Nuer sheep for sacrifice

58 x 55 mm | Print gelatin silver

There are records relating to alternative images that we do not have scans for in the database:
1998.355.750.1 - Negative film nitrate , (58 x 55 mm )

Date of Print:

Unknown

Previous PRM Number:

EP.N.XV.100

Previous Other Number:

64 2 (A159)

Accession Number:

1998.355.750.2

Description:

A portrait of a sheep being held on a leash by a man, selected by the group for sacrifice in the case of a woman possessed by a spirit at Yackwac village. Castrated sheep and goats were frequently used in sacrifice in place of oxen, with particular care taken to note the way the beast fell, since this may indicate the success or potential failure of the sacrifice. Evans-Pritchard described having witnessed a Lou sheep sacrifice at Yakwach for the girl possessed by a lion-spirit, a cow also being dedicated to the spirit to placate it.

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:

Ritual , Religion

Keyword:

Animal Sheep , Spear

Activity:

Ritual Activity

Event:

Sacrifice

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] - 100. Selection for sacrifice

Note on print reverse ms pencil - "64 2 A159" & print front border ms ink - "NUER XV/100"

Other Information:

In E. E. Evans-Pritchard's Nuer Religion (Oxford University Press 1974 [1957]), page 65, he notes that 'While I was living in a cattle camp at the same village of Yakwac.. a girl of the lineage was taken hold of by the lion-spirit and had hysterics. Her family sacrificed a sheep to the spirit and dedicated a cow to it, for the seizure was thought to have been due to their failure to dedicate a cow to it earlier; and the girl was restored to her normal self.' [Chris Morton 6/9/2004]

Recorder:

Christopher Morton [6/9/2004] [Southern Sudan Project]