Moru Misa mortar

1979.20.30

Sudan

[Southern Sudan] Western Equatoria ?Lui ?Lanyi

Moru Misa

By 1979

Wood Plant , Earth

Carved , Hollowed

Ht = 230, diam rim ext. = 137 x 131, diam rim int. = 135 x 130, diam top foot = 80 x 78, diam foot ext. = 114 x 110.5, diam base underside = 106.7 x 106, th walls = 18, depth interior hollow = 151 mm [RTS 23/3/2005].

>1000 g

Collected by Patti Langton between 27th January and 5th February 1979 as part of the British Institute in Eastern Africa's Expedition to the Southern Sudan [RTS 15/6/2004].

Patti Langton

Patti Langton

Purchased 1979

Between 27 January and 5 February 1979

Deep wooden mortar carved from a single block, and consisting of a narrow, flat-topped rim that slopes down slightly to its outer edge, on a tall upright body with almost straight sides that flare in towards the bottom, where they meet a thick solid disc foot. The sides of the foot have been shaved, creating a bevelled edge at its top and bottom, with a slightly irregular underside that causes the mortar to sit at a slight angle. The interior hollow is cylindrical with a flat base, while the walls are of regular thickness throughout. The mortar is oval in plan view, becoming more circular towards its base. It is complete, but has a few hairline cracks in the rim and lower body, and a larger crack in the base. There are a number of insect bore holes in the sides and rim, and some irregular reddish brown surface staining over the exterior, plus some white flaky residue on the interior walls. A small piece of gray mud has been pressed into the recessed area at the top of the foot, probably with a thumb; its purpose is unknown, although the surface on either side may have originally had a similar material adhering to it in a band around the circumference, as the wood in that region is a lighter colour than elsewhere, as if protected from discolouration somehow. The wood is a light yellowish brown colour on the interior and upper rim surfaces (Pantone 7509C) and a darker brown on the outside face (Pantone 730C). It weighs more than 1000 grams, and has a maximum height of 230 mm, with an external rim diameter of 137 by 131 mm, an internal rim diameter of 135 by 130 mm, a diameter at the top of the foot of 80 by 78 mm, on the exterior of the foot of 114 by 110.5 mm and a base diameter of 106.7 by 106 mm. The walls are 18 mm thick, and the interior hollow is 151 mm deep.

Purchased by Patti Langton between 27th January and 5th February 1979 as part of the British Institute in Eastern Africa's Expedition to the Southern Sudan. No purchase price or provenance was recorded; the expedition was collecting Moru material during this period from the settlements of Lui and Lanyi, in Western Equatoria. The Moru name for this type of object was not recorded.

Rachael Sparks 6/9/2005.

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. [pp 185 - 186] 1979.20.1 - 42 SOUTHERN SUDAN the MORU MISA The Moru Misa live about 100 miles west of Juba, the capital of the Southern Sudan. Part of the collection was made in Lui, a small town which has had extensive church and missionary activity over the past 50 years (excluding the period of civil war) and which now boasts a church, a hospital and a number of schools. The rest of the Moru Misa collection was made at Lanyi, 15 miles away, where the paramount chief of the area, Chief Elinama, arranged for people to bring artifacts for us to buy. Although money is known to the Moru, its use is limited and the concept of selling belongings is foreign to them. Hence the low prices and the relatively small number of artefacts. The Moru Misa are a geographical section of the Moru people. The Moru practice agriculture for subsistence; they do not keep cattle any longer. [p. 189] 1979.20.30 - Wooden mortar, carved in one piece. H = 23 cm. Diam. mouth = 13.2 cm. Unnumbered in the collection.
Additional Accession Book Entry [in red biro under accession number] - A5-F32-9.

Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the tribes catalogue card [RTS 2/6/2004].

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 object appears on Langton's list as a pencilled addition, marked 'unnumb[ered]' [RTS 12/1/2004].

Written on object - S. SUDAN MORU MISA. Pat Langton coll. 1979.20.30 [RTS 18/3/2005].