Murle throwing knife
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1884.12.8
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan] ? Upper Nile ?Jonglei
Cultural Group:
Murle [Djibba]
Date Made:
?Before 1858
Materials:
Wood Plant
Process:
Carved , Stained , Polished , Decorated , Notched
Dimensions:
L = 770, blade W = 75.7, max th = 19.7, handle diam = 30.7 x 26.2 mm [RTS 11/5/2005].
Weight:
446.2 g
Local Name:
assaya?
Other Owners:
Obtained by John Petherick in the Sudan in 1858 and shipped back to England in 1859. Subsequently obtained by Pitt Rivers, perhaps via auction as Petherick is known to have auctioned some of his collection through Mr Bullock of High Holborn, London, on 27
Field Collector:
John Petherick
PRM Source:
Augustus Henry Lane Fox Pitt Rivers founding collection
Acquired:
Donated 1884
Collected Date:
1858
Description:
Throwing weapon carved from a single piece of wood and consisting of a flat blade with pointed tip, almost straight back that turns out into an angular spur at its base, and a curving cutting edge opposite that gradually thickens to its base, with 2 triangular spurs below; this tapers in to the handle, which gradually moves from rectangular to oval in section and has a flat-cut end.
The wood has been stained a dark reddish brown colour (Pantone 4695C), and decorated on both sides of the blade with a series of incised notches that run along the edges around the spurs.
The object is complete, but slightly cracked.
There is a short zigzag that cuts through the stained surface to expose the lighter colour of the wood beneath, just above the handle end; this looks to be secondary rather than deliberate decoration.
It has a weight of 446.2 grams and is 770 mm long, with a maximum blade with of 75.5 mm and thickness of 19.7 mm, and a handle measuring 30.7 by 26.2 mm in diameter.
Obtained by John Petherick in the Southern Sudan in 1858, while working as a trader in the region. In February of that year he mounted a trading expedition south of Khartoum that visited Moora, Shembool, Gootoo, Mungilia, Lungo, Umbolea, Baer, returning to Khartoum on May 20th (Petherick 1861). However these locations all fall outside Murle territory, which he places somewhere along the Sobat River or the tributaries running into it from the east, suggesting a location in either the administrative districts of either Upper Nile or Jonglei, or across the border into modern Ethiopia (J. Petherick, 1861, Egypt, the Sudan and Central Africa, Map; note that the geographical coordinates given for this group in his 1861 article seem to be inaccurate). It is possible that Petherick acquired the object from one of his agents operating in this region rather than purchasing it directly himself. The throwing knife was shipped back to England in 1859, and subsequently obtained by Pitt Rivers, perhaps via auction as Petherick is known to have auctioned some of his collection through 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 ). Pitt Rivers sent this object to Bethnal Green Museum for display, as part of the first batch of objects sent there, probably in 1874. It 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.
Although described as a club in the primary documentation, the chief function of this object would seem to be for stabbing or cutting, rather than bludgeoning. However it does bear some similarities to the throwing sticks used by the Ingessana for hunting and in warfare (called luny ) - see C. Spring, 1993, African Arms and Armour, fig. 69, for a variety of flat headed examples, some of which incorporate triangular spurs and points as seen on this piece. It is said to be from the ‘Djibba’ - a group known as Ajibba by the neighbouring Anuak; they are generally referred to now as the Murle (B.A. Lewis 1972, The Murle , 2).
This, or a similar item, may be illustrated in the reconstruction drawing published by J. Petherick in his 1860 article "On the Arms of the Arab and Negro Tribes of Central Africa, Bordering on the White Nile", Journal of the Royal United Service Institution IV no. 13, p. 174 fig. 7, described on p. 173 as 'The assaya ... intended for throwing as well as cutting, in the same style as a scimitar, by gently drawing it when home, is capable of dealing a fearful wound, its edge being as sharp as hard wood will permit of; and to preserve it from injury ... it is protected by a stiff leather covering, removable at pleasure"; this covering is shown in place on his figure 7.
Rachael Sparks 30/9/2005.
Obtained by John Petherick in the Southern Sudan in 1858, while working as a trader in the region. In February of that year he mounted a trading expedition south of Khartoum that visited Moora, Shembool, Gootoo, Mungilia, Lungo, Umbolea, Baer, returning to Khartoum on May 20th (Petherick 1861). However these locations all fall outside Murle territory, which he places somewhere along the Sobat River or the tributaries running into it from the east, suggesting a location in either the administrative districts of either Upper Nile or Jonglei, or across the border into modern Ethiopia (J. Petherick, 1861, Egypt, the Sudan and Central Africa, Map; note that the geographical coordinates given for this group in his 1861 article seem to be inaccurate). It is possible that Petherick acquired the object from one of his agents operating in this region rather than purchasing it directly himself. The throwing knife was shipped back to England in 1859, and subsequently obtained by Pitt Rivers, perhaps via auction as Petherick is known to have auctioned some of his collection through 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 ). Pitt Rivers sent this object to Bethnal Green Museum for display, as part of the first batch of objects sent there, probably in 1874. It 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.
Although described as a club in the primary documentation, the chief function of this object would seem to be for stabbing or cutting, rather than bludgeoning. However it does bear some similarities to the throwing sticks used by the Ingessana for hunting and in warfare (called luny ) - see C. Spring, 1993, African Arms and Armour, fig. 69, for a variety of flat headed examples, some of which incorporate triangular spurs and points as seen on this piece. It is said to be from the ‘Djibba’ - a group known as Ajibba by the neighbouring Anuak; they are generally referred to now as the Murle (B.A. Lewis 1972, The Murle , 2).
