administration. Longarim is the Didinga's name for them but they call themselves the Larim, and that is used here. [p. 205] The LARIM The collection was made in two parts. The "PL" labelled material was collected during Pat Langton's stay in a village in the Northern Larim area. The "∆" labelled material was collected by Jill Goudie, one of the archaeologists on the Expedition, from the base camp LARYOK, among the Southern Larim. Money is known among the Larim but it is used only for buying beads for women from Kapoeta, or for the few members of the group who would go to Juba. The women especially were more interested in exchange gifts of salt, cloth & soap. The Larim material is documented in three parts: a) General Larim pieces - no information as to which section of the Larim it comes from b) the "PL" Collection from the Northern Larim, from three of the eight Northern Larim clans c) the Southern Larim material collected by Jill Goudie, numbered "∆". [p. 208] 1979.20.155 - 162 NORTH LARIM/BOYA; KERENGE CLAN, NAPONGAYIT VILLAGE; 24.3.79 [p. 209] 1979.20.158 [.1] [1 of a] Pair of ?aluminum [sic] earrings, kachikinu . Made by specialist men and worn by both men and women. The design may be significant - it can be seen also in some of the headrests. All Larim children have three holes pierced in their ears as well as a lip hole and two lower incisors removed when they are about seven years old. L = [.1] 3.6 and [.2] 4 cm. Coll. no. PL 42. Cost 50 pt.
Additional Accession Book Entry [below accession number in red biro] - A5-F35-7.

Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [but note spelling error: kachikinu is spelt kachinkinu ; RTS 24/5/2004].

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. This item appears in Langton's list under the heading 'Purchased in Kerenge clan, Napongayit village, where I was living'. This object also appears on a packing list, under 'Box 2. Longarim. [one of] 2 ear plugs' [RTS 12/1/2004].