Nuer stool

1931.66.16

Sudan

[Southern Sudan]

Nuer

By 1931

Wood Plant , Animal Hide Skin

Carved , Hollowed , Covered , Perforated Polished , Stitched , Decorated Incised

Ht = 195 mm; seat L = 275, W = 131, th = 15 mm; pedestal W 104.7, th = 75.8 mm; foot L = 113, W = 102, th = 35 mm; hide handle W = 17 mm, diam hole = 30 mm [RTS 26/8/2004].

708.5 g

Collected by Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard either in the early part of 1930 (probably February to April), or between February and June of 1931 [CM; RTS 9/7/2004].

Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard

Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard

Donated December 1931

1930 - 1931

Stool carved from a single piece of wood and consisting of an almost rectangular seat with slightly convex front and back edges and concave ends. This is convex across the width of the upper surface and concave along its length, with flat cut side edges and underside that follows the curve of the upper surface. A pedestal foot extends from the centre of the seat; this has been hollowed out to leave a rectangular window at front and back and solid, convex sides, giving the stem an oval section. This area has been wrapped in a rectangular piece of animal hide, the surface of which is covered with thick orange brown hair, worn away in patches (Pantone 470C). The two ends of the hide piece join in a vertical seam down one side, with a series of holes cut along either edge and lashed together using one or more narrow strips of the same hide. This encloses the hollowed part of the pedestal, creating a compartment that could be used for storage. A circular opening has been cut near the top to allow access to the interior of this hollow; in other stools of this type, this hole was usually sealed with a circular plug, which is missing in this case. A further strip of hide has been added to allow the stool to be carried. This is made from a rectangular piece that runs up the side of the pedestal and across the circular opening, before dividing into two sections at its top and bottom. Each of these strips is then wrapped in opposite directions around the upper and lower part of the body, meeting on the opposite face where they secured by being slotted through holes in each of their ends and then plaited together on the other side. Below the pedestal, the base is formed from a solid slightly projecting foot with flat upper surface, sides and underside, oval in plan view. The flat sides of this have been decorated with a series of shallow incisions, making up a series of ^-shaped chevrons with crosshatched bodies, sometimes standing independent of their neighbours, sometimes joined to make a running zigzag. The stool is complete, apart from its missing plug and the loss of some surface hair. The upper part of the seat has been well polished, and is currently a warm reddish yellow colour (Pantone 731C); there are some carving marks on the seat underside and edge of the foot. It is 195 mm high and weighs 708.5 grams. The seat is 275 mm long, 131 mm wide and 15 mm thick; the pedestal body is 104.7 mm wide and 75.8 mm thick, while its opening has a diameter of 30 mm and the hide handle has a width of 17 mm. The foot is 113 mm long, 102 mm wide, and 35 mm thick.

This object was collected by Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard during his first or second seasons of fieldwork amongst the Nuer, e.g.: in February to April 1930 or between February and June of 1931, in 'the dry season'. In the former, he spent around three and a half months in Leek territory at Yahnyang and Pakur on the Bahr el Ghazal, in Lou territory at Muot Dit, and at Adok, amongst the Dok Nuer. In the latter, he spent five and a half months at Nasir, on the Nyanding River, and at Yakwat on the Sobat River (see E.E. Evans-Pritchard, 1940, The Nuer , and the map of Evans-Pritchard's fieldwork in D.H. Johnson, "Evans-Pritchard, the Nuer, and the Sudan Political Service", African Affairs 81 no. 323, p. 233) (pers. comm. Chris Morton 2004).

For a similar stool, attributed to the Bari, see 1934.8.40.

Currently on display in the Lower Gallery, case 63A.

Rachael Sparks 18/9/2005.

Accession Book Entry [IX, p. 16] 1931 [insert, in pencil] 66 [end insert] E. EVANS-PRITCHARD , Esq. Dec. Specimens collected by himself in the EASTERN SUDAN, viz. [pencil insert, p. 18] 16 [end insert] - Small wooden pedestal stool, the column wrapped with hide, NUER.

Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the tribes catalogue card [RTS 23/7/2004].

Written on object - Stool, NUER tribe, E. SUDAN. Pres. by E. Evans Pritchard, 1931 [RTS 26/8/2004].