Dinka Tuich ladle

Other views of this artifact:

Accession Number:

1979.20.51

Country:

Sudan

Region:

[Southern Sudan] Northern Bahr el Ghazal Dhangrial

Cultural Group:

Dinka Tuich

Date Made:

By 1979

Materials:

Gourd Plant

Process:

Hollowed , Dried , Decorated , Burnt , Pyroengraved Pokerwork

Dimensions:

Ht = 70, L = 212, W rim = 143, th rim = 2.5 mm [RTS 25/3/2005].

Weight:

34.1 g

Local Name:

biny anyel

Other Owners:

Purchased by Patti Langton for 25 piastres on 17th February 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:

17 February 1979

Description:

Gourd ladle consisting of a narrow flat-topped rim on a hemispherical body with convex base. The rim is slightly compressed on one side with a tapering handle extending from the rim opposite; this has a convex underside and a hollow, concave interior. The upper part of the rim has been burnt black for decorative effect (Pantone black 7C). The interior walls are a matt yellow colour (Pantone 7508C), while the exterior is a smooth orange (Pantone 7510C). On the exterior a heated blade has been used to incise a series of blackened decorative motifs around the upper body. These consist of 3 groups of multiple lines running horizontally around the circumference, and extending along the underside of the handle, with the lower groups meeting in a point and the upper group curving around the handle's tip. The space between these groups has been filled with thick oblique lines, to make 2 broad bands of simple hatching. Each of these oblique groups is itself composed of from 3 to 4 lines, and they can vary considerably in width. The ladle is complete and intact, except for 2 small areas of the rim where the burnt surface has lifted off. It has a weight of 34.1 grams, and is 70 mm high, 212 mm long (including the handle) and 143 mm wide, with a rim thickness of 2.5 mm.

Purchased by Patti Langton at Dhangrial on 17th February 1979 for 25 piastres, as part of the British Institute in East Africa's expedition to the southern Sudan. 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 ladle is called biny anyel, and is used to drink water, milk or beer from a large container. The term biny translates as ‘cup, drinking glass’ (Nebel 1979, Dinka-English Dictionary, p. 16), and anyäl, pl. anyel , means a gourd decorated with drawings (Nebel 1979, Dinka-English Dictionary, p. 10).

Langton describes this method of decorating Dinka gourds in her entry for accession number 1979.20.91, with the pattern being marked out in charcoal, and then with a type of needle called a with (for this tool, which is made of iron, see 1979.20.59), which is then scored over using a heated spear or knife blade. The style of decoration on this particular example is comparable to that seen on 1979.20.52.

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 [insert] (the collectors) [end insert] were offering money, the Dinka in surrounding compounds came daily, increasing prices as often as they could! [p. 192] 1979.20.51 Small decorated gourd ladle, biny anyel ; used to drink water, milk or beer from a large container. L = 21.3 cm. Coll. in Dhangrial, 17.2.79; 25 pt. Coll. no. 101.
Additional Accession Book Entry [below accession number in red biro] - A5-F33-30.

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].

Written on object - 101 [pencil]; S. SUDAN, DINKA TUICH, Pat Langton Coll. 101, 1979.20.51 [ink; RTS 23/3/2005].