Moru Misa currency rod
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1979.20.38
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan] Western Equatoria ?Lui ?Lanyi
Cultural Group:
Moru Misa
Date Made:
By 1979
Materials:
Iron Metal
Process:
Forged (Metal) , Hammered , Recycled
Dimensions:
L = 758 mm, W = 25.3 mm, Th = 25 mm [RTS 15/6/2004].
Weight:
2.9 kg
Local Name:
mbili
Other Owners:
Collected by Patti Langton, probably between 27th January and 5th 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:
Between 27 January and 5 February 1979
Description:
Iron rod made from reused hoes, hammered into a long, solid cylinder with circular to slightly oval section and flat ends, somewhat roughly finished.
The body is slightly curved along its length, and is complete and intact.
The surface is currently a dark, rusty red colour (Pantone 477C), and has patches of polish or wear running along its length.
It is 758 mm long, 25.3 mm wide and 25 mm thick, with a weight of approximately 2.9 kilograms.
Collected by Patti Langton sometime between 27th January and 5th February 1979 as part of the British Institute in Eastern Africa's Expedition to the Southern Sudan. The exact provenance is not given, but during this period the expedition was collecting Moru material from the settlements of Lui and Lanyi, in Western Equatoria.
This type of object is known as mbili, and groups of 10 to 20 of these used to be given as bridewealth; nowadays money is used in their place. It is said that older blacksmiths still produce them. For other examples, see 1979.20.37. The Moru Misa also use square sectioned iron bars, called lutu, and both round and square sectioned bracelets, called begyi, for this purpose, which are essentially mbili or lutu bent into a ring; for examples of the latter, see 1979.20.39-42.
Rachael Sparks 6/9/2005.
Collected by Patti Langton sometime between 27th January and 5th February 1979 as part of the British Institute in Eastern Africa's Expedition to the Southern Sudan. The exact provenance is not given, but during this period the expedition was collecting Moru material from the settlements of Lui and Lanyi, in Western Equatoria.
This type of object is known as mbili, and groups of 10 to 20 of these used to be given as bridewealth; nowadays money is used in their place. It is said that older blacksmiths still produce them. For other examples, see 1979.20.37. The Moru Misa also use square sectioned iron bars, called lutu, and both round and square sectioned bracelets, called begyi, for this purpose, which are essentially mbili or lutu bent into a ring; for examples of the latter, see 1979.20.39-42.
Rachael Sparks 6/9/2005.
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.
[pp 185 - 186] 1979.20.1 - 42 SOUTHERN SUDAN the MORU MISA The Moru Misa live about 100 miles west of Juba, the capital of the Southern Sudan.
Part of the collection was made in Lui, a small town which has had extensive church and missionary activity over the past 50 years (excluding the period of civil war) and which now boasts a church, a hospital and a number of schools.
The rest of the Moru Misa collection was made at Lanyi, 15 miles away, where the paramount chief of the area, Chief Elinama, arranged for people to bring artifacts for us to buy.
Although money is known to the Moru, its use is limited and the concept of selling belongings is foreign to them.
Hence the low prices and the relatively small number of artefacts.
The Moru Misa are a geographical section of the Moru people.
The Moru practice agriculture for subsistence; they do not keep cattle any longer.
[p.
190] 1979.20.37 - 42 Iron bars and bracelets used in former time as brideswealth, when about 10 - 20 would be given.
Today money is used.
They were made from old hoes reworked, and it was said that older blacksmiths still make them.
Square sectioned bars are called
lutu
, round sectioned are
mbili
.
Bracelets, both round- and square- sectioned, are
begyi
.
[1979.20] .38
mbili
; L = 76 cm., Diam = 2.6 cm.
Additional Accession Book Entry [in red biro next to accession number] - A5-F32-11.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the tribes catalogue card [RTS 2/6/2004].
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. This object appears on Langton's original typed list in the RDF, under the heading 'P.R. Collection - Omissions'. 'Moru Misa. 1. Iron bars and bracelets: these were used in former times as brideswealth. About 10-20 bars/bracelets were given. They were made from old hoes, reworked. It was said that older blacksmiths still make them. Today money is used instead for brideprice'. This is annotated in pencil with a sketch of a bar, rectangular section, then 'LUTU. Longer ones = JORDON'; a bar with round section, 'MBILI. Longer ones = JORDON''; and 'BEGYI. Both round and square section'.
Additional Accession Book Entry [in red biro next to accession number] - A5-F32-11.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the tribes catalogue card [RTS 2/6/2004].
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. This object appears on Langton's original typed list in the RDF, under the heading 'P.R. Collection - Omissions'. 'Moru Misa. 1. Iron bars and bracelets: these were used in former times as brideswealth. About 10-20 bars/bracelets were given. They were made from old hoes, reworked. It was said that older blacksmiths still make them. Today money is used instead for brideprice'. This is annotated in pencil with a sketch of a bar, rectangular section, then 'LUTU. Longer ones = JORDON'; a bar with round section, 'MBILI. Longer ones = JORDON''; and 'BEGYI. Both round and square section'.
