Lotuko necklet
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1934.8.67
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan] Eastern Equatoria Loronyo
Cultural Group:
Lotuko [Otuho]
Date Made:
By 1933
Materials:
Iron Metal
Process:
Hammered , Twisted , Bent
Dimensions:
L = 218 mm, W = 131.5 mm, Diam rod = 5.5 mm [RTS 28/4/2004].
Weight:
80.4 g
Local Name:
agwaludi
Other Owners:
Collected by Percy Horace Gordon Powell-Cotton and his wife on 13th February 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:
13th April 1933
Description:
Penannular torque or neck ornament made from an iron rod, round in section, that has been twisted to form a running spiral around the body, then bent into an oval loop with open ends, 14 mm apart.
This rod has been hammered flat at either end, forming two narrow strips with rectangular sections.
These have then been doubled back to lie flat against the outer edge of the torque, then bent inwards at an angle of around 65 degrees, to extend outwards from the body for another 92 mm.
Each has been bent over at the tip to form a tight coil.
The object is complete and intact, although the surface is a dull grey in many areas, and only retains its original metallic shine on some of its edges (Pantone 421C).
Most surfaces have become stained or encrusted with a red material, probably ochre (Pantone 478C); this appears to be more marked on the inside surfaces and may have derived from body paint worn by the owner.
The torque measures 131.5 mm across its width, and has a total length, including the projecting arms, of 218 mm.
It has an internal diameter of 120 mm, while the rod from which it has been shaped has a diameter of 5.5 mm, a width of 4.5 mm and a thickness of 1 mm where it has been hammered flat.
It weighs 80.4 grams.
Collected by Percy Horace Gordon Powell-Cotton and his wife Hannah at Loronyo on 13th April 1933, during a shooting expedition.
The neck ornament was worn by a woman, and is known as agwaludi. A similar form may be seen in Bongo bracelet 1884.82.53, which has similar projecting arms with curled ends, although in this case the body was left plain rather than twisted. 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).
Three Bari objects in the collection had strong ochre traces, as seen in this example; armlets 1934.8.50-51 and a twisted iron torque, 1903.2.3, and 2 Lotuko hide necklets (1934.8.70-71). This material is also similar to the 'red paste' in which a number of beads are embedded on 'Djibba' bracelet 1884.82.23.
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 at Loronyo on 13th April 1933, during a shooting expedition.
The neck ornament was worn by a woman, and is known as agwaludi. A similar form may be seen in Bongo bracelet 1884.82.53, which has similar projecting arms with curled ends, although in this case the body was left plain rather than twisted. 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).
Three Bari objects in the collection had strong ochre traces, as seen in this example; armlets 1934.8.50-51 and a twisted iron torque, 1903.2.3, and 2 Lotuko hide necklets (1934.8.70-71). This material is also similar to the 'red paste' in which a number of beads are embedded on 'Djibba' bracelet 1884.82.23.
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
LATUKA
tribe, NAVERA, TORIT, LARONYO.
[p.
254, insert] 67 [end insert] - Woman’s necklet,
agwaludi
, of twisted iron, penannular with long terminal prongs, LARONYO (645).
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 28/5/2004].
Related Documents File - Typewritten List of "Curios Presented to Dr. Balfour by Major & Mrs. Powell-Cotton. Latuka Tribe". This object appears as item 645: "Closely twisted iron necklet, female, tongs terminal, native name Agwaludi , 13/4/33 Laronyo 4.38 N 32.37 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 - Agualudi [sic], woman's necklet. LATUKA, LARONYO, E. SUDAN. d.d. Major Powell-Cotton 1934 (645) [tied to object, RTS 28/4/2004].
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 28/5/2004].
Related Documents File - Typewritten List of "Curios Presented to Dr. Balfour by Major & Mrs. Powell-Cotton. Latuka Tribe". This object appears as item 645: "Closely twisted iron necklet, female, tongs terminal, native name Agwaludi , 13/4/33 Laronyo 4.38 N 32.37 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 - Agualudi [sic], woman's necklet. LATUKA, LARONYO, E. SUDAN. d.d. Major Powell-Cotton 1934 (645) [tied to object, RTS 28/4/2004].
