Omerok waist ornament
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1940.7.0224
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan] Eastern Equatoria near Opari
Cultural Group:
[Omerok]
Date Made:
By 1940
Materials:
Grass Fibre Plant , String , Wool Yarn Animal
Process:
Twisted , Knotted , Bound
Dimensions:
Extended L = 1120, hanging length = 550 mm; woollen bound area L = 38, W = 36.5, th = 5.5 mm; string bundle W = 6 mm; string W = 1 mm [RTS 30/3/2005].
Weight:
90.8 g
Other Owners:
Samuel P. Powell
Field Collector:
Samuel P. Powell
PRM Source:
Samuel P. Powell
Acquired:
Loaned July 1940
Collected Date:
By 1940
Description:
String ornament, possibly designed to hang down from the back of the waist.
This consists of 6 bundles of grass fibre strings, with from 12 to 21 strings in each group.
At their centre, each bundle has been wound round with yellowish brown twisted wool (Pantone 7508C), and bound onto the neighbouring group, creating a rectangular top section; two loose ends of this wool extend from opposite corner and are knotted in the centre, creating a suspension loop.
The fibre strings extend beyond either end of this binding, to hang down as a thick mass.
Each individual string is made of 2 fibres twisted together, and ends with a knot at its base.
These vary in colour from yellowish (Pantone 7508C) to reddish brown (Pantone 7525C).
The object is complete, although some fibres seem worn and have become entangled with their neighbours, and there is surface discolouration in places.
It has a weight of 90.8 grams, and is 1120 mm long, when extended fully, or 550 mm long, as hung; the woollen section is 38 mm long, 36.5 mm wide and 5.5 mm thick, while each string bundle is 6 mm wide, and each individual string has a width of 1 mm.
Collected by Samuel P. Powell from the Omerok tribe, near Opari in the modern administrative district of Eastern Equatoria. It is not clear which group the Omerok should be identified with. This garment was worn by girls.
Rachael Sparks 14/9/2005.
Collected by Samuel P. Powell from the Omerok tribe, near Opari in the modern administrative district of Eastern Equatoria. It is not clear which group the Omerok should be identified with. This garment was worn by girls.
Rachael Sparks 14/9/2005.
Primary Documentation:
Accession Book Entry
[Loans II, p.
308] - ESTATE OF S.P.
POWELL, C/O N.H.
HASLAM, Esq.
Manager, Westminster Bank, Stony Stratford, Bucks.
Collected by himself.
Data from his labels and notes.
[p.
321] 1940.7.0224 - Girl's bustle (?) OMEROK TRIBE, near OPARI, E[QUATORIAL].
P[ROVINCE].
SUDAN.
Additional Accession Book Entry [page opposite 321, in pencil] - [ditto marks, record above = Not labelled, but on list].
Related Documents File - Appears on undated typed list: "Omerok girls bustle. A tribe near Opari E.P.". List is annotated by hand on back: "List of Curios" and "Far from complete" [RTS 16/12/2003].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - Girl's bustle? OMEROK TRIBE near OPARI. EQUATORIAL PROVINCE SUDAN. S.P. Powell, 1940.7.0224 [brown luggage tag, tied to object; RTS 30/3/2005]
Additional Accession Book Entry [page opposite 321, in pencil] - [ditto marks, record above = Not labelled, but on list].
Related Documents File - Appears on undated typed list: "Omerok girls bustle. A tribe near Opari E.P.". List is annotated by hand on back: "List of Curios" and "Far from complete" [RTS 16/12/2003].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - Girl's bustle? OMEROK TRIBE near OPARI. EQUATORIAL PROVINCE SUDAN. S.P. Powell, 1940.7.0224 [brown luggage tag, tied to object; RTS 30/3/2005]
