Bari necklet
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1934.8.52
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan] Bahr el Jebel Mongalla
Cultural Group:
Bari
Date Made:
By 1933
Materials:
Iron Metal
Process:
Hammered , Twisted , Bent
Dimensions:
L = 146 mm, W = 128.2 mm, W bar = 3 mm, Diam twisted section = 3.5 mm [RTS 29/4/2004].
Weight:
25.5 g
Local Name:
reah
Other Owners:
Collected by Percy Horace Gordon Powell-Cotton and his wife on 23rd January 1933 during a shooting expedition
Field Collector:
Percy Horace Gordon Powell-Cotton & Hannah Powell-Cotton (nee Brayton)
PRM Source:
Percy Horace Gordon Powell-Cotton
Acquired:
Donated 1934
Collected Date:
23rd January 1933
Description:
Penannular torque made from an iron bar with square section, bent into an oval loop with open ends, 45 mm apart.
The body has been twisted to form a running spiral, giving it a circular section; this stops just before the ends of the loop where the section is again square.
At this point, the bar has been turned back upon itself and hammered flat, to lie against the outside edge of the necklet, with the tapering, projecting end pieces bent outwards to form a curving Z and S shape on either side of the torque opening.
These have been curled over upon themselves at their tips and flattened.
The torque is complete and intact, and currently a dark metallic grey colour (Pantone 424C).
It measure 128.2 mm across its width, 146 mm along its length, and has an internal width of 121.5 mm, while the bar from which it has been shaped has measures 3 by 3 mm, with a diameter of 3.5 mm on its twisted section.
The object weighs 25.5 grams.
Collected by Percy Horace Gordon Powell-Cotton and his wife Hannah from the town of Mongalla on 23rd January 1933, during a shooting expedition.
The Bari name for this type of torque is reah. Petherick describes a similar necklace being worn by Chief Bubauglae of the Bari in 1863: "his necklace was of finely-twisted iron; and on his arms he wore brightly polished bands made of the same metal" (J. & K. Petherick 1869, Travels in Central Africa and Explorations of the Western Nile Tributaries, p. 307). Compare this also with Bari torque 1903.2.3 from Gondokoro, which has a simpler design. The projecting ends seen on this necklet are also found on some types of iron bracelets (see 1884.82.53).
Gayer-Anderson illustrates a torque of similar design, which he says was worn by Kederu women, for “cosmetic effect” and as a “sign of wealth and for self defence. One has seen severe septic wounds inflicted by such ornaments” (R. Gayer Anderson, 1911, "Some Tribal Customs in their Relation to Medicine & Morals of the Nyam-Nyam and Gour Peoples Inhabiting The Bahr-el-Ghazal", Wellcome Tropical Research Laboratories, Khartoum, rep. no. 4, vol. B, pl. XVIII no. 11). See also E. Castelli, 1984, Orazio Antinori in Africa Centrale 1859-1861, cat. no. 21, p. 46 (Museum of Perugia 49600- 49606).
This object is currently on display in the Lower Gallery, case 96A.
Rachael Sparks 24/9/2005.
Collected by Percy Horace Gordon Powell-Cotton and his wife Hannah from the town of Mongalla on 23rd January 1933, during a shooting expedition.
The Bari name for this type of torque is reah. Petherick describes a similar necklace being worn by Chief Bubauglae of the Bari in 1863: "his necklace was of finely-twisted iron; and on his arms he wore brightly polished bands made of the same metal" (J. & K. Petherick 1869, Travels in Central Africa and Explorations of the Western Nile Tributaries, p. 307). Compare this also with Bari torque 1903.2.3 from Gondokoro, which has a simpler design. The projecting ends seen on this necklet are also found on some types of iron bracelets (see 1884.82.53).
Gayer-Anderson illustrates a torque of similar design, which he says was worn by Kederu women, for “cosmetic effect” and as a “sign of wealth and for self defence. One has seen severe septic wounds inflicted by such ornaments” (R. Gayer Anderson, 1911, "Some Tribal Customs in their Relation to Medicine & Morals of the Nyam-Nyam and Gour Peoples Inhabiting The Bahr-el-Ghazal", Wellcome Tropical Research Laboratories, Khartoum, rep. no. 4, vol. B, pl. XVIII no. 11). See also E. Castelli, 1984, Orazio Antinori in Africa Centrale 1859-1861, cat. no. 21, p. 46 (Museum of Perugia 49600- 49606).
This object is currently on display in the Lower Gallery, case 96A.
Rachael Sparks 24/9/2005.
Primary Documentation:
Accession Book Entry
[p.
248] 1934 [insert] 8 [end insert] -
MAJOR P.
H.
G.
POWELL-COTTON
, Quex Park, Birchington, E.
Kent.
Specimens collected by himself & Mrs Cotton, during hunting trips, 1933, viz: [...] [p.
252] - From the
BARI
tribe, MONGALLA, PERIDI and NGANGALA.
[insert] 52 [end insert] - Twisted iron penannular necklet,
reah
, with scrolled ends, MONGALLA (78).
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 12/2/2004].
Related Documents File - Typewritten List of "Curios Presented to Dr. Balfour by Major & Mrs. Powell-Cotton. Barri Tribe". This object appears as item 78: "Twisted iron necklet with small tongs, native name Reah , 23/1/33 Mongalla, 5.19 N, 31.49 E". Also contains details of a cine film 'some tribes of the Southern Sudan', taken by Powell-Cotton during this 1933 expedition, copies of which are now in the National Film and Television Archive and the Powell-Cotton Museum in Kent [RTS 14/3/2005].
Old Pitt Rivers Museum label - reah , necklet, BARI, MONGALLA, E. SUDAN. d.d. Major Powell-Cotton, 1934 (78) [tied to object, RTS 29/4/2004].
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 12/2/2004].
Related Documents File - Typewritten List of "Curios Presented to Dr. Balfour by Major & Mrs. Powell-Cotton. Barri Tribe". This object appears as item 78: "Twisted iron necklet with small tongs, native name Reah , 23/1/33 Mongalla, 5.19 N, 31.49 E". Also contains details of a cine film 'some tribes of the Southern Sudan', taken by Powell-Cotton during this 1933 expedition, copies of which are now in the National Film and Television Archive and the Powell-Cotton Museum in Kent [RTS 14/3/2005].
Old Pitt Rivers Museum label - reah , necklet, BARI, MONGALLA, E. SUDAN. d.d. Major Powell-Cotton, 1934 (78) [tied to object, RTS 29/4/2004].
