Portrait of a Nuer youth

58 x 55 mm | Print gelatin silver

Date of Print:

Unknown

Previous PRM Number:

EP.N.XV.24

Previous Other Number:

43 2 (A83)

Accession Number:

1998.355.712.2

Description:

A full length portrait of a young man wearing thiau arm-rings on the right arm, a practice which possibly imitates or complements the practice of training a favourite ox's horn across the muzzle (ma gut), both of which are often done soon after initiation. This binding is done for some months or even a year or two, and is accompanied by swelling, sores and pain, and renders the arm useless for the period. During the elaborate telling of compliments to a woman during courtship or at dances, the youth ran a metal ring up and down the arm-rings to produce a sound. Evans-Pritchard stresses in his analysis of thiau as a left-horn imitation that the left arm is only ever used, but in this instance the right arm is bound. The guy rope from Evans-Pritchard's tent can be seen just beyond the youth.

Photographer:

Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard

Date of Photo:

1935 July

Region:

[Southern Sudan] Upper Nile Sobat River Yakwach

Group:

Nuer Lou

PRM Source:

Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard

Acquired:

Donated 1966

Other Owners:

E. E. Evans-Pritchard Collection

Class:

Physical Anthropology , Ornament , Shelter

Keyword:

Ornament Arm , Tent

Documentation:

Original catalogue lists in Manuscript Collections. Additional material in related documents files. [CM 27/9/2005]

Primary Documentation:

Accession Book Entry [p. 98] 1966.27 [1 - 24] G[ift] PROFESSOR E. E. EVANS-PRITCHARD; INST. OF SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY, 51 BANBURY RD. OXFORD 1966.27.1-16 S. SUDAN. NUER TRIBE. Sixteen negative albums containing negatives and prints of photographs taken by donor during field-work. All listed in albums. Added Accession Book Entry - [p. 98 in right hand column, in pencil] Catalogue room.

Manual Catalogues [index taken from album book XV, ms ink] - 24. Youth

Note on print reverse ms pencil - "43 2 A83" & print front border ms ink - "NUER XV/24"

Recorder:

Christopher Morton [1/9/2004] [Southern Sudan Project]