Lotuko staff
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1922.25.4
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan] Bahr el Jebel? Eastern Equatoria?
Cultural Group:
Lotuko [Otuho] Koriok
Date Made:
By March 1922
Materials:
Wood Plant
Process:
Carved , Decorated , Incised , Burnt
Dimensions:
L = 868 mm, Max Diam = 15.6 mm, min diam = 13 mm [RTS 1/10/2004].
Weight:
73.4 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:
Fragment of a narrow staff with circular section, made from a length of lightweight, segmented wooden branch with four swollen joints preserved.
This is currently a yellowish brown colour (Pantone 730C).
The staff has been roughly cut down at either end, perhaps by Seligman to make the object smaller for transportation, as it was apparently the pattern that he was interested in rather than the form.
It is currently less than half its original length, which was said to be 6 or 7 feet.
The surface has been decorated with a series of incised patterns, arranged in three broad bands that cover the narrower part of the body between the jointed segments.
Each band is composed of a repeated vertical motif that may represent either a leaf or a shield, arranged in 3 horizontal rows with 3 such motifs in each.
Each of these rows is arranged to overlap slightly with the one below.
The motif itself has a lentoid outline, divided down the centre with a vertical line and flanked by a zigzag on either side.
In addition, the central band of decoration is framed by parallel lines around the circumference of the staff at either end - 9 on one side, 5 on the other, with a single set of 4 parallel lines also around the base of the band below.
Over the surface of the staff, all the raised parts of the design - those around the incised lines - have been artificially blackened, probably through burning (Pantone black 4C).
This has been done to the area between each leaf-shaped element, and to the raised triangular segments on either side of each internal zigzag, creating a 'dog-tooth' effect.
The wood around each segmented joint has been left its natural colour, except for the centre of each joint which has been burnt on alternating sides of the staff.
This blackening has worn off in places.
The stick has a weight of 73.4 grams, and is 868 mm long, with a diameter of 15.6 mm at the swollen joints, and 13 mm at the narrower sections between.
Collected by Charles Gabriel Seligman and his wife Brenda Zara Seligman while conducting research in the Southern Sudan. The provenance is given only generically as the ‘Upper Nile’. Their unpublished diaries give a clearer idea of their movements in this district, indicating 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.
Collected by Charles Gabriel Seligman and his wife Brenda Zara Seligman while conducting research in the Southern Sudan. The provenance is given only generically as the ‘Upper Nile’. Their unpublished diaries give a clearer idea of their movements in this district, indicating 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:
1922.308
[pencil insert] 4 [end insert] - Part of engraved staff (for pattern), [insert] prob.
KORIUK sub-tribe [end insert] [...] LATUKA, UPPER NILE.
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 tribes catalogue card [RTS 1/6/2004].
Related Documents File - 1922.25: Letter from C.G. Seligman to Henry Balfour, dated 16th July 1922 and clearly in response to some questions about this group of material: "...KORIUK not KOVIUK." [RTS 1/7/2004].
Old Pitt Rivers Museum label - Portion of engraved staff (originally 6 - 7 ft long), LATUKA (probably Koriuk sub-tribe). UPPER NILE. Pres. by Dr. C.G. Seligman, 1922. [Rectangular metal-edged tag, tied to object; DCF Court Team 27/2/2004].
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 tribes catalogue card [RTS 1/6/2004].
Related Documents File - 1922.25: Letter from C.G. Seligman to Henry Balfour, dated 16th July 1922 and clearly in response to some questions about this group of material: "...KORIUK not KOVIUK." [RTS 1/7/2004].
Old Pitt Rivers Museum label - Portion of engraved staff (originally 6 - 7 ft long), LATUKA (probably Koriuk sub-tribe). UPPER NILE. Pres. by Dr. C.G. Seligman, 1922. [Rectangular metal-edged tag, tied to object; DCF Court Team 27/2/2004].
