Dinka Tuich staff
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1979.20.99
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan] Northern Bahr el Ghazal ?Dhangrial ?Wun Rog ?Mayen
Cultural Group:
Dinka Tuich
Date Made:
By 1979
Materials:
Wood Plant
Process:
Carved , Burnt , Polished
Dimensions:
L cross bar = 445, L shaft = 959, diam crossbar = 19.5 by 17.5; diam shaft = 12.2 by 11.5 mm [RTS 3/1/2005].
Weight:
173.2 g
Local Name:
uyai ageer [wai ageer?]
Other Owners:
Purchased by Brian John Mack (known as John Mack) (then at the Museum of Mankind) for 25 piastres on 22nd February 1979 as part of the British Institute in East Africa's expedition to the Southern Sudan, headed by Patti Langton [RTS 14/6/2004].
Field Collector:
Brian John Mack (known as John Mack), Museum of Mankind
PRM Source:
Patti Langton
Acquired:
Purchased 1979
Collected Date:
22 February 1979
Description:
Staff or stick carved from a single piece of yellowish brown wood (Pantone 7509C), with surface bark and smaller branches removed and the ends roughly trimmed.
This consists of a straight shaft, with several knots along the length where side branches have been taken off; scorch marks in places suggest that this was done using burning.
The stick has a slightly swollen knob base.
At the upper end, it is joined by another branch at an angle; this forms a crossbar that is thicker and slightly irregular in form.
The object is complete and intact, but with a minor split following the natural grain of the wood at the junction of the two parts; the surface has been polished throughout.
It has a weight of 173.2 grams.
The cross bar is 445 mm long, 19.5 mm wide and 17.5 mm thick; the shaft is 959 mm long, with a width of 12.2 and a thickness of 11.5 mm.
Purchased by Brian John Mack (known as John Mack) for 25 piastres on 22nd February 1979, as part of the British Institute in East Africa's expedition to the Southern Sudan, directed by Patti Langton. The exact place of collection was not specified, but it probably came from Dhangrial, Wun Rog, or Mayen, all of which lie within the modern administrative district of Northern Bahr el Ghazal. For a map showing the distribution of Dinka Tuich groups, see J. Ryle, 1982, Warriors of the White Nile: The Dinka , p. 25.
This spear is an example of ‘found form’. It is known in Dinka as uyai ageer - which may be a misheard version of the term wai, which Nebel defines as a shaft, or stick (Nebel 1979, Dinka-English Dictionary, p. 91). The handle is said to be in the form of cattle horns, hence the use of the term ageer. Each man has a favourite bull whose horns are specially fashioned in his favourite shape. This staff is used to discipline cattle and to keep dogs at bay.
Currently on display in the Upper Gallery, case 26A.
Rachael Sparks 25/9/2005.
Purchased by Brian John Mack (known as John Mack) for 25 piastres on 22nd February 1979, as part of the British Institute in East Africa's expedition to the Southern Sudan, directed by Patti Langton. The exact place of collection was not specified, but it probably came from Dhangrial, Wun Rog, or Mayen, all of which lie within the modern administrative district of Northern Bahr el Ghazal. For a map showing the distribution of Dinka Tuich groups, see J. Ryle, 1982, Warriors of the White Nile: The Dinka , p. 25.
This spear is an example of ‘found form’. It is known in Dinka as uyai ageer - which may be a misheard version of the term wai, which Nebel defines as a shaft, or stick (Nebel 1979, Dinka-English Dictionary, p. 91). The handle is said to be in the form of cattle horns, hence the use of the term ageer. Each man has a favourite bull whose horns are specially fashioned in his favourite shape. This staff is used to discipline cattle and to keep dogs at bay.
Currently on display in the Upper Gallery, case 26A.
Rachael Sparks 25/9/2005.
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.
[p.
191] 1979.20.43-135 SOUTHERN SUDAN the DINKA TUICH.
The Dinka Tuich, a pastoral people, live to the north of Wau, in Bahr el Ghazal province.
This collection was made mostly at Dhangrial, the archaeological site at which we camped.
Other artifacts were collected either at Wun Rog, a small town about a mile south of Dhangrial, or at Mayen, the new administrative centre 12 miles north.
This was a remote area, difficult of access and rarely visited by outsiders.
The Dinka are very aware of the potential of money, which is used either to help family members acquire education or entry into commerce and administration in Juba or Khartoum.
Once it was known we (the collectors) were offering money, the Dinka in surrounding compounds came daily, increasing prices as often as they could! [p.
199] 1979.20.99 Wooden staff,
uyai ageer
.
The handle is in the form of cow horns -
ageer
.
Each man has a favorite bull whose horns are specially fashioned in his favorite shape.
This staff is used to discipline cattle and to keep dogs at bay.
L.
shaft = 99 cm.
Coll.
by J.
Mack; 22.2.79; 25 pt.
Coll.
no.
241.
Additional Accession Book Entry [below accession number in red biro] - A5-F33-17.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 19/2/2004].
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 [RTS 12/1/2004].
Additional Accession Book Entry [below accession number in red biro] - A5-F33-17.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 19/2/2004].
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 [RTS 12/1/2004].
