Zande hat
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1930.86.34
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan]
Cultural Group:
Zande
Date Made:
By 1930
Materials:
Palm Fibre Plant , Cane Plant
Process:
Basketry , Twill Woven , Wound , Bound , Stitched , Carved Decorated Dyed
Dimensions:
Ht = 120, crown L = 130, W = 128, L diagonally between corners = 180; internal base diam = 178, external brim diam = 295; cross bar W = 8, W palm strips = 2 mm [RTS 10/2/2005].
Weight:
68.8 g
Other Owners:
Probably collected by Evans-Pritchard himself during his fieldwork amongst the Zande, which took place during 1927, part of 1928 and 1929 and for several months during 1930 [CM; RTS 6/7/2004]. Purchased from Edward Evans-Pritchard for the PRM by Henry Bal
Field Collector:
Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard
PRM Source:
Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard
Acquired:
Purchased 31 December 1930
Collected Date:
1927 - 1930
Description:
Basketry hat consisting of a flat, square crown woven from narrow strips of yellow coloured palm fibre in a twill pattern of over 2, under 2.
This has been strengthened across the top with 2 narrow cane pieces that cross over one another at the centre and have shaved ends that have been pushed through each corner of the hat to hold them in place, causing the corners to bulge slightly outwards.
The cane pieces have convex upper surfaces and flat undersides, and are a yellow colour (Pantone 7508C).
The body of the hat becomes circular below the crown, with the twill weave continuing for its upper part only.
Then, one third the way down the sides, this changes to a looser weave, in which vertical yellow strips (Pantone 7508C) are contrasted with horizontal palm strips that have been dyed a dark brown colour (Pantone Black 7C).
The vertical strips largely run down the inside face of the hat, while the brown strips overlay these at right angles on the outside face, with the two elements sewn together using a fine fibre thread, also dyed dark brown, with oblique stitching.
This creates a dark brown band that runs around the lower part of the hat.
A simple geometric motif is picked out at the centre of each side in yellow, where the horizontal and vertical strips temporarily change places from front to inside face, and vice versa; this consists of 2 vertical zigzags mirroring each other, and in the space between, 2 small cross-shaped motifs made from squares of yellow with a brown square at the centre, stacked one above the other.
A broad brim has been added at right angles to the base of the body.
This is made up of several elements.
The vertical palm fibre strips from the body turn at their bases and splay outwards towards the brim edge as oblique ribs.
On the upper face, thin strips of flexible cane, with some bark visible in places, have been woven around the hat in a continuing spiral.
These are then bound to the underlying frame using further fibre strips that wind obliquely around both parts.
This creates an upper surface that is slightly ridged, and a flatter underside.
The style of binding changes slightly at the outer edge to allow the loose ends to be woven in place.
The hat is complete and in good condition, although the stitching has broken in one place, and there is a small bloodstain on the interior walls.
There are 2 areas on the interior where the loose ends of the fibre strips making up the body have been left protruding rather than being woven back into the fabric of the hat; otherwise it is well finished.
The hat has a weight of 68.8 grams, and is 120 mm high.
The crown measures 130 by 128 mm along its sides and 180 mm diagonally across from corner to corner.
The base has an internal diameter of 178 mm, while the external diameter of the brim is 295 mm.
The cross bars are 8 mm wide, and the fibre strips have a width of 2 mm.
Probably collected by Evans-Pritchard himself during his fieldwork amongst the Zande, which took place during 1927, part of 1928 and 1929 and for several months during 1930.
Evans-Pritchard discusses Zande hats in his book, The Azande; his comments presumably refer to the situation back in 1926-1930, when he conducted his fieldwork amongst this group: “In sketches by early travellers Azande men are shown wearing straw hats. Schweinfurth describes them as using ‘a cylindrical hat without any brim, square at the top and always ornamented with a waving plume of feathers; the hat is fastened on by large hair-pins, made either of iron, copper, or ivory, and tipped with crescents, tridents, knobs and various other devices [In the Heart of Africa II, p. 8; This type of hat is depicted being worn at the top of the head, see vol. I p. 439]. The same kind of cylindrical, brimless straw hat was still worn in 1906 when Gezer visited the Azande of Tembura’s kingdom and of the old kingdom of Ezo. This is the old Mbomu hat, called kutuku , and some of the older men still keep to a version of it. The hat which is today fashionable, and has been for some years, is of much the same shape but with two new features: black lateral patterns, often wavy lines, and a broad brim, the first being copied from the Mangbetu and the second from the earliest Europeans” (Evans-Pritchard 1971, pp 70-71). This is the type of hat represented by 1930.86.34. Brock stated that Zande hats were worn from greenish white split grass, being round at the base and square at the top, with patterns around the top in blackened grass. He suggests that the presence or absence of brims was according to fashion, which also determined how the hat's feathers were arranged (R.G.C. Brock, 1918, "Some Notes of the Zande Tribe as Found in the Meridi District", Sudan Notes and Records 1, p. 254).
