Bongo arm ornament
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1884.78.95
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan]
Cultural Group:
Bongo
Date Made:
?Before 1858
Materials:
Iron Metal
Process:
Forged (Metal) , Hammered , Polished
Dimensions:
L = 129 mm, W = 105.5 mm, Ht 25 mm [RTS 22/3/2004]
Weight:
851.8 g
Other Owners:
Collected by John Petherick, probably between 1856 and 1858, and shipped back to England in 1859. Subsequently acquired by Pitt Rivers, perhaps via auction, as Petherick is known to have sold some of his collection through Mr Bullock of High Holborn, Lond
Field Collector:
John Petherick
PRM Source:
Augustus Henry Lane Fox Pitt Rivers founding collection
Acquired:
Donated 1884
Collected Date:
1856 - 1858
Description:
Heavy armlet or anklet made from a thick rod of iron with oval section, bent into an oval loop with open ends, 34 mm apart.
The ends have been hammered flat, with the pressure from the blows creating a raised lip around the edge.
The surface has been polished, but a rougher area has been left at the back of the object.
The object is complete and intact, with the metal in good condition and currently a silvery gray colour (Pantone 420C).
Length across object 129 mm, width across object 105.5 mm, length across inside edges 87 mm, thickness of rod 23.6 mm, height 25 mm and weight 851.8 grams.
Collected in the Southern Sudan by John Petherick, who led three separate trading expeditions that passed through Bongo territory between 1856 and 1858; this material was shipped back to England in 1859. See Petherick 1861, Egypt, The Sudan and Central Africa for more details. Material from this period was sold at an auction conducted by Mr Bullock of High Holborn, London, on 27th June 1862 (see the Catalogue of the very interesting collection of arms and implements of war, husbandry, and the chase, and articles of costume and domestic use, procured during several expeditions up the White Nile, Bahr-il-Gazal, and among the various tribes of the country, to the cannibal Neam Nam territory on the Equator, by John Petherick, Esq., H.M. Consul, Khartoum, Soudan ). After acquiring the object, Pitt Rivers sent it to Bethnal Green Museum for display, as part of the first batch of objects sent there, probably in 1874. This object was later displayed in the South Kensington Museum, and transferred from there to become part of the founding collection of the Pitt Rivers Museum in 1884.
This anklet is said to be worn to celebrate killing an elephant, and probably corresponds to part of lot 43 in Petherick’s 1862 auction, ‘pair elephant anklets’. For another object with similar function, and possibly the other item in the ‘pair’, see 1884.82.34. Note that another item in this lot appears to be in the museum collections (see wrist knife 1884.140.579).
Petherick describes various methods of killing an elephant: a hunt by Jur (in 1861, Egypt, The Sudan and Central Africa, pp 413-5), a method which he describes as “practised by the generality of the tribes, who also excavate pitfalls in the neighbourhood of pools or streams, where the herds are accustomed to drink, and across narrow gorges in the mountainous parts of the Dor [=Bongo] district, through which they have to pass ... another method ... practised by some of the upper Dor and Baer tribes: a strong lance, with a handle five feet in length, the extremity shaped like a club, in diameter about four inches, is laden with a stone, fixed to it with cords, and plastered over with clay, the whole being made as heavy as it can be managed... [the hunter] ascends [a tree] ... and quietly awaits the arrival of his prey; and when one of them is directly under him, with all his force he sends the spear into his back or shoulders. When the blow has been well directed, the animal bounds about for a short time, increasing the wound by the oscillation of the spear” (op.cit., p. 415).
This object is currently on display in the Lower Gallery, case 111A.
Rachael Sparks 30/9/2005.
Collected in the Southern Sudan by John Petherick, who led three separate trading expeditions that passed through Bongo territory between 1856 and 1858; this material was shipped back to England in 1859. See Petherick 1861, Egypt, The Sudan and Central Africa for more details. Material from this period was sold at an auction conducted by Mr Bullock of High Holborn, London, on 27th June 1862 (see the Catalogue of the very interesting collection of arms and implements of war, husbandry, and the chase, and articles of costume and domestic use, procured during several expeditions up the White Nile, Bahr-il-Gazal, and among the various tribes of the country, to the cannibal Neam Nam territory on the Equator, by John Petherick, Esq., H.M. Consul, Khartoum, Soudan ). After acquiring the object, Pitt Rivers sent it to Bethnal Green Museum for display, as part of the first batch of objects sent there, probably in 1874. This object was later displayed in the South Kensington Museum, and transferred from there to become part of the founding collection of the Pitt Rivers Museum in 1884.
This anklet is said to be worn to celebrate killing an elephant, and probably corresponds to part of lot 43 in Petherick’s 1862 auction, ‘pair elephant anklets’. For another object with similar function, and possibly the other item in the ‘pair’, see 1884.82.34. Note that another item in this lot appears to be in the museum collections (see wrist knife 1884.140.579).
Petherick describes various methods of killing an elephant: a hunt by Jur (in 1861, Egypt, The Sudan and Central Africa, pp 413-5), a method which he describes as “practised by the generality of the tribes, who also excavate pitfalls in the neighbourhood of pools or streams, where the herds are accustomed to drink, and across narrow gorges in the mountainous parts of the Dor [=Bongo] district, through which they have to pass ... another method ... practised by some of the upper Dor and Baer tribes: a strong lance, with a handle five feet in length, the extremity shaped like a club, in diameter about four inches, is laden with a stone, fixed to it with cords, and plastered over with clay, the whole being made as heavy as it can be managed... [the hunter] ascends [a tree] ... and quietly awaits the arrival of his prey; and when one of them is directly under him, with all his force he sends the spear into his back or shoulders. When the blow has been well directed, the animal bounds about for a short time, increasing the wound by the oscillation of the spear” (op.cit., p. 415).
