Moru Misa arrow

1979.20.2

Sudan

[Southern Sudan] Western Equatoria Lanyi

Moru Misa

By February 1979

Iron Metal , Wood Plant , Plant Fibre , Resin Plant? , Pigment?

Forged (Metal) , Hammered , Twisted , Carved , Notched , Bound

Total L = 720; arrowhead L to shaft top = 127; blade L = 80, W = 16.2, max th = 2.8; tang diam = 6; shaft L = 593, diam = 8.8, nock L = 16, upper binding L = 41, lower binding L = 17 mm [RTS 3/6/2005].

39.2 g

Gift from Chief Elinama of Lanyi to Patti Langton, 1 February 1979.

Patti Langton

Patti Langton

Purchased 1979

1 February 1979

Arrow consisting of an iron arrowhead with a slender round shouldered leaf-shaped blade and raised midrib down either side, on a twisted round sectioned tang. This has been fitted into the socketed top of a long shaft, carved from a soft, lightweight yellow coloured wood with circular section (Pantone 7508C). The junction of tang and shaft has been bound round with strips of plant fibre, with additional binding just above the butt, which has been nocked with 2 rectangular notches cut into opposite sides. In both areas, the binding appears to have been smeared with a reddish material, possibly some kind of fixative (Pantone 4695C). The inside edges and base of the nock have been burnt, perhaps indicating that the cut was made using a heated tool. The arrow is complete, but with some damage to the upper binding and traces of rust on the blade. It has a weight of 39.2 grams and a total length of 720 mm. The arrowhead is 127 mm long from tip to junction with the shaft; the blade itself is 80 mm long, 16.2 mm wide and 2.8 mm thick at its centre, with a tang diameter of 6 mm. The wooden shaft is 593 mm long, with a diameter of 8.8 mm and a nock length of 16 mm; the binding is 41 mm long around the upper part, and 17 mm long around the lower end.

This arrow was a gift from Chief Elinama of Lanyi to Patti Langton on 1st February 1979. Langton does not record its Moru name.

For other iron-headed examples collected by Langton, see 1979.20.18-21, and for a group collected by Evans-Pritchard, see 1936.86.18.2-15 and 1936.86.19.2-12. Powell-Cotton also collected archery equipment from the Moru, consisting of a bow ( kusu) , arrow ( atu) and hide ring for drawing back the bow string ( driba; see 1934.8.32-34). The Moru arrows collected by both Langton and Evans-Pritchard share a number of features, including the use of iron heads, often with various types of barbing, the presence of fibre binding fixed with a red adhesive around areas that could split under impact (the junction of arrowhead and shaft, and above the nock); further binding at the base of the tang, probably to prevent impact forcing the arrowhead too deeply into the shaft socket; and finally use of similar types of wood.

Powell-Cotton also collected a number of Moru archer's items, including a bow ( kusu ), arrow (atu) and hide ring for drawing back the bow string ( driba ) - see 1934.8.33-35.

Rachael Sparks 29/8/2005.

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. 186] 1979.20.2 - Reed arrow with iron point bound with sinew. L = 72.3 cm. Gift from Chief Elinama, Lanyi; 1.2.79. Langton Coll. no. 303. This does not seem to be the arrow listed as Langton Coll. no. 3, said to have a criss-cross pattern in the shaft indicating ownership by a chief (although John Mack, Museum of Mankind, also on this expedition, believes that such a shaft pattern indicated the point type).
Additional Accession Book Entry [in red biro under accession number] - A5-F32-21.

Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the tribes catalogue card [RTS 2/6/2004].

Pitt Rivers Museum label - SOUTHERN SUDAN. MORU MISA tribal area. Arrow. Pat Langton Coll., no. 303. 1979.20.2 [plastic label with metal eyelet, tied to object; RTS 3/6/2005].

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. An annotation to the typed list gives the comment 'acc. to J. Mack the pattern is to indicate the blade type' (not the point type, as stated in the accession book entry) [RTS 12/1/2004].