This, or a similar item, may be illustrated in the reconstruction drawing published by J. Petherick in his 1860 article "On the Arms of the Arab and Negro Tribes of Central Africa, Bordering on the White Nile", Journal of the Royal United Service Institution IV no. 13, p. 174 fig. 7, described on p. 173 as 'The assaya ... intended for throwing as well as cutting, in the same style as a scimitar, by gently drawing it when home, is capable of dealing a fearful wound, its edge being as sharp as hard wood will permit of; and to preserve it from injury ... it is protected by a stiff leather covering, removable at pleasure"; this covering is shown in place on his figure 7.
Rachael Sparks 30/9/2005.
Primary Documentation:
Accession Book IV entry
[p.
15]
-
[insert] 3-figure numbers are P.R.
printed catalogue of weapons numbers [end insert] [insert] 1884.12 [end insert]
WEAPONS CLUBS
[insert] 8 [end insert] - 460 - Wooden club [insert symbol] Wood unless otherwise stated [end insert], long pointed falchion-shaped flat blade with two short spurs in the
sinus
behind.
JIBBA.
C .
AFRICA.
Petherick coll.
1858.
Additional Accession Book IV Entry [page opposite 15] - 1884.12.8 Number given - LW [drawing] 460 (U[nited] Service[s] Journal IV.xiii) l[ength] = 77 cm.
Collectors Miscellaneous XI Accession Book entry [p. 193] - PETHERICK, Consul [p. 195] [insert] 1884.12.8 [end insert] - Club with flat blade [Drawing]. JIBBA, C[ENTRAL] AFRICA. (PR 460).
Black book entry [18] - 413. Wooden battle axe. Djibba negroes, White Nile. Obtd by Petherick, 1858. This form resembles the ancient Egyptian battle axe.
Delivery Catalogue I entry [p. 121] - /Maces & Clubs from various countries. [insert] 1884.12.8 [end insert] Battle axe, wood. Central Africa. 460. 119 Screen 13 178 & 179.
Pitt Rivers Catalogue Entry (1874) [p. 69] - No 460, a wooden tabular battle-axe from the Djibba Negroes, obtained by Mr Petherick, appears to be a copy of an Egyptian form represented in the ancient sculptures; the Egyptian one, however, has a ball attached to the back of it, fig. 52A [p. 76] SCREEN 13. [p. 78] TABULAR CLUBS. [...] Wooden BATTLE-AXE of tabular construction, resembling the Egyptian battle-axe represented in the sculptures. Djibba Negroes, White Nile. Obtained by Consul Petherick.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the tribes or clubs catalogue cards (except that the latter is annotated with the photograph reference in red) [RTS 7/4/2004].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - AFRICA, Sudan, Murle (Djibba). Wooden weapon with curved, flat blade. Coll. John Petherick 1858. Pitt Rivers Founding coll. 1884.12.8 [plastic coated label, tied to object; RTS 11/5/2005].
Written on object - DJIBBA, C. AFRICA. Petherick coll. dd ..... 1858. P.R. Coll. .... (460) (Unitd Serv ce JL.IV.XIII) [RTS 6/4/2005].
Additional Accession Book IV Entry [page opposite 15] - 1884.12.8 Number given - LW [drawing] 460 (U[nited] Service[s] Journal IV.xiii) l[ength] = 77 cm.
Collectors Miscellaneous XI Accession Book entry [p. 193] - PETHERICK, Consul [p. 195] [insert] 1884.12.8 [end insert] - Club with flat blade [Drawing]. JIBBA, C[ENTRAL] AFRICA. (PR 460).
Black book entry [18] - 413. Wooden battle axe. Djibba negroes, White Nile. Obtd by Petherick, 1858. This form resembles the ancient Egyptian battle axe.
Delivery Catalogue I entry [p. 121] - /Maces & Clubs from various countries. [insert] 1884.12.8 [end insert] Battle axe, wood. Central Africa. 460. 119 Screen 13 178 & 179.
Pitt Rivers Catalogue Entry (1874) [p. 69] - No 460, a wooden tabular battle-axe from the Djibba Negroes, obtained by Mr Petherick, appears to be a copy of an Egyptian form represented in the ancient sculptures; the Egyptian one, however, has a ball attached to the back of it, fig. 52A [p. 76] SCREEN 13. [p. 78] TABULAR CLUBS. [...] Wooden BATTLE-AXE of tabular construction, resembling the Egyptian battle-axe represented in the sculptures. Djibba Negroes, White Nile. Obtained by Consul Petherick.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the tribes or clubs catalogue cards (except that the latter is annotated with the photograph reference in red) [RTS 7/4/2004].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - AFRICA, Sudan, Murle (Djibba). Wooden weapon with curved, flat blade. Coll. John Petherick 1858. Pitt Rivers Founding coll. 1884.12.8 [plastic coated label, tied to object; RTS 11/5/2005].
Written on object - DJIBBA, C. AFRICA. Petherick coll. dd ..... 1858. P.R. Coll. .... (460) (Unitd Serv ce JL.IV.XIII) [RTS 6/4/2005].
Display History:
Displayed in Bethnal Green and South Kensington Museum (V&A) [AP]
Publication History:
This, or a similar item, may be illustrated in the reconstruction drawing published by J.
Petherick in his 1860 article "On the Arms of the Arab and Negro Tribes of Central Africa, Bordering on the White Nile", Journal of the Royal United Service Institution IV no.
13, p.
174 fig.
7, described on p.
173 as 'The assaya ...
intended for throwing as well as cutting, in the same style as a scimitar, by gently drawing it when home, is capable of dealing a fearful wound, its edge being as sharp as hard wood will permit of; and to preserve it from injury ...
it is protected by a stiff leather covering, removable at pleasure"; this covering is shown in place on his figure 7 [RTS 11/5/2005].