This object is currently on display in the Lower Gallery, case 111A.
Rachael Sparks 30/9/2005.
Primary Documentation:
Accession Book IV entry
[p.
172] [insert] 1884.78 [end insert] PERSONAL ORNAMENTS PENNANULAR RINGS ARMLETS ETC [insert] 95 [end insert] - 106/1619 - Massive armlet or anklet of native iron, worn to celebrate killing of an elephant.
DOR, ibid [E.C.
AFRICA].
Petherick.
Collectors Miscellaneous XI Accession Book entry [p. 193] - PETHERICK, Consul [...] [insert] 1884.78.95 [end insert] Massive armlet or anklet of native iron, worn to celebrate death of elephant, Dor tribe. PR 106, 1619. [p. 197] [insert] BONGO is tribe's name for itself. They are called DOR by neighbours [end insert, by BB].
Black book entry [p. 67] - 1619. Bracelets (12), iron. Dinka & Schillook tribes, C. Africa. One a warrior's sharp edged iron bracelet. Djibba tribe, Africa [see 1884.82.23]. p. 110. [insert] 1884.78.93, 94, 95; 1884.82.23-28, 34 + 1884.82.43, 44 [end insert]. [Note that 1884.82.28 is actually PR 104 and does not belong to this group, while there is an additional object not listed here that should be added (to be accessioned), RTS 2/4/2004].
Added Black book entry [p. 67a] - Iron and bronze penannular knob ended bracelets Indian in form are found in Africa having been made and introduced for trade purposes by Birmingham firms.
Delivery Catalogue II entry [p. 300] - Personal Ornaments of various Nations [p. 306] [insert] 1884,78.93-95, 82.23-29, 34, 43-4 [end insert] 12 iron bracelets (Central Africa), 1619, Case 74, 345. [Note that while 12 bracelets are described, cross references are given to 13 objects. Of these, 1884.78.28 is marked with PR reference 104, and 1884.78.29 is PR 95/8386, meaning both should be omitted from the group, while there is an additional object marked with PR 106/1619 that should be added to it (this still needs to be accessioned). This makes a total of 12 items actually belonging to this group; RTS 2/4/2004].
Card Catalogue Entry - The card repeats the accession book entry, but gives the collection date as 1858. As this does not seem to be derived from any of the original collections documentation, the accuracy of this is questionable [RTS 6/4/2004].
Old Pitt Rivers Museum label - Heavy penannular anklet of native iron, worn to celebrate the death of the elephant. DOR tribe, CENTRAL AFRICA. Petherick coll. c. 1848. P.R. coll. 106-1619 [tied to object; note that the date should be 1858, not 1848; RTS 16/3/2004].
Written on object - CENTRAL AFRICA. PETHERICK [El.B 'DCF 2004-2006 What's Upstairs?' 28/7/2005]
Collectors Miscellaneous XI Accession Book entry [p. 193] - PETHERICK, Consul [...] [insert] 1884.78.95 [end insert] Massive armlet or anklet of native iron, worn to celebrate death of elephant, Dor tribe. PR 106, 1619. [p. 197] [insert] BONGO is tribe's name for itself. They are called DOR by neighbours [end insert, by BB].
Black book entry [p. 67] - 1619. Bracelets (12), iron. Dinka & Schillook tribes, C. Africa. One a warrior's sharp edged iron bracelet. Djibba tribe, Africa [see 1884.82.23]. p. 110. [insert] 1884.78.93, 94, 95; 1884.82.23-28, 34 + 1884.82.43, 44 [end insert]. [Note that 1884.82.28 is actually PR 104 and does not belong to this group, while there is an additional object not listed here that should be added (to be accessioned), RTS 2/4/2004].
Added Black book entry [p. 67a] - Iron and bronze penannular knob ended bracelets Indian in form are found in Africa having been made and introduced for trade purposes by Birmingham firms.
Delivery Catalogue II entry [p. 300] - Personal Ornaments of various Nations [p. 306] [insert] 1884,78.93-95, 82.23-29, 34, 43-4 [end insert] 12 iron bracelets (Central Africa), 1619, Case 74, 345. [Note that while 12 bracelets are described, cross references are given to 13 objects. Of these, 1884.78.28 is marked with PR reference 104, and 1884.78.29 is PR 95/8386, meaning both should be omitted from the group, while there is an additional object marked with PR 106/1619 that should be added to it (this still needs to be accessioned). This makes a total of 12 items actually belonging to this group; RTS 2/4/2004].
Card Catalogue Entry - The card repeats the accession book entry, but gives the collection date as 1858. As this does not seem to be derived from any of the original collections documentation, the accuracy of this is questionable [RTS 6/4/2004].
Old Pitt Rivers Museum label - Heavy penannular anklet of native iron, worn to celebrate the death of the elephant. DOR tribe, CENTRAL AFRICA. Petherick coll. c. 1848. P.R. coll. 106-1619 [tied to object; note that the date should be 1858, not 1848; RTS 16/3/2004].
Written on object - CENTRAL AFRICA. PETHERICK [El.B 'DCF 2004-2006 What's Upstairs?' 28/7/2005]
Display History:
Displayed in Bethnal Green and South Kensington Museums (V&A) [AP].
