Bari thigh ornament
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1940.7.015
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan] [Al Istiwa'iyah] [Equatoria] Bahr el Jebel
Cultural Group:
Bari
Date Made:
By 1940
Materials:
Animal Leather Skin , Iron Metal , Brass Metal
Process:
Perforated , Forged (Metal) , Hammered , Bent , Decorated , Incised
Dimensions:
Total L = 380; strap L = 320, W = 12, th = 3; rings (smallest) diam = 28 by 24, (largest) diam = 35.2 by 34.8, from rod W = 3.5, th = 3.3; pendant L = 60, W across base = 14.2, th = 2.5 mm [RTS 2/3/2005].
Weight:
182.7 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:
Ornament to be hung down from a woman's girdle over the thigh.
This consists of a narrow leather strap, the upper part of which appears to have been cut off.
This has been pierced with 23 holes running down the centre of its length.
The first 22 of these have been fitted with simple iron rings, made from round sectioned rods bent into loops with their ends either just touching, or slightly apart.
Some of these have slightly pinched or bevelled ends; they are currently a metallic gray colour (Pantone 877C).
The terminal hole has been used to suspend a brass pendant.
This is made of a brass bar, rectangular in section for most of the body but becoming round sectioned at its centre.
This has been passed through the hole, and doubled over, creating a rounded loop at its top end, with the two parts then running almost parallel before separating from each other slightly.
The body has been bent to form a gentle curve; the effect is that of a two-pronged claw, or a pair of legs.
The surface of the arms has been decorated on both inside and outer faces with incised cross hatching.
This has worn away at the centre, where the pendant curves most strongly, suggesting that this surface may have become worn by rubbing against the owner's leg.
This is currently a metallic yellow colour (Pantone 871C).
It is not clear how complete this object is; the upper part, where it would have been attached to the rest of the girdle is missing.
The leather has also torn slightly across the width in one place; both sides of this appear to be covered with red ochre (Pantone 478C).
The iron is in good condition; the brass is corroding slightly.
The ornament has a weight of 182.7 grams, and is 380 mm long.
The strap itself is 320 mm long, 12 mm wide and 3 mm thick; the rings vary in size, with the smallest example having a diameter of 28 by 24 mm, and the largest example measuring 35.2 by 34.8 mm; the rods from which they are made are 3.5 mm wide and 3.3 mm thick.
The brass pendant is 60 mm long, 14.2 mm wide across its prongs, and 2.5 mm thick.
This object was collected by Samuel P. Powell somewhere in the modern administrative district of Bahr el Jebel, and loaned to the Pitt Rivers Museum in 1940. He did not record the Bari name for this type of object.
Baby's necklet 1940.7.098 is made in a similar style, consisting of a leather strap that has been pierced and decorated with multiple metal rings along its length; that is said to come from the Arokeiyas tribe, of Edi, in the Bahr el Ghazal area, and is in itself comparable to a Moru object published in H.A. Bernatzik, 1929, Zwischen Weissem Nil und Belgisch-Kongo, figure 109.
Rachael Sparks 14/9/2005.
This object was collected by Samuel P. Powell somewhere in the modern administrative district of Bahr el Jebel, and loaned to the Pitt Rivers Museum in 1940. He did not record the Bari name for this type of object.
Baby's necklet 1940.7.098 is made in a similar style, consisting of a leather strap that has been pierced and decorated with multiple metal rings along its length; that is said to come from the Arokeiyas tribe, of Edi, in the Bahr el Ghazal area, and is in itself comparable to a Moru object published in H.A. Bernatzik, 1929, Zwischen Weissem Nil und Belgisch-Kongo, figure 109.
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.
From the BARI TRIBE, EQUATORIAL PROVINCE, ANGLO-EGYPTIAN SUDAN.
1940.7.015 - Thigh ornament, strap with rings of metal & brass pierced through it.
Attached to girdle.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 12/2/2004].
Related Documents File - Appears on undated typed list: "Bari Collection from the Equatorial Province, Sudan ... A thigh ornament. A strap with rings of metal and brass pierced through it. This is attached to the girdle". List is annotated by hand on back: "List of Curios" and "Far from complete" [RTS 16/12/2003].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - Thigh ornament worn by women attached to girdle. BARI, SUDAN, S.P. Powell [brown luggage tag, tied to object; RTS 2/3/2005].
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 12/2/2004].
Related Documents File - Appears on undated typed list: "Bari Collection from the Equatorial Province, Sudan ... A thigh ornament. A strap with rings of metal and brass pierced through it. This is attached to the girdle". List is annotated by hand on back: "List of Curios" and "Far from complete" [RTS 16/12/2003].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - Thigh ornament worn by women attached to girdle. BARI, SUDAN, S.P. Powell [brown luggage tag, tied to object; RTS 2/3/2005].