This hat has a wider base diameter than many contemporary brimless varieties used by the Zande, and may have been worn lower down on the head; similar hats are illustrated in E.E. Evans-Pritchard, 1937, Witchcraft, Oracles and Magic among the Azande, pls V, VII, IX and XXV.
Rachael Sparks 19/08/2005.
Probably collected by Evans-Pritchard himself during his fieldwork amongst the Zande, which took place during 1927, part of 1928 and 1929 and for several months during 1930.
Evans-Pritchard discusses Zande hats in his book, The Azande; his comments presumably refer to the situation back in 1926-1930, when he conducted his fieldwork amongst this group: “In sketches by early travellers Azande men are shown wearing straw hats. Schweinfurth describes them as using ‘a cylindrical hat without any brim, square at the top and always ornamented with a waving plume of feathers; the hat is fastened on by large hair-pins, made either of iron, copper, or ivory, and tipped with crescents, tridents, knobs and various other devices [In the Heart of Africa II, p. 8; This type of hat is depicted being worn at the top of the head, see vol. I p. 439]. The same kind of cylindrical, brimless straw hat was still worn in 1906 when Gezer visited the Azande of Tembura’s kingdom and of the old kingdom of Ezo. This is the old Mbomu hat, called kutuku , and some of the older men still keep to a version of it. The hat which is today fashionable, and has been for some years, is of much the same shape but with two new features: black lateral patterns, often wavy lines, and a broad brim, the first being copied from the Mangbetu and the second from the earliest Europeans” (Evans-Pritchard 1971, pp 70-71). This is the type of hat represented by 1930.86.34. Brock stated that Zande hats were worn from greenish white split grass, being round at the base and square at the top, with patterns around the top in blackened grass. He suggests that the presence or absence of brims was according to fashion, which also determined how the hat's feathers were arranged (R.G.C. Brock, 1918, "Some Notes of the Zande Tribe as Found in the Meridi District", Sudan Notes and Records 1, p. 254).
This hat has a wider base diameter than many contemporary brimless varieties used by the Zande, and may have been worn lower down on the head; similar hats are illustrated in E.E. Evans-Pritchard, 1937, Witchcraft, Oracles and Magic among the Azande, pls V, VII, IX and XXV.
Rachael Sparks 19/08/2005.
Primary Documentation:
Accession Book Entry
[BIV, p.
138] - 1930 [insert] 86 [end insert]
E.E.
EVANS PRITCHARD
31 Dec.
Specimens collected by himself in the EASTERN SUDAN, etc.
[...] [p.
139, insert] 34-35 [end insert] - [1 of] 2 men's hats with brims, of basketry, AZANDE.
[...] [Base of p.
139, total of items 1930.86.1-65] - P[ai]d by cheque 31 Dec £
25-0-0
.
Added Accession Book Entry [page opposite 138] - 1930.86 See Related Documents File for letter from Henry Balfour to Evans-Pritchard concerning the purchase of this collection. [p. 139a] - 1930.86.34-35 Number given HSR. W = 295 mm (incl[uding] brim). [Note that this does not state which of the two objects has this measurement, RTS 24/11/2003]. [p. 139, red biro next to entry 1930.86.34-35] A11-F22-12 A11-F21-27 [Only the former reference matches this object, RTS 24/11/2003].
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 2/2/2004].
Related Documents File - This contains a letter from Balfour to Evans-Pritchard, dated 31 December 1930 that specifies the objects which he would like to purchase for the Pitt Rivers Museum, and suggests a price of £25, which was one quarter of his annual budget. The list matches the objects ultimately accessioned quite closely. 1930.86.34 may appear on the list as "1 Hat (Zande)"; however two hats of this description were actually accessioned [RTS 17/5/2004].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - Man's hat, AZANDE, BAHR-EL-GHAZAL. E. CENT. AFRICA. Evans-Pritchard colln. Pur. 31.12.1930 [rectangular metal-edged tag, tied to object; RTS 10/2/2005].
Added Accession Book Entry [page opposite 138] - 1930.86 See Related Documents File for letter from Henry Balfour to Evans-Pritchard concerning the purchase of this collection. [p. 139a] - 1930.86.34-35 Number given HSR. W = 295 mm (incl[uding] brim). [Note that this does not state which of the two objects has this measurement, RTS 24/11/2003]. [p. 139, red biro next to entry 1930.86.34-35] A11-F22-12 A11-F21-27 [Only the former reference matches this object, RTS 24/11/2003].
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 2/2/2004].
Related Documents File - This contains a letter from Balfour to Evans-Pritchard, dated 31 December 1930 that specifies the objects which he would like to purchase for the Pitt Rivers Museum, and suggests a price of £25, which was one quarter of his annual budget. The list matches the objects ultimately accessioned quite closely. 1930.86.34 may appear on the list as "1 Hat (Zande)"; however two hats of this description were actually accessioned [RTS 17/5/2004].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - Man's hat, AZANDE, BAHR-EL-GHAZAL. E. CENT. AFRICA. Evans-Pritchard colln. Pur. 31.12.1930 [rectangular metal-edged tag, tied to object; RTS 10/2/2005].
