Lotuko dish
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1922.25.11
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan] Bahr el Jebel? Eastern Equatoria?
Cultural Group:
Lotuko [Otuho] Lango
Date Made:
By March 1922
Materials:
Wood Plant
Process:
Carved , Stained
Dimensions:
Ht = 90, rim L (ext.) = 407, W = 260, handle L = 105, W = 39, th = 35.8 mm [RTS 2/6/2005].
Weight:
>1000 g
Other Owners:
Collected by Charles Gabriel Seligman and his wife Brenda Zara Seligman while conducting research in the Southern Sudan. They entered Lokoiya and Lotuko territory in January 1922, with their itinerary including visits to the Bellinian rest house (11th-13t
Field Collector:
Charles Gabriel Seligman & Brenda Zara Seligman
PRM Source:
Charles Gabriel Seligman
Acquired:
Donated July 1922
Collected Date:
January to March 1922
Description:
Food dish carved from a single block of yellowish wood (Pantone 7509C), stained a darker reddish brown over most of its surface (Pantone 4625C).
This consists of a narrow flat topped rim with almost straight walls that flare down and in to a flattened base, slightly oval in form but not very clearly defined.
A single cylindrical handle projects out from below the rim at one end; this is roughly oval in plan view and swells gently out to form a rounded knob grip.
The dish has high sides, but the rim curves down at the ends, particularly on the side opposite the handle where it also becomes rounded rather than flat topped.
This gives the vessel the shape of a large scoop.
Tool marks are visible across the surface, which has numerous signs of wear and discolouration that suggest the dish has seen considerable use.
It is complete, but has cracked along the grain in several places, and has some damage around the rim.
It weighs in excess of 1000 grams, and is 90 mm high, with an external rim length of 407 mm and width of 260 mm; the handle is 105 mm long, 39 mm wide and 35.8 mm thick.
This object was amongst material donated to the Pitt Rivers Museum in 1940, from the collection of Charles Gabriel Seligman and his wife Brenda Zara Seligman. It was collected by them from a group of Lotuko-speaking Lango,
while conducting research in the Southern Sudan during 1922. Although they do not specify the provenance of the object, their personal diaries provide a record of their movements, showing that they entered Lokoiya and Lotuko territory in January 1922, with their itinerary including visits to the Bellinian rest house (11th-13th), a resthouse on the Mongalla-Torit road (14th), Ngala and Hangare Lokoiya (15th), Lokoiya (17th), Lokila (18th), Lobula (19th), Torit (20-23rd), Lebalwa (24th), Tarangala (25th January to 4th February), Idumela and Lugurn (4th February), Lopi (6th), Kiri Kiak (7th), Legoprof (10-16th), Lopir and Lomu (16th), Losua village (17th) and then back to Torit on February 20th. After that, they ventured into Acholi territory, then back into Torit and the surrounding area from March 5th to around March 15th (based on information collected by Fran Larson from the unpublished diaries of C.G. and B.Z. Seligman, in the Archives of the London School of Economics, Seligman manuscripts, files 1/4/1 and 1/4/6).
Rachael Sparks 27/9/2005.
This object was amongst material donated to the Pitt Rivers Museum in 1940, from the collection of Charles Gabriel Seligman and his wife Brenda Zara Seligman. It was collected by them from a group of Lotuko-speaking Lango,
while conducting research in the Southern Sudan during 1922. Although they do not specify the provenance of the object, their personal diaries provide a record of their movements, showing that they entered Lokoiya and Lotuko territory in January 1922, with their itinerary including visits to the Bellinian rest house (11th-13th), a resthouse on the Mongalla-Torit road (14th), Ngala and Hangare Lokoiya (15th), Lokoiya (17th), Lokila (18th), Lobula (19th), Torit (20-23rd), Lebalwa (24th), Tarangala (25th January to 4th February), Idumela and Lugurn (4th February), Lopi (6th), Kiri Kiak (7th), Legoprof (10-16th), Lopir and Lomu (16th), Losua village (17th) and then back to Torit on February 20th. After that, they ventured into Acholi territory, then back into Torit and the surrounding area from March 5th to around March 15th (based on information collected by Fran Larson from the unpublished diaries of C.G. and B.Z. Seligman, in the Archives of the London School of Economics, Seligman manuscripts, files 1/4/1 and 1/4/6).
Rachael Sparks 27/9/2005.
Primary Documentation:
Accession Book Entry
[VII, p.
46] - 1922 [pencil insert] 25 [end insert]
Dr C.G.
SELIGMAN
, F.R.S., Court Leys, Toot Baldon, Oxon.
July - Specimens collected by himself during 1922, viz:
1922.315
[pencil insert] 11 [end insert] - Wooden food-dish with handle, LANGU tribe, SUDAN.
(these LANGU speak a LATUKA dialect, unlike those from UGANDA).
Additional Accession Book Entry [VII, p. 25 top, in pencil] - blue numbers not valid & not on specimens. Inserted by an assistant in error.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 24/5/2004].
Pre-PRM label? - Only the eyelet remains, from what was probably a brown luggage tag style of lable; this is printed with: DENISON MFG. CO. U.S.A [around eyelet] K K [one letter on either side of eyelet; RTS 2/6/2005; found tied to object and removed to RDF 1922.25].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - AFRICA, Sudan, Lotuka-speaking Lango tribe, wooden food dish with handle, don. C.G. Seligman 1922.25.11 [plastic coated label, tied to object; RTS 2/6/2005].
Written on object - Food-dish, LANGU tribe, SUDAN. d.d. Dr C.G. Seligman, 1922 [RTS 2/6/2005].
Additional Accession Book Entry [VII, p. 25 top, in pencil] - blue numbers not valid & not on specimens. Inserted by an assistant in error.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 24/5/2004].
Pre-PRM label? - Only the eyelet remains, from what was probably a brown luggage tag style of lable; this is printed with: DENISON MFG. CO. U.S.A [around eyelet] K K [one letter on either side of eyelet; RTS 2/6/2005; found tied to object and removed to RDF 1922.25].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - AFRICA, Sudan, Lotuka-speaking Lango tribe, wooden food dish with handle, don. C.G. Seligman 1922.25.11 [plastic coated label, tied to object; RTS 2/6/2005].
Written on object - Food-dish, LANGU tribe, SUDAN. d.d. Dr C.G. Seligman, 1922 [RTS 2/6/2005].